--import CLI flag (default)

Understanding the --import CLI Flag

The --import CLI flag in Node is the default way in ESM to preload a module before the application starts. If you cannot use the SDK's default dynamic import behaviour, setting this flag is crucial for ensuring proper server-side initialization, as Sentry needs to be initialized before the rest of the application runs.

Scenarios where --import does not work

• You're not able to add Node CLI flags or environment variables that are scoped to the function runtime
• Netlify only allows scoped environment variables on its paid plans at this time
• Vercel doesn't currently provide an option for scoping environment variables

If any of those points apply to you, you cannot use the --import flag to initialize Sentry on the server-side. Check out the guide for using a top-level import or a dynamic import instead.

Initializing Sentry with --import

By default, the SDK will add the Sentry server config to the build output (typically, .output/server/sentry.server.config.mjs).

1. Adding --import to node command

After building your Nuxt app with nuxi build, add the --import flag followed by the Sentry server config path to the node command. With the default Nitro Node preset, this typically looks like this:

node --import ./.output/server/sentry.server.config.mjs .output/server/index.mjs

Check the log at the very end of the console output after building the application. This will print the node command with the server entry path for your application (node .output/server/index.mjs with the Node preset). Make sure to update the paths accordingly, especially when using a different Nitro preset.

To make things easier, add a script in the package.json:

{
  "scripts": {
    "start": "node --import ./.output/server/sentry.server.config.mjs .output/server/index.mjs"
  }
}

2. Adding --import flag in production

To be able to set up Sentry in production, the --import flag needs to be added wherever you run your application's production build output. Consult your hosting provider's documentation for specific implementation details. Most deployment platforms support this through two primary methods:

Option 1: Direct CLI Flag

node --import .output/server/sentry.server.config.mjs your-server-entry.mjs

Option 2: Environment Variable

NODE_OPTIONS='--import .output/server/sentry.server.config.mjs'