How to deploy a node server in EC2

Deploying a Node.js server on AWS EC2 allows you to leverage AWS's reliable infrastructure, scalability, and flexibility to host your application efficiently. This guide will take you step-by-step through setting up an EC2 instance, installing essential tools like Nginx and PM2, and securing your application with HTTPS using Let's Encrypt. By the end of this guide, you'll have a fully functioning Node.js server running on a secure EC2 environment, ready to handle production traffic.

Outline

• Requirements


• Setting Up EC2 Instance


• Connecting to EC2 via SSH or Putty


• Installing Necessary Packages and Tools


• Setting Up PM2 for Node.js Application


• Configuring Nginx as a Reverse Proxy


• Accessing the Server Using Public IP


• Understanding the Need for HTTPS


• Setting Up Domain and SSL Certificates


• Installing Certbot for SSL with Nginx


• Mapping Domain to Public IP


• Testing the Server and Final Checks

Requirements

Before starting, ensure you have the following:

• An AWS account.


• Basic knowledge of the Linux command line.


• A registered domain name (for setting up HTTPS).


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  After that it may ask for username which is usually by default - "ubuntu" if not set anything else.

  
  
  

  Next use the following command to switch to the root user:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  sudo su
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Clone your Node.js application from GitHub or any other repository:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  git clone <your-repo-url>
  
  cd <your-repo-directory>
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Switch to your prodution branch, pull the latest code and install node_modules.

  
  
  

  Once done return back to the main directory using cd..

  
  
  

  
  
  
  Setting Up ecosystem.config.js and Starting the Server with PM2
  

  
  
  

  PM2 is a popular process manager for Node.js that keeps your application running in the background and helps with load balancing and monitoring.

  
  
  

  Create ecosystem.config.js file in your project root:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  touch ecosystem.config.js
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Open the file in a text editor and add your configuration:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  nano ecosystem.config.js
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Add the configuration and save the file:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  module.exports = {
  
    apps: [{
  
      name: "project_name",
  
      script: "npm start",
  
      cwd: "/home/ubuntu/repo",
  
      env: {
  
        "MONGO_URL": "mongodb+srv://<credentials>",
  
        "PORT": 3000,
  
        "NODE_ENV": "prod",
  
      }
  
    }]
  
  };
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Save and exit the editor (for nano, press Ctrl + X, then Y to confirm saving, and Enter to exit).

  
  
  

  
  
  
  Explanation of ecosystem.config.js File
  

  
  
  

  The ecosystem.config.js file is a configuration file for PM2, a process manager for Node.js applications. It defines how the application should be managed, including its environment variables, working directory, and startup script.

  
  
  

  
  
  
  Breakdown of the Configuration:
  

  
  
  
  
  

  • module.exports: Exports the configuration object so that PM2 can use it to manage the application.

  
  
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    apps: An array of application configurations. This allows PM2 to manage multiple applications using a single configuration file.

    
    
    
    
    
    • 
      name: "project_name"
      The name of the application, as it will appear in PM2's process list. You can set this to your project name.
    
    
    • 
      script: "npm start"
      The command to run the application. Here, it uses npm start to start the application, which typically runs the start script defined in your package.json.
    
    
    • 
      cwd: "/home/ubuntu/repo"
      The "Current Working Directory" where PM2 will look for the application. This is the directory path where your Node.js application code (repository) is located.
    
    
    • 
      env: An object defining environment variables that will be available to the application when it is running. These variables can be accessed in your Node.js code using process.env.
    
    
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Let's move next to starting our server:

  
  
  

  Start the Application Using PM2:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  pm2 start ecosystem.config.js
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  You can check the logs using:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  pm2 logs
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  Accessing the Server by Changing Security Rules Using Public IP
  

  
  
  

  Ensure your security group allows inbound traffic on port 3000 (or any port your server is running on). Access your server using:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  http://<your-ec2-public-ip>:3000
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  The Problem with HTTP Server and the Need for HTTPS
  

  
  
  

  HTTP is not secure for transmitting sensitive data. HTTPS, on the other hand, ensures that all data transmitted between the server and client is encrypted. Therefore, it's essential to secure your Node.js server with HTTPS, especially for production environments.

  
  
  

  
  
  
  Requirements for HTTPS: Domain and SSL
  

  
  
  

  To set up HTTPS, you need:

  
  
  
  
  
  • A domain name pointing to your EC2 public IP.
  
  
  • SSL certificate to encrypt the traffic.
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  SSL Using Certbot and Setting Up Nginx
  

  
  
  

  Install Certbot on EC2:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Run Certbot to Obtain SSL Certificate:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  sudo certbot --nginx -d YOUR_DOMAIN
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Follow the prompts to complete the certificate installation. Certbot will automatically update your Nginx configuration to redirect HTTP traffic to HTTPS.

  
  
  

  You can check your updated nginx config. Go to this directory:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  cd /etc/nginx/sites-available/
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Open the default file using nano, and it should look something like this:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  server {
  
      listen 80;
  
      server_name YOUR_DOMAIN;
  
  
  
      # Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
  
      location / {
  
          return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
  
      }
  
  }
  
  
  
  server {
  
      listen 443 ssl;
  
      server_name YOUR_DOMAIN;
  
  
  
      ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/YOUR_DOMAIN/fullchain.pem;
  
      ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/YOUR_DOMAIN/privkey.pem;
  
      ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
  
      ssl_ciphers HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5;
  
  
  
      location / {
  
          proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000;
  
          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;
  
      }
  
  }
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  After SSL setup it should reload Nginx server automatically but you can manually reload using:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  

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  nginx -s reload
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  Domain Mapping to Public IP
  

  
  
  

  Ensure that your domain/subdomain is correctly mapped to your EC2 instance's public IP using A records in your domain DNS settings.

  
  
  

  
  
  
  Testing the Server and Finishing Up
  

  
  
  

  Visit https://YOUR_DOMAIN in your browser to verify the HTTPS setup. Your Node.js server should now be accessible securely via HTTPS.

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