Introduction to node-vault

Node-vault is a client module for the popular HashiCorp Vault, designed to work seamlessly with Node.js applications. It enables developers to interact with Vault programmatically, offering a vast API to manage secrets, encryption keys, and other secure data. Below you’ll find a comprehensive guide to using node-vault, complete with API examples and an application showcasing the introduced APIs.

Getting Started

To get started, first install node-vault via npm:

  npm install node-vault --save

Then, require the module in your application:

  const vault = require('node-vault')();

API Examples

1. Initialization

Initializing the vault client with custom options:

  
    const options = {
      apiVersion: 'v1', // default
      endpoint: 'http://127.0.0.1:8200', // default
      token: 'my-vault-token', // optional client token
    };
    const vault = require('node-vault')(options);
  

2. Writing a Secret

Write a secret to Vault:

  
    vault.write('secret/hello', { value: 'world', lease: 3600 })
      .then((result) => {
        console.log(result);
      })
      .catch((err) => console.error(err));
  

3. Reading a Secret

Read a secret from Vault:

  
    vault.read('secret/hello')
      .then((result) => {
        console.log(result);
      })
      .catch((err) => console.error(err));
  

4. Deleting a Secret

Delete a secret from Vault:

  
    vault.delete('secret/hello')
      .then((result) => {
        console.log(result);
      })
      .catch((err) => console.error(err));
  

5. Listing Secrets

List secrets in a specific path:

  
    vault.list('secret')
      .then((result) => {
        console.log(result);
      })
      .catch((err) => console.error(err));
  

6. Creating and Accessing Policies

Create a new policy:

  
    const policy = {
      rules: `
        path "secret/*" {
          capabilities = ["create", "read", "update", "delete", "list"]
        }
      `
    };
    vault.addPolicy('my-policy', policy)
      .then((result) => {
        console.log(result);
      })
      .catch((err) => console.error(err));
  

Retrieve an existing policy:

  
    vault.getPolicy('my-policy')
      .then((result) => {
        console.log(result);
      })
      .catch((err) => console.error(err));
  

Complete Application Example

Here’s a simple application that uses several Vault APIs:

  
    const vault = require('node-vault')({
      endpoint: 'http://127.0.0.1:8200',
      token: 'my-vault-token',
    });

    async function run() {
      try {
        // Write a secret
        await vault.write('secret/hello', { value: 'world' });
        console.log('Secret written.');

        // Read the secret
        const secret = await vault.read('secret/hello');
        console.log('Secret read:', secret);

        // List secrets
        const secretsList = await vault.list('secret');
        console.log('Secrets list:', secretsList);

        // Delete the secret
        await vault.delete('secret/hello');
        console.log('Secret deleted.');

        // Add a policy
        const policy = {
          rules: `
            path "secret/*" {
              capabilities = ["create", "read", "update", "delete", "list"]
            }
          `
        };
        await vault.addPolicy('my-policy', policy);
        console.log('Policy created.');

        // Retrieve the policy
        const retrievedPolicy = await vault.getPolicy('my-policy');
        console.log('Policy retrieved:', retrievedPolicy);
        
      } catch (err) {
        console.error('Error:', err);
      }
    }

    run();
  

Conclusion

Node-vault is a powerful tool for integrating HashiCorp Vault with your Node.js applications. By following this guide, you can manage secrets, policies, and other secure data programmatically, allowing for automated and secure handling of sensitive information. Implement these practices to enhance the security and flexibility of your applications.

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