I copy and pasted the node.js demo code but it's just running then exiting the process..?
#Demo Code not working?
ornate token
icy lodgeBOT
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icy lodgeBOT
I'm sorry you're having trouble with the demo code. Based on the knowledge sources, there are a few common reasons why Deepgram demo code might run and then exit immediately:
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Missing or Incorrect API Key: Make sure you have set your Deepgram API key correctly. Many demos require you to set an environment variable or directly insert your API key in the code. If the key is missing or invalid, the process may exit without clear errors.
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No Audio Input or File: Some demos expect an audio file or stream as input. If the code is not provided with a valid audio source, it may finish execution without doing anything noticeable.
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Async Code Not Awaited: In Node.js and Python, if you use async functions but don't await them or don't keep the process alive, the script may exit before any asynchronous work completes. For example, in Python, you should wrap your main logic in an async function and use
asyncio.run(main())to ensure it runs properly. Similarly, in Node.js, make sure to await any promises or keep the process alive until all work is done. See this example for looping through files in Python, which usesasyncio.run()to keep the process running until all files are processed Looping through list of podcast episodes using Python. -
No Event Listeners or Output: If the demo is event-driven (e.g., using WebSockets), ensure you have set up listeners for events like
on('message'),on('data'), or similar, and that you are logging or handling the output.
- Environment Variables Not Set: Some demos require you to copy a
.env-exampleto.envand fill in your settings (like API key, port, etc.) before running. If these are missing, the app may exit immediately Transcribe Meetings in Realtime.
What to do:
- Double-check that your API key is set and valid.
- Ensure you are providing the required audio input or file.
- If using async code, make sure it is properly awaited or the process is kept alive.
- Look for any error messages in the console—they may provide clues.
- If the demo uses environment variables, make sure they are set up as described in the documentation.
If you can share which specific demo code you are using (e.g., Node.js, Python, TTS, STT, etc.), I can provide more targeted troubleshooting steps. If you are using a code sample from the Deepgram docs or GitHub, make sure to follow all setup steps, including installing dependencies and configuring environment variables.