How to Deploy a Node.js App on AWS EC2 with Nginx and PM2

# Connect to your EC2 instance
chmod 400 your-key.pem
ssh -i your-key.pem ubuntu@YOUR_EC2_PUBLIC_IP

# Update system packages
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

# Install NVM
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.1/install.sh | bash

# Reload shell
source ~/.bashrc

# Install Node.js LTS
nvm install --lts
nvm use --lts
nvm alias default node

# Verify installation
node --version
npm --version

# Clone your application
git clone https://github.com/youruser/yourapp.git
cd yourapp

# Install dependencies (production only)
npm install --omit=dev

# Create the environment file
nano .env
# Add your production environment variables:
# NODE_ENV=production
# PORT=5000
# DATABASE_URL=...
# JWT_SECRET=...

# Test that the app starts
node dist/index.js

# Install PM2 globally
npm install -g pm2

# Start your application with PM2
pm2 start dist/index.js --name myapp

# Or use an ecosystem config file for more control
# Create ecosystem.config.js:
# module.exports = {
#   apps: [{ name: "myapp", script: "dist/index.js",
#     env_production: { NODE_ENV: "production", PORT: 5000 } }]
# };
pm2 start ecosystem.config.js --env production

# Save PM2 process list
pm2 save

# Generate systemd startup script
pm2 startup
# Run the command that PM2 prints

# Verify it is running
pm2 status
pm2 logs myapp

# Install Nginx
sudo apt install nginx -y
sudo systemctl enable nginx
sudo systemctl start nginx

# Create a new Nginx site configuration
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/myapp

# Paste this configuration (replace yourdomain.com and port 5000):
# server {
#   listen 80;
#   server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;
#
#   location / {
#     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_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
#     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
#     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
#     proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
#   }
# }

# Enable the site
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/myapp /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

# Test the configuration
sudo nginx -t

# Reload Nginx
sudo systemctl reload nginx

# Install Certbot
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y

# Obtain SSL certificate (replace yourdomain.com)
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com -d www.yourdomain.com
# Follow the prompts:
# - Enter email for renewal notices
# - Agree to terms of service
# - Choose to redirect HTTP to HTTPS (recommended: option 2)

# Certbot automatically updates the Nginx config
# and sets up auto-renewal via a systemd timer

# Verify auto-renewal is working
sudo certbot renew --dry-run

# SSH into the server
ssh -i your-key.pem ubuntu@YOUR_EC2_PUBLIC_IP

# Pull latest code
cd yourapp
git pull origin main

# Install any new dependencies
npm install --omit=dev

# Rebuild TypeScript if applicable
npm run build

# Reload PM2 (zero-downtime restart)
pm2 reload myapp

# Verify the deployment
pm2 status
curl http://localhost:5000/health