command not found using sudo in script

Question

I am trying to execute sudo command inside a bash script.

#!/bin/bash

sudo node app.js

and it throws me :

sudo: node: command not found

If I try to execute only node app.js (without sudo ),it runs ok.

If I try to just run sudo -h , it prints the sudo help.

But , when I am trying the sudo node app.js it throws me the error.

Answer 1

Sounds like node is on a non-standard path, or at least not on root's path. There are a couple of ways around this.

1. Use the full path to node

   • Find the full path using which node

   • If say it's in /home/user/bin/node then call sudo /home/user/bin/node app.js

   • Or as @UlrichSchwarz suggested you can combine the two with command substitution: sudo $(which node) app.js

   • Remember the user you sudo to needs read/execute permissions on the location, not as much of an issue when you sudo to root

---

2. Call sudo with the -E option to preserve environment variables

   • sudo -E node app.js

   • This will keep your $PATH from before sudo

   • You can see the sudo manpage for more info: http://linux.die.net/man/8/sudo