Problem setting node version of linux web application from Azure Pipeline

Question

I'm setting up a CICD pipeline with Azure Pipelines from Azure DevOps for a node application but it is failing to start as the default node version being used is node 16 when it requires node 18. I have tried to update the version through my pipeline but it seems to have no effect.

# Above this is variable configuration
pool:
  vmImage: ubuntu-latest

stages:
- stage: Build
  displayName: Build stage
  jobs:
  - job: Build
    displayName: Build
    pool:
      vmImage: $(vmImageName)

    steps:
    - task: NodeTool@0
      inputs:
        versionSource: 'spec'
        versionSpec: '>=18.x'

    - script: |
        npm cache clean --force
        npm install
        npm run build
      displayName: 'npm install and build'

    - task: ArchiveFiles@2
      displayName: 'Archive files'
      inputs:
        rootFolderOrFile: '$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)'
        includeRootFolder: false
        archiveType: zip
        archiveFile: $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)/$(Build.BuildId).zip
        replaceExistingArchive: true

    - publish: $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)/$(Build.BuildId).zip
      artifact: drop

- stage: Deploy
  displayName: Deploy stage
  dependsOn: Build
  condition: succeeded()
  jobs:
  - deployment: Deploy
    displayName: Deploy
    environment: $(environmentName)
    pool:
      vmImage: $(vmImageName)
    strategy:
      runOnce:
        deploy:
          steps:
          - task: NodeTool@0
            inputs:
              versionSource: 'spec'
              versionSpec: '>=18.x'
          - task: AzureWebApp@1
            displayName: 'Azure Web App Deploy: $(webAppName)'
            inputs:
              azureSubscription: '$(subscription-id)'
              appType: webAppLinux
              appName: $(webAppName)
              runtimeStack: 'NODE|18LTS'
              package: $(Pipeline.Workspace)/drop/$(Build.BuildId).zip
              startUpCommand: npm run startAzure

I have also tried to set the node version in the application settings with WEBSITE_NODE_DEFAULT_VERSION set with 18.x or a more specific version and it is still starting with v16.

I've also tried the task UseNode@1 task but the same node version being used is 16.

The version is not updating in stack setting:

When I looked online it was suggested to add the node version to the package.json file which i've also done like the below.

  "engines": {
    "node": "18.19.1"
  }

But i'm still seeing version 16 in the logs on application startup

NodeJS Version : v16.14.2

When I check the node version it says v20.13.1 so i'm not sure why the node version is not updating when the app is starting.

Answer 1

Sorted the problem out by changing runtimeStack: 'NODE|18 LTS' to runtimeStack: 'NODE|18-lts', for some reason the former was the default in the pipeline editor and it wasn't until I kept looking around for answers and also used the Tasks builder as shown below to see the correct syntax for the AzureWebApp@1 task