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Applies to: LifeinCloud Cloud VPS • Ubuntu/Debian • CentOS/RHEL/AlmaLinux
Node.js is a JavaScript runtime for building web apps, APIs, and automation scripts. This guide is designed for beginners and covers installation, creating a simple app, and keeping it running in production.
Step 1 — Install Node.js
We recommend installing the LTS (Long-Term Support) version for stability.
Ubuntu/Debian:
apt update && apt upgrade -y
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | bash -
apt install -y nodejsCentOS/RHEL/AlmaLinux:
dnf update -y
curl -fsSL https://rpm.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | bash -
dnf install -y nodejsStep 2 — Verify Installation
node -v
npm -vIf you see version numbers, Node.js and npm were installed successfully.
Step 3 — Create a Hello World App
- Create a new file:
nano hello.js - Paste this code:
const http = require('http'); const server = http.createServer((req, res) => { res.end('Hello from Node.js on LifeinCloud VPS!'); }); server.listen(3000, () => console.log('Server running on http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:3000')); - Run it:
node hello.js
Visit http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:3000 in your browser — you should see your Hello World message.
Step 4 — Keep Your App Running with PM2
Without a process manager, your app stops when you close SSH. PM2 solves this.
npm install -g pm2pm2 start hello.js --name myapp
pm2 status
pm2 logs myappEnsure PM2 restarts apps after reboot:
pm2 startup systemd
pm2 saveStep 5 — (Optional) Use Nginx as a Reverse Proxy
If you want your app accessible on port 80 (standard HTTP) instead of port 3000:
- Install Nginx:
apt install -y nginx # Ubuntu/Debian dnf install -y nginx # CentOS/AlmaLinux - Create a config file, e.g.
/etc/nginx/sites-available/nodeapp:server { listen 80; server_name YOUR_DOMAIN_OR_IP; 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; } } - Enable and restart Nginx:
ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/nodeapp /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/ nginx -t systemctl restart nginx
Now your app is accessible at http://YOUR_DOMAIN_OR_IP.
- Use the LTS version of Node.js for stability.
- Always run production apps with a process manager like PM2.
- Restrict your firewall to only open necessary ports (80/443 for web, 22 for SSH).
- For SSL, add Let’s Encrypt to Nginx or use a LifeinCloud control panel SSL option.
