How to compile scss to css with node-sass

Question

I have a master.scss with many imports from other .scss files. If I change a * .scss file master.css is generated automatically.

I use only the NPM, no Gulp or Grunt! This should remain so.

My current build script:

"scripts": {
  "watch-sass": "sass --watch src/scss/master.scss:dist/css/master.css"
}

That's nice but takes a long time to compile!

Now I'm trying to use node-sass. It should compile very fast. Unfortunately, I do not understand it completely ... node-sass is installed, via npm install node-sass

Where do I use the following (from docs)?

var sass = require('node-sass');
sass.render({
  file: scss_filename,
  [, options..]
}, function(err, result) { /*...*/ });
// OR
var result = sass.renderSync({
  data: scss_content
  [, options..]
});

This is not so in the package.json, right?

Here's a tutorial, what I've read: Using NPM as a Task Runner

The script is good. How can I use it?

"scripts": {
  "sass": "node-sass sass/ -o build/css/"
}

This will compile all of the sass files (that don't start with an underscore) to the build/css/ directory.

I hope for your help!

Solution 1

Maybe this covers your question: How to compile or convert sass / scss to css with node-sass (no Ruby)?

If it's an option for you I would recommend using grunt, it will make things a lot simpler and faster. This grunt plugin is probably the best option: https://www.npmjs.com/package/grunt-contrib-sass

// UPDATE

I followed the tutorial you sent and it's very straightforward. You create a file in your root folder called "package.json" containing the following:

{
  "watches": {
    "sass": "sass/**"
  },
  "scripts": {
    "sass": "node-sass sass/ -o build/css/",
    "dev": "rerun-script"
  }
}

You then open the command line in the root folder and run the following:

npm install --save-dev node-sass

The above installs node-sass

You then run:

npm install --save-dev rerun-script

The above creates a watch task so you don't have to rerun node-sass everytime you make changes

And last you run

npm run dev

Done!

Solution 2

Documentation.

If you want automatically compile files then you need to put the flag -w

node-sass -w -r assets/src/scss/ -o assets/dist/css/

My package.json

{
  "name": "my-project",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "scripts": {
    "build:js": "watchify assets/src/js/main_1.js -o 'exorcist assets/dist/js/main_1.js.map > assets/dist/js/main_1.js' -d -t [babelify --presets [latest]]",
    "build:scss": "node-sass -w -r assets/src/scss/ -o assets/dist/css/",
    "build": "npm run build:scss & npm run build:js"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "babel-cli": "^6.0.0",
    "babel-preset-latest": "^6.16.0",
    "babelify": "^7.3.0",
    "browserify": "^13.1.1",
    "exorcist": "^0.4.0",
    "node-sass": "^4.5.0",
    "watchify": "^3.7.0"
  },
  "browserify": {
    "transform": [
      "babelify"
    ]
  }
}

Actual version of package.json: https://gist.github.com/artamonovdev/5f24aaca504e4d1b299bba0413f0a57d

Solution 3

The watch mode in node-sass doesn't run the first compilation. It supposes that you have already ran node-sass.

Personally, I use something like this:

{
  "scripts": {
    "sass": "node-sass -o /path/to/dist /path/to/src",
    "sass:watch": "npm run sass && npm run sass -- --watch --recursive"
  }
}

And you can use it like this: npm run sass:watch