Node.js Deployment

Steps to deploy a Node.js app using PM2, NGINX as a reverse proxy and an SSL from LetsEncrypt

1. Install Node/NPM

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo bash -

sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

node --version

2. Clone your project from Github

git clone yourproject.git

3. Install dependencies and test app

cd yourproject
npm install
npm start (or whatever your start command)

# stop app
ctrl+C

4. Setup PM2 process manager to keep your app running

sudo npm install pm2 -g
pm2 start app.js (or whatever your file name) --watch --time --merge-logs --error <path>

# Other pm2 commands
pm2 show app
pm2 status
pm2 monit (for monitoring)

# To make sure app starts when reboot
pm2 startup systemd

You should now be able to access your app using your IP and port. Now we want to setup a firewall blocking that port and setup NGINX as a reverse proxy so we can access it directly using port 80 (http)

5. Setup ufw firewall

sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status
sudo ufw allow ssh (Port 22)
sudo ufw allow http (Port 80)
sudo ufw allow https (Port 443)

6. Install NGINX and configure

sudo apt install nginx

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/default

Add the following to the location part of the server block

    server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:5000; #whatever port your app runs on
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
    }

# Check NGINX config
sudo nginx -t

# Restart NGINX
sudo nginx -s reload

7. Add SSL with LetsEncrypt

# Skip this if you already have snap installed
sudo apt update
sudo apt install snapd
sudo snap install core
sudo snap refresh core

# Remove certbot-auto and any Certbot OS packages
sudo apt-get purge certbot

# Install certbot
sudo snap install --classic certbot
sudo ln -s /snap/bin/certbot /usr/bin/certbot

# Either get and install your certificates...
sudo certbot --nginx

# Or, just get a certificate
sudo certbot certonly --nginx

# Only valid for 90 days, test the renewal process with
certbot renew --dry-run

Now visit https://yourdomain.com and you should see your Node app