[lacker]

Criticizing node.js for not knowing how to restart itself is like criticizing Python for not knowing how to restart itself. node.js is an interpreter, it doesn't implement every part of a production stack.

I don't use Forever, but I use upstart with respawn which is similar, and I use it to monitor not just node.js daemons but also ones written in python, bash, and whatever else. Monitoring software is a reasonable part of a stable production system; it indicates a healthy ecosystem rather than a deficient one.