How to run a NodeJS REST API on Cloudways?

I am developping a custom search API from VuePress static websites and I needed to host it.

Since I have a Cloudways VPS, let’s see how to run the REST API.

What do you need

Create an account on Cloudways.
Provision a VPS (https://unified.cloudways.com/server/create) (the smallest is fine for my REST API).
Create a custom PHP app.

Application type to select

Important file to include in your repository

Make sure to add a .htaccess containing the following:

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# To make the index.php work
DirectoryIndex
# Redirect traffic to your port 3000
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^(.*)?$ http://127.0.0.1:3000/$1 [P,L]

Deploying the REST API

You can use the “Deployment via GIT” that allow you to pull the code from you repository.

“Deployment via GIT” screen

For updates

You will need to use the pull button under the Cloudways application.

Doing a git pull in applications/your_rest_api/public_html/ will not work.

Asking Cloudways support to enable `mod_proxy`

This might not be enabled, so do check with the support Team if you get errors about this.

Your best bet is to ask by default.

Install `pm2` package to run your REST API

Unless you do the following, your NodeJS app will stop running after 4h.

Running node app.js is not sufficient.

pm2 enables you to launch the REST API and have it run without stopping.

To enable pm2, run the following via SSH logged in with your master user:

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cd  && echo "export PATH='$PATH:/home/master/bin/npm'" >> .bash_aliases
cd ~ && echo "export NODE_PATH='$NODE_PATH:/home/master/bin/npm/lib/node_modules'" >> .bash_aliases
npm config set prefix "/home/master/bin/npm/lib/node_modules"
cd  && echo "alias pm2='/home/master/bin/npm/lib/node_modules/bin/pm2'" >> .bash_aliases
npm install pm2@latest -g

Restart the shell by exiting and reconnecting.

Then run on the root directory of the serve (where you land once connected):

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pm2 applications/your_rest_api/public_html/app.js

You should get:

Your NodeJS application is running!

That’s it!

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Credits

Thanks to the CloudKeeper for his articles: