process.env undefined in Node app

Question

When running my Node app with node server.js, process.env returns undefined, so I'm unable to access any environment variables. This also seems to occur when I attempt to deploy my app to Duostack.

Calling process.env from the command line seems to work, though:

$ node
> process.env
{ MANPATH: '/opt/local/share/man:',
  TERM_PROGRAM: 'Apple_Terminal',
...

Any idea what could be going wrong?

Solution

I figured it out. process is an object (https://nodejs.org/api/process.html), but I'd defined my own function (also called process) that overwrote it. Changing the name of my function fixed the problem.

Comments

[onmyway133]

I had this problem too, don't create a method name process

[Nogurenn]

I can't believe I copy-pasta'd a process() function for testing only to find out it's a reserved object. So much for dangerous tutorials.

[Steve Lng C]

Funny how many people did that silly same mistake !