Deploy an Express Web Server with Pm2 and Nginx on Ubuntu 20.04

Introduction

This guide explains how to create a Node.js app with Express, deploy it with the pm2 process manager, and publish it with an Nginx reverse proxy.

Prerequisites

Before you begin:

• Deploy a fully-updated Vultr cloud server running Ubuntu 20.04.

1. Install the Dependencies

1. SSH to the server, or connect with the Vultr web console.

2. Update all your dependencies.

    $ sudo apt update

3. Install Node.js

    $ sudo curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -
    $ sudo apt install -y nodejs nano nginx

4. Confirm Node.js was installed properly.

    $ node -v

   This command should say something like v14.x.x

5. Install pm2.

    $ sudo npm i -g pm2

2. Project Setup

1. Initialize a new project.

    $ mkdir express-website
    $ cd express-website
    $ npm init -y

2. Install Express.js

    $ npm i express

3. Add Demo Source Code

1. Create your project's main file.

    $ nano index.js

2. Paste the following into your editor.

    const express = require("express"); // Acquire the express package and assign it to a variable called "express"
    const app = express(); // Calls the method "express()" and assigns it's output to "app". "express()" will create an express app for you.
   
    app.get("/", (req, res) => { // Creates sort of a listener for when there are "GET" requests to the "/" (root) path. Takes in req (request) and res (response)
        res.send("Hello world!"); // For the response, send a string "Hello World!"
    });
   
    app.listen(3000, () => { // Tells the app to start on port 3000. This function below is run when
        console.log("Server listening on port 3000!"); // Say in the console "Server listening on port 3000!"
    })

3. Save and exit the file.

4. Test the App

Run your app:

$ node index.js

If it works, it reports "Server listening on port 3000!". Type Ctrl + C to exit.

5. Daemonize the App

Daemonize the app with pm2.

$ pm2 start index.js

To verify it has daemonized, run pm2 list.

6. Nginx Reverse Proxy

1. Create your server block in Nginx.

    $ nano /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/express.conf

2. Paste the following in your nano editor:

    server {
        listen 80; # Listen on port 80
        listen [::]:80; # Listen on port 80 for ipv6
   
        server_name _;
   
        location / {
            proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000;
        }
    }

3. Save and exit the file.

4. Remove the default Nginx site.

    $ sudo rm /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/default

5. Restart nginx

    $ systemctl restart nginx

6. Open port 80 in the UFW firewall. See our firewall quickstart guide for more information.

    $ sudo ufw allow 80/tcp

7. Verify it works by entering your server's IP in your browser.

References

• NGINX Documentation
• Express.js
• pm2