NodeJS how to create a bash like input

I want to create a nodejs cli app, where there is a shell.

I have tried doing this so far:

readline.question('> ', val => {
  console.log(val)
  readline.close();
});

But it only works once, how do I make it work continuously?

Like so:

> Hello
Hello
> World
World

Answer

That is happening because you are only calling the question function once. To ask for next input you need to call it again inside the callback. I would create a recursive function like this:

function askQuestion(){
readline.question('> ', val => {
  
  console.log(val);
  askQuestion() // ask next question
});
}

askQuestion() // initialize question terminal

If you also need a command to exit out of question loop, you can even add a breaking condition like this

function askQuestion(){
readline.question('> ', val => {
  if(val==='exit'){ //breaking condition
 
    readline.close()
    return;
  }
  console.log(val);
  askQuestion() // ask next question
});
}

askQuestion() // initialize question terminal