Deploying a Node.js App on Ubuntu Server with NGINX

Deploying a Node.js application can seem daunting, especially for beginners. However, with the right steps and configurations, you can set up your app on an Ubuntu server using Nginx as a reverse proxy. This guide will take you through the process from scratch, ensuring you have a solid understanding of each step.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

Ubuntu Server: A running instance of Ubuntu (16.04 or later).
Node.js and npm: Installed on your server. You can check if you have Node.js installed by running node -v and npm -v. If not, follow the installation steps below.
SSH Access: Access to your server via SSH.
A Domain Name (optional): For production applications, a domain name is highly recommended.

Update Your System

First, connect to your Ubuntu server via SSH. Once logged in, update your package index and upgrade your installed packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Install Node.js and npm

You can install Node.js and npm using the NodeSource repository. To do this, first install the required packages:

sudo apt install curl

Then, download and execute the installation script for Node.js. You can choose the version you need (e.g., 18.x):

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

Verify the installation:

node -v
npm -v

Create Your Node.js Application

Now, let’s create a simple Node.js application. For demonstration purposes, we’ll create a basic “Hello World” app.

Create a new directory for your application:

mkdir myapp
cd myapp

Initialize a new Node.js application:

npm init -y

Create an index.js file:

vim index.js

Add the following code to index.js:

const http = require('http')

const hostname = '127.0.0.1'
const port = 3000

const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
    res.statusCode = 200
    res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain')
    res.end('Hello World\n')
})

server.listen(port, hostname, () => {
    console.log(`Server running at http://${hostname}:${port}/`)
})

Save and exit the file.

Install and Configure Nginx

Next, install Nginx:

sudo apt install nginx

After installing Nginx, you can configure it to act as a reverse proxy for your Node.js application.

Create a new configuration file for your application:

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

Add the following configuration to the file:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your_domain.com; # Replace with your domain name or IP

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000; # Your Node.js app runs on port 3000
        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;
    }
}

Save and exit the file.

Enable the new configuration by creating a symbolic link to sites-enabled:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/myapp /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

Test the Nginx configuration for any syntax errors:

sudo nginx -t

If everything is okay, restart Nginx:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Run Your Node.js Application

To run your Node.js application, execute:

node index.js

You should see a message indicating that the server is running.

Install a Process Manager

To keep your Node.js application running in the background, install a process manager like PM2:

sudo npm install pm2 -g

Start your application with PM2:

pm2 start index.js

You can also set it to start on boot:

pm2 startup
pm2 save

Access Your Application

Now, open your web browser and navigate to http://your_domain.com (replace with your actual domain or IP address). You should see the message “Hello World”.

Congratulations! You have successfully deployed a Node.js application with Nginx on an Ubuntu server. This setup provides a robust foundation for serving your applications with high performance and scalability.