The process module provides information about and control over the current Node.js process. Here's how to use it.
Environment Variables
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Command Line Arguments
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Process Information
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Memory Usage
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Process Exit
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Signal Handling
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Error Handling
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Standard I/O
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Timing Functions
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Next Tick
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Resource Limits
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Debugging
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Best Practices
Environment:
✓ Validate required env vars at startup
✓ Use defaults for optional vars
✓ Don't store secrets in code
✓ Parse/validate env var types
Signals:
✓ Handle SIGTERM for graceful shutdown
✓ Handle SIGINT for dev convenience
✓ Set exit codes appropriately
✓ Clean up resources on exit
Errors:
✓ Log uncaught exceptions
✓ Handle unhandled rejections
✓ Exit after fatal errors
✓ Monitor warnings
Avoid:
✗ Swallowing uncaught exceptions
✗ Ignoring unhandled rejections
✗ Synchronous work in exit handlers
✗ Modifying process.env in production
Conclusion
The process module is essential for Node.js applications. Use it for environment configuration, command-line argument parsing, graceful shutdown handling, and error management. Always handle SIGTERM and SIGINT for proper shutdown, log uncaught errors, and set appropriate exit codes. The process module provides valuable debugging information about memory usage, timing, and system resources.