Deploying a production-grade Node.js app doesn’t have to be complicated. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how we at Atisolve deploy scalable, secure, and high-performance Node.js applications on AWS EC2 using PM2 for process management and Nginx as a reverse proxy.
Whether you’re launching a startup MVP or scaling an enterprise system, this tutorial will get your app live and resilient.
🧰 Prerequisites
Before we begin, make sure you have:
- An AWS EC2 instance running Ubuntu
- SSH access to the server
- Your Node.js app ready (e.g., in GitHub)
- A domain (optional, for Nginx setup)
🛠️ Step 1: Connect to Your EC2 Instance
ssh -i your-key.pem ubuntu@your-ec2-ip
Update and install dependencies:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
🛠️ Step 2: Install Node.js and npm
We recommend using NodeSource:
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo -E bash - sudo apt install -y nodejs node -v npm -v
🛠️ Step 3: Install Git and Clone Your Project
sudo apt install git -y git clone https://github.com/your-username/your-node-app.git cd your-node-app npm install
🛠️ Step 4: Install and Configure PM2
PM2 is a production-ready process manager for Node.js.
npm install -g pm2 pm2 start index.js --name my-app pm2 save pm2 startup
Copy the command it outputs and run it (to auto-start on reboot).
You can also view logs:
pm2 logs my-app
🛠️ Step 5: Install and Configure Nginx
sudo apt install nginx -y
Create a new Nginx site config:
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/my-app
Paste the following (update your domain/IP):
server {
listen 80;
server_name yourdomain.com;
location / {
proxy_pass http://localhost:3000; # or your app's port
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;
}
}
Enable the site and restart Nginx:
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/my-app /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/ sudo nginx -t sudo systemctl restart nginx
🔐 (Optional) Enable HTTPS with Let’s Encrypt
Install Certbot:
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com
Auto-renew:
sudo crontab -e
Add this line:
0 0 * * * /usr/bin/certbot renew --quiet
✅ You’re Live!
Your Node.js app is now:
- Managed by PM2
- Served through Nginx
- (Optionally) secured with HTTPS
🧠 Pro Tips from Atisolve
- Use .env files for secrets and configs
- Use MongoDB Atlas or Amazon RDS for database
- Enable PM2 monitoring dashboard:
pm2 monitor
- Use fail2ban or UFW for added security
If you want to deploy your app securely, with CI/CD, autoscaling, and monitoring — we at Atisolve can help. Contact us for a free deployment consultation.
