I'm trying to debug on a live server running a Node.js webserver (Express, TypeScript).
I run the node server with NODE_ENV=development node --inspect=9229 --inspect-brk build/start.js, and it says it's waiting and listening (Debugger listening on ws://127.0.0.1:9229/a61485f2-aef8-4719-901d-4d5ad9d1e6cd).
I set up an SSH tunnel (using this method: https://gist.github.com/pajtai/081e0371e7366c79c0b9), and I set up an "Attach to Node.js/Chrome" debug configuration, with Host: localhost and Port: 9229. Then when I hit the debug button, it connects through the SSH tunnel, and the node.js process runs just fine, stopping and debugging at all my breakpoints.
However, when I don't set up the SSH tunnel, start the node server the same way, and set up an "Attach to Node.js/Chrome" profile with the host as the URL or IP of the server, WebStorm can never connect. There is a little red bubble over the "5: Debug" icon at the bottom saying it can't connect, and sometimes it says "Closed Explicitly". I have opened up port 9229 in the firewall settings for the server (I've tried TCP and UDP).
What am I doing wrong? Please help, anyone!
I'm using Mac OS X 10.15.3 and WebStorm 2019.3.1.
Node binds to localhost by default and thus can't be accessed from outside unless you set up the port forwarding (via ssh tunneling, for example).
You can try changing the command to node --inspect-brk=0.0.0.0:9229 build/start.js - does it help?
Note that Node.js discourages using remote debugging in this way: https://nodejs.org/en/docs/guides/debugging-getting-started/#enabling-remote-debugging-scenarios. Using SSH tunneling is recommended