parse-server fails to start (parse-server: command not found)

[Edijae]

I have followed the below commands to install parse server locally.

`$ npm install -g parse-server mongodb-runner
$ mongodb-runner start
$ parse-server --appId myserver --masterKey myserver --databaseURI mongodb://localhost/test

the server files are downloaded and stored at ~/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/parse-server$ when i go to that folder and try to run parse-server --appId myserver --masterKey myserver --databaseURI mongodb://localhost/test on the terminal, I get the error below

parse-server: command not found

When i try to run npm start on the terminal from the same folder, I get the error below

parse-server@2.7.4 start /home/user/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/parse-server
> node ./bin/parse-server

/home/user/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/parse-server/lib/ParseServer.js:124
    const {
          ^

SyntaxError: Unexpected token {
    at exports.runInThisContext (vm.js:53:16)
    at Module._compile (module.js:374:25)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:417:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:344:32)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:301:12)
    at Module.require (module.js:354:17)
    at require (internal/module.js:12:17)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/home/user/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/parse-server/lib/index.js:8:21)
    at Module._compile (module.js:410:26)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:417:10)

npm ERR! Linux 4.4.0-112-generic
npm ERR! argv "/usr/bin/nodejs" "/usr/local/bin/npm" "start"
npm ERR! node v4.2.6
npm ERR! npm  v4.0.5
npm ERR! code ELIFECYCLE
npm ERR! parse-server@2.7.4 start: `node ./bin/parse-server`
npm ERR! Exit status 1
npm ERR! 
npm ERR! Failed at the parse-server@2.7.4 start script 'node ./bin/parse-server'.
npm ERR! Make sure you have the latest version of node.js and npm installed.
npm ERR! If you do, this is most likely a problem with the parse-server package,
npm ERR! not with npm itself.
npm ERR! Tell the author that this fails on your system:
npm ERR!     node ./bin/parse-server
npm ERR! You can get information on how to open an issue for this project with:
npm ERR!     npm bugs parse-server
npm ERR! Or if that isn't available, you can get their info via:
npm ERR!     npm owner ls parse-server
npm ERR! There is likely additional logging output above.
```

how can i run it?
Another thing, I had already installed mongodb and using it on my laptop. did 
```
$ npm install -g parse-server mongodb-runner
$ mongodb-runner start
```
install another mongo db?

[flovilmart]

Your node version (4.2.6) is outdated, you need to upgrade to a most recent version like 8.11.

[Edijae]

@flovilmart did

$ npm install -g parse-server mongodb-runner
$ mongodb-runner start

interfere with my other mongo db which i had installed by following instructions from mongodb.com?

[flovilmart]

The issue is not about mongodb, mongodb-runner is safe to use alongside your setup. You need to download and install the latest node version

[Edijae]

I have updated node to v8.11.1 but when i try to run parse-server --appId "crusar" --masterKey "crusar" --databaseURI mongodb://localhost/test from the terminal or from inside ~/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/parse-server/ folder, i get the error parse-server: command not found and when i try to run npm start --appId "crusar" --masterKey "crusar" i get the error below

module.js:549
    throw err;
    ^

Error: Cannot find module '/home/user/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/parse-server/crusar'
    at Function.Module._resolveFilename (module.js:547:15)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:474:25)
    at Module.require (module.js:596:17)
    at require (internal/module.js:11:18)
    at parseConfigFile (/home/user/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/parse-server/lib/cli/utils/commander.js:83:24)
    at Command._commander.Command.parse (/home/user/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/parse-server/lib/cli/utils/commander.js:121:20)
    at exports.default (/home/user/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/parse-server/lib/cli/utils/runner.js:20:23)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/home/user/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/parse-server/lib/cli/parse-server.js:48:22)
    at Module._compile (module.js:652:30)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:663:10)

[flovilmart]

If you use npm start, your should add -- before the first parameter:

npm start -- --appId ...

[Edijae]

ooh my. that worked. so it means i have to enter parse-server folder(~/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/parse-server) and run the terminal from there. there is no way to do it directly without navigating to the folder. Isn't It?
Another thing is why did parse-server --appId "crusar" --masterKey "crusar" --databaseURI mongodb://localhost/test command fail?

[flovilmart]

after you reinstalled node, you should probably run npm install -g parse-server then the parse-server command should be available.

[flovilmart]

if it isn,t it's probably because your PATH environment variable isn't properly configured.

[Edijae]

@flovilmart Awesome.After I set my PATH variable at /etc/enviroment parse-server command worked.
Thank you @flovilmart for your help. God bless you.

[Edijae]

@flovilmart I tried to upload this parse-server to google app engine. First i created a file called app.yaml inside parse-server folder. It contained the following

runtime: nodejs
env: flex

env_variables:
  # --REQUIRED--
  DATABASE_URI: "<my mongo db url>"
  APP_ID: "<my app id>"
  MASTER_KEY: "<my master key>"
  SERVER_URL: "<app engine server url>"
  # --OPTIONAL--
  # FILE_KEY: YOUR_FILE_KEY
  # PARSE_MOUNT: /parse
  # CLOUD_CODE_MAIN:

when i run gcloud app deploy in the terminal, it is deployed to my app engine but not started for i get an npm error appId and masterKey are required. this error is printed in the terminal. It's like ~/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/parse-server/lib/cli/parse-server.js is being executed but the options parameter doesn't have appId and masterKey. When I try gcloud app deploy --appId "myId" --masterKey "my masterKey" it fails since the 2 options aren't part of gcloud. Where else can i set appId apart from app.yaml file? Kindly help

[Edijae]

@flovilmart I deployed the server sample app instead of this and it worked.