for some reason when I run npm start and I hit the browser, I am getting this stack trace with this error.

TypeError: $.ajax is not a function

at getLocationFromIp (G:\Github\Expressjs\nodetest1\routes\index.js:13:7)
at G:\Github\Expressjs\nodetest1\routes\index.js:24:14

Would someone be able to tell me why? Here is my code. Thanks!

var express = require('express');
var router = express.Router();
var externalip = require('external-ip');
var $ = require('jquery');

getLocationFromIp = function() {
    $.ajax({
       url:"freegeoip/json/",
       type: "GET",
       data: null,
       dataType: "json",
       success: function(){console.log("success!")}
     });
 }

router.get('/', function(req, res) {
    var ip = getLocationFromIp();
    res.render('index', { 'ip' : "hi"});
});

for some reason when I run npm start and I hit the browser, I am getting this stack trace with this error.

TypeError: $.ajax is not a function

at getLocationFromIp (G:\Github\Expressjs\nodetest1\routes\index.js:13:7)
at G:\Github\Expressjs\nodetest1\routes\index.js:24:14

Would someone be able to tell me why? Here is my code. Thanks!

var express = require('express');
var router = express.Router();
var externalip = require('external-ip');
var $ = require('jquery');

getLocationFromIp = function() {
    $.ajax({
       url:"freegeoip/json/",
       type: "GET",
       data: null,
       dataType: "json",
       success: function(){console.log("success!")}
     });
 }

router.get('/', function(req, res) {
    var ip = getLocationFromIp();
    res.render('index', { 'ip' : "hi"});
});

• javascript
• jquery
• ajax
• node.js

• Try adding the code inside of $(document).ready(function(){}) function – Dale Commented Mar 26, 2016 at 17:04
• @Dale — What document? – Quentin Commented Mar 26, 2016 at 17:07
• The problem probably lies with a-sync loading of Jquery via the require function. Is there a way to fire getLocationFromIp function AFTER Jquery script loads? That it likelly to solve your problem. – Elvanos Commented Mar 26, 2016 at 17:07
• @Elvanos — Since when was require async? – Quentin Commented Mar 26, 2016 at 17:08
• Hmm... is there a way to make jquery fire after the require loads? if that is the issue – Patrick Guan Commented Mar 26, 2016 at 17:14

2 Answers 2

See the documentation:

For jQuery to work in Node, a window with a document is required. Since no such window exists natively in Node, one can be mocked by tools such as jsdom. This can be useful for testing purposes.

var externalip = require('external-ip');

require("jsdom").env("", function(err, window) {
    if (err) {
        console.error(err);
        return;
    }
    var $ = require("jquery")(window);

     function getLocationFromIp() {
        $.ajax({
            url: "freegeoip/json/",
            type: "GET",
            data: null,
            dataType: "json",
            success: function() {
                console.log("success!")
            },
            error: function() {
                console.log("error", arguments[2])
            }
        });
    }
    var ip = getLocationFromIp();
    console.log(ip);
});

You'd probably be better off using an HTTP library designed to work with Node from the outset, such such as request.

If you are using jquery to just make a http request, you can probably use the http or request node module to do that instead.

var express = require('express');
var router = express.Router();
var externalip = require('external-ip');
var http    = require('http');

getLocationFromIp = function(done) {
  var options = {
    host: "freegeoip",
    port: 80,
    path: "/json"
  };

  var request = http.get(options, function(response) {
    var result = "";
    var responseCode = response.statusCode;

    response.on('data', function(data) {
      result += data;
    });

    response.on('end', function() {
      if(responseCode >= 400)
        return done(result, null);
      else
        return done(false, JSON.parse(result));
    });
  });

  request.on("error", function(error){
    return done("Error handling error", null);
  });

  request.end();
}

router.get('/', function(req, res) {
    var ip = getLocationFromIp(function(error, ip){
      res.render('index', { 'ip' : "hi"});
    });
});