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

SSH to the server, or connect with the Vultr web console.
Update all your dependencies.
```
$ sudo apt update
```

Install Node.js

$ sudo curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -

$ sudo apt install -y nodejs nano nginx

Confirm Node.js was installed properly.
```
$ node -v
```
This command should say something like v14.x.x
Install pm2.
```
$ sudo npm i -g pm2
```

2. Project Setup

Initialize a new project.

$ mkdir express-website

$ cd express-website

$ npm init -y

Install Express.js
```
$ npm i express
```

3. Add Demo Source Code

Create your project's main file.
```
$ nano index.js
```

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!"

})

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

Create your server block in Nginx.

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

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;

    }

}

Save and exit the file.

Remove the default Nginx site.

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

Restart nginx
```
$ systemctl restart nginx
```
Open port 80 in the UFW firewall. See our firewall quickstart guide for more information.
```
$ sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
```
Verify it works by entering your server's IP in your browser.

References

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