PM2

PM2 and FlowLayer can both supervise processes, but they are optimized for different workflows.

What this tool is good at

PM2 is strong for Node.js process management, especially on persistent hosts:

• process supervision and restart policies
• Node-centric deployment and runtime habits
• mature operational patterns for long-running Node services

Where FlowLayer differs

FlowLayer is not Node-specific. It targets polyglot multi-service runtime orchestration in development sessions.

Key differences:

• service topology across multiple languages and runtimes
• explicit dependency ordering and readiness-aware startup
• centralized session logs and runtime actions from flowlayer-client-tui
• remote control of one shared runtime session

When to choose FlowLayer

Choose FlowLayer when:

• your stack spans multiple services and languages
• startup order across dependencies matters during development
• you need one place to operate and inspect a complete local stack

When not to choose FlowLayer

Prefer PM2 when:

• your main problem is production-style Node.js process supervision
• your workflow is centered on PM2 operational features
• multi-service cross-language topology is not the primary need

Honest summary

FlowLayer does not replace PM2 as a Node-focused process manager.

PM2 is often the better fit for Node service supervision, while FlowLayer is useful for polyglot, topology-aware development orchestration.