Express server is stopped after `grunt express:dev`, not running in background about grunt-express-server HOT 5 CLOSED

That's by design, see: section Starting the server in the Readme.

To keep the server running in development mode you can run a watch task after starting the server, like so:

grunt express:dev watch

from grunt-express-server.

Oh snap, this way it works as expected. Thanks for reply and excuse me for inattention.

Regarding livereload: what's correct setup for changed Node app sources? Need to refresh the page. With livereload: true in watch task options server is restarted, but then I get "could not connect" in browser, need to refresh it manually.

from grunt-express-server.

Hmm, for me it works.

This is how my watch and express task configs looks like:

watch: {
  backend: {
    options: {
      spawn: false
    },
    files: ['<%= dirs.src %>/index.js', '<%= dirs.api %>/**/*.js', '<%= dirs.config %>/*.{js,json}'],
    tasks: ['express:dev']
  },
  livereload: {
    options: {
      livereload: true
    },
    files: [
      '<%= dirs.temp %>/index.html',
      '<%= dirs.app %>/**/*.js',
      '<%= dirs.temp %>/*.js',
      '<%= dirs.temp %>/styleguide.html',
      '<%= dirs.temp %>/css/**/*.css',
      '!<%= dirs.app %>/**/*.spec.js'
    ]
  }
},

express: {
  options: {
    port: 1337,
    script: '<%= dirs.src %>/index.js'
  },
  dev: {
    options: {
      node_env: 'development'
    }
  }
},

Then I have this in my express server configuration step:

app.configure('development', function () {
    app.use(require('connect-livereload')());
    app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, 'app')));
    app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, '..', '.tmp')));
    app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'bower_components')));
});

So you'll need to have connect-livereload installed as well, for the livereload to work. Maybe that's what's missing for you?

from grunt-express-server.

Yes, you're right, at that point I really missed app.use(require('connect-livereload')());.
No issue should be created here, so thank you for patience :)

from grunt-express-server.

@Z-AX no worries, glad I could help!

from grunt-express-server.