How to run multiple applications on RPI

Question

I'm running a RPI zero (with raspbian as OS) and I would like to run some NodeJS applications. Therefore I have two applications: API and GUI. Both are nodeJS applications, so I would run them via npm run start.

But how do I run multiple applications at the same time?

I just started to use docker, but in this case (I'm using rpio to get access to the GPIO) I cannot access the GPIOs from inside of the docker containers. So my question is if I can run both applications at the same time without using docker.

Answer 1

First of all it`s correct, that you cannot granting GPIO access from inside of the docker Container as i know so far.

A Possible Workaround is to adding Parameters to the Dockerfile and to your application: Your Dockerfile should have an Entrypoint in the End like:

ENTRYPOINT ["./yourBinary","-gpioNumber"]

After this you should able to start a Docker Container with following command (after the image build of course):

1. API: docker run --privileged -d YourImageName -gpio=22 <--- for example
2. GUI: docker run --privileged -d YourImageName -gpio=24 <--- for example

As mention in the comment is it Possible as long you are not using the same GPIO. Heres a Documentation for Docker GPIO access https://blog.alexellis.io/gpio-on-swarm/

Thats one suggestion.

But to answering your Question, Yes! you can run multiple Application without Docker. How? As Example run your GUI and API application as process in a Background with the bg command https://www.computerhope.com/unix/ubg.htm

But as above descripted as long you won`t use the same GPIO port