Node.js agent on Microsoft Azure Web Apps

Read on to learn about special considerations for using Microsoft Azure Web Apps as a hosting service with New Relic's Node.js agent.

What you need

In addition to the Compatibility and requirements for the Node.js agent, this tutorial assumes you have a working installation of Node.js and the Windows Azure SDK for Node.js for your platform:

• Install the Azure SDK for Node.js.
• Ensure Git is installed.

Installing the Node.js agent

To add the New Relic Node.js agent to your Azure application:

1. In your app's root, verify that there is a package.json file. If there is not, create one via the command line:

   touch package.json

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2. Add the following to your package.json file:

   {
     "name": "node",
     "version": "0.0.1",
     "dependencies" : {
       "newrelic" : "*"
     },
     "engine": {
       "node": "10.18"
     }
   }

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3. Add require('newrelic'); to the top of the server.js file. For example:

   require('newrelic');
   
   var http = require('http')
   var port = process.env.PORT || 1337;
   http.createServer(function(req, res) {
     res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' });
     res.end('Hello New Relic Node.js agent!\n');
   }).listen(port);

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Adding app settings in Azure

After installation, you must configure your app in Azure Web Apps:

1. Sign in to portal.azure.com.

2. Select App Services > (select a Node.js app) > Configure.

3. Add the following to the app settings:

   • new_relic_app_name: Your Windows Azure website name
   • new_relic_license_key: Your New Relic license key

4. Save your settings.

5. Restart your Node.js app.

Generate some traffic to your app and wait a few minutes. After waiting, see your data by going to one.newrelic.com > APM > (select your app).

Optional: Adding app settings with the CLI

Optional: Here is an example of how to add the app settings by using the CLI (Node SDK):

azure account download "YOUR_SUBSCRIPTION_NAME"
azure account import "PATH_TO_PUBLISH_SETTINGS_FILE"
azure site config add "new_relic_app_name=REPLACE_WITH_YOUR_APP_NAME"
azure site config add "new_relic_license_key=REPLACE_WITH_YOUR_LICENSE_KEY"
azure site restart AZURE_WEB_APP_NAME

Using environment variables

If your agent runs in PaaS environments such as Heroku or Azure Web Apps, all of the configuration variables in newrelic.js have counterparts that can be set as environment variables. You can freely mix and match variables in the configuration file. Environment variables override your configuration file settings.

For example, as a convenience to Azure users, the agent will use APP_POOL_ID as the application name (NEW_RELIC_APP_NAME) if it's set, so you can use the name you chose without setting it twice. For more information, see Configuring Node.js with environment variables.