Affected File
Node.js Gateway — backend/server.js
Bug Description
There are two GET /health route handlers registered in server.js. Express resolves routes in registration order and stops at the first match, so the second handler is never executed.
First handler (line 47 — always wins, returns a dumb static response):
app.get('/health', (req, res) => {
res.json({
status: 'ok',
message: 'Server is running',
limit: '1MB'
});
});Second handler (line 104 — unreachable dead code, contains the real health check):
app.get("/health", async (req, res) => {
try {
const healthStatus = await getHealthStatus();
const statusCode = healthStatus.status === "healthy" ? 200 : 503;
res.status(statusCode).json(healthStatus);
} catch (error) {
res.status(500).json({ ... });
}
});getHealthStatus() (from utils/healthCheck.js) checks MongoDB connectivity and returns a 503 when the database is unavailable. Because this handler is never reached, the /health endpoint always returns 200 with {status:"ok"} — even when MongoDB is down and the server cannot process any requests.
Impact:
- Docker and Kubernetes health probes see a healthy service even when MongoDB is disconnected, causing traffic to be routed to a broken instance.
- Monitoring systems get false-positive health signals, hiding outages.
- The
getHealthStatus utility and all the infrastructure built around real health checking is wasted code.
Steps to Reproduce
- Start the Node server with MongoDB disconnected (e.g., wrong
MONGODB_URI).
- Call
GET http://localhost:3000/health.
- Observe response:
{"status":"ok","message":"Server is running","limit":"1MB"} with HTTP 200.
- Expected: HTTP 503 with a degraded status indicating DB failure.
Expected Behavior
GET /health calls getHealthStatus(), returns 200 when all dependencies are healthy, and 503 when MongoDB is disconnected or any dependency fails.
Actual Behavior
GET /health always returns HTTP 200 {"status":"ok"} regardless of the actual service health.
Proposed Fix
Remove the first (dumb) handler at line 47 entirely. Keep only the second handler at line 104:
// DELETE lines 47–53 (the dumb static handler)
// Keep only this handler (line 104):
app.get("/health", async (req, res) => {
try {
const healthStatus = await getHealthStatus();
const statusCode = healthStatus.status === "healthy" ? 200 : 503;
res.status(statusCode).json(healthStatus);
} catch (error) {
res.status(500).json({
status: 'error',
message: 'Failed to retrieve health status',
error: error.message
});
}
});
Scope of Contribution
Pre-submission Checklist
Affected File
Node.js Gateway —
backend/server.jsBug Description
There are two
GET /healthroute handlers registered inserver.js. Express resolves routes in registration order and stops at the first match, so the second handler is never executed.First handler (line 47 — always wins, returns a dumb static response):
Second handler (line 104 — unreachable dead code, contains the real health check):
getHealthStatus()(fromutils/healthCheck.js) checks MongoDB connectivity and returns a503when the database is unavailable. Because this handler is never reached, the/healthendpoint always returns 200 with{status:"ok"}— even when MongoDB is down and the server cannot process any requests.Impact:
getHealthStatusutility and all the infrastructure built around real health checking is wasted code.Steps to Reproduce
MONGODB_URI).GET http://localhost:3000/health.{"status":"ok","message":"Server is running","limit":"1MB"}with HTTP 200.Expected Behavior
GET /healthcallsgetHealthStatus(), returns200when all dependencies are healthy, and503when MongoDB is disconnected or any dependency fails.Actual Behavior
GET /healthalways returnsHTTP 200 {"status":"ok"}regardless of the actual service health.Proposed Fix
Remove the first (dumb) handler at line 47 entirely. Keep only the second handler at line 104:
Scope of Contribution
Pre-submission Checklist