Node app deploy with nginx & SSL

nodejs_production_launch.md

Node.js Deployment

Steps to deploy a Node.js app to AWS EC2 using PM2, NGINX as a reverse proxy and an SSL from LetsEncrypt

1. Sign in for AWS

Create a new EC2 instance or use an existing one. Connect to the instance via SSH.

2. Install Node/NPM

curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_12.x | sudo -E bash -

sudo apt install nodejs

make sure node.js and npm are installed

node -v

npm -v

3. Make sure your project code pushed to the AWS instance or pull your code project

git clone yourproject.git

or setup github action for your project to send production ready code to the AWS instance

4. Install dependencies

cd <yourApp>
npm install

5. Make sure your project run successfully

npm start
# stop app
ctrl+C

6. Setup PM2 process manager to keep your app running and start it

sudo npm i pm2 -g
pm2 start <app.js>

# Other pm2 commands [optional]
pm2 show app
pm2 status
pm2 restart app
pm2 stop app
pm2 logs (Show log stream)
pm2 flush (Clear logs)

# To make sure app starts when reboot
pm2 startup ubuntu

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)

7. Setup ufw firewall

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

8. 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

    # if you will use domain name
    server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;

    location / {
        # pay attention to the port
        proxy_pass http://localhost:5000;
        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 service nginx restart

You should now be able to visit your IP with no port (port 80) and see your app. Now let's add a domain

9. Add SSL with LetsEncrypt

please follow the instructions: https://certbot.eff.org/instructions?ws=nginx&os=ubuntufocal

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