What's the simplest way to deploy a node app on linux mint?

Question

I have a node app, it runs great in VS Code, and I can launch it using the script command from the terminal window.

It's just a utility I'd like running in the background on my dev machine. It watches for keystrokes and sets my busy / idle indicator to other apps. It uses iohook if you're curious, to do this.

How can I deploy it to just be running in the background (all the time, including at startup)? I'm going to deploy it as a web server so I don't have to mess with linux services.

I already have apache and nginx and all that other web server stuff installed from the numerous tutorials I've done, but I don't know how to deploy to any of them.

I tried this:

https://plainenglish.io/blog/deploying-a-localhost-server-with-node-js-and-express-js

but that only enables launching from vs code or command line, it's not a real "server" that runs all the time, doesn't require a terminal window and starts on system startup.

I need this running from apache or nginx or something like that.

https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/websites/web-development/nodejs-for-a-website-with-apache-on-ubuntu/

I tried:

To access the Node.js script from the web, install the Apache modules proxy and proxy_http with the commands:

sudo a2enmod proxy
sudo a2enmod proxy_http

Once the installation is complete, restart Apache for the changes to take effect:

sudo service apache2 restart

Answer 1

[Linux Mint] Running a web app on local machine

First website

1. [Terminal] Install node.js: sudo apt-get install nodejs
2. [Terminal] Install apache: sudo apt-get install apache2
3. [Terminal] Install PM: sudo npm install -g pm2
4. [Terminal] start apache: sudo systemctl status apache2
5. [Browser] test apache: localhost
6. [Terminal] Go to your web root. It can be wherever you like: cd /home/homer-simpson/websites
7. [Nemo][root] Create app folder: /home/homer-simpson/websites/hello-app
8. [Nemo][root] Create node.js hello world file: /var/www/html/hello-app/hello.js
9. [Terminal] Make hello.js executable: sudo chmod 755 hello.js
10. [xed][root] Create node.js app in this file: See hello.js listing
11. [Terminal] Run from terminal as test: node hello.js
12. [Browser] Test web site: http://localhost:4567/
13. Shut down node app CTRL+C
14. Start up app in PM: sudo pm2 start hello.js
15. [Terminal][root] Add PM to startup scripts: sudo pm2 startup systemd
16. [Terminal][root] Save PM apps: pm2 save
17. [Terminal] enable apache modules: sudo a2enmod proxy && sudo a2enmod proxy_http && sudo service apache2 restart
18. [Nemo][root] Open as root apache config: /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf
19. [xed][root] add / replace config for your website: See 000-default.conf listing
20. [Terminal] restart apache: sudo systemctl restart apache2
21. [Browser] test the website: http://localhost/hello-app

22. Hello World!

Subsequent websites:

1. [Nemo][root] Create new app folder under your website root: /home/homer-simpson/websites/another-app
2. [Nemo][root] Copy scripts into there and make executable
3. [Terminal] Start up app in PM: sudo pm2 start another-app.js
4. [Terminal][root] Save PM config: pm2 save
5. [Terminal][root] Add new website to apache config under a new Location tag with the port number of the new app (must be unique): sudo xed /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf
6. [Terminal] restart apache: sudo systemctl restart apache2

View it over the LAN:

1. [Firewall] Set to "Home" profile. Incoming deny, outgoing allow, enabled
2. [Firewall] Add a rule, simple tab, port 80, name "Apache"
3. [Terminal] Get your hostname: hostname
4. [Terminal][root] Change your machine name to something cool: hostname tazerface
5. [xed][root] Change the host name in /etc/hosts
6. [xed][root] Change the host name in /etc/hostname
7. Reboot tazerface. <= that's your machine name now. Omg that's such a cool name.
8. Make sure pm2 started automatically and has your apps listed as "online": pm2 list
9. [phone][browser] Test your website: http://tazerface/hello-app
10. If it doesn't work, make sure tazerface isn't using a wifi provided by a network repeater. It needs to be on the same wifi network as the phone (but can be on either the 5GHz or 2.4GHz variant)

Add free ssl certificate:

1. [Terminal] Add ssl module: sudo a2enmod ssl
2. [Firewall] Add a rule, simple tab, port 443, name "Apache ssl"
3. [Terminal] create self signed free certificate: sudo openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 999999 -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout /etc/ssl/private/apache-selfsigned.key -out /etc/ssl/certs/apache-selfsigned.crt
4. [Terminal] Leave all answers default (by hitting enter) except common name, enter tazerface
5. [Terminal] Test certificate: openssl verify apache-selfsigned.crt
6. [Terminal] Replace contents on .conf with ssl .conf listing below: sudo xed /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf
7. [Terminal] Restart Apache: sudo systemctl restart apache2
8. [phone][browser] Test your website: https://tazerface/hello-app

hello.js

var http = require('http');  
//create a server object:  
const port = 4567
http.createServer(function (req, res) {  
    res.write('Hello World!'); //write a response to the client  
    res.end(); //end the response  
}).listen(port); //the server object listens on port 4567   
// Console will print the message  
console.log(`Server running at ${port}`); 

000-default.conf (no ssl)

<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName example.com

<Directory /var/www/>
    Options -Indexes +FollowSymLinks
    AllowOverride None
    Require all granted
</Directory>

   ProxyRequests Off
   ProxyPreserveHost On
   ProxyVia Full
   <Proxy *>
      Require all granted
   </Proxy>
   <Location /hello-app>
      ProxyPass http://127.0.0.1:4567
      ProxyPassReverse http://127.0.0.1:4567
   </Location>
</VirtualHost>

000-default.conf (ssl)

# The only thing in the firewall that needs to be open is 80/443
<VirtualHost *:80>
    Redirect / https://tazerface/

</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost *:443>
   ServerName tazerface

<Directory /var/www/>
    Options -Indexes +FollowSymLinks
    AllowOverride None
    Require all granted
</Directory>

   SSLEngine on
   SSLCertificateFile /etc/ssl/certs/apache-selfsigned.crt
   SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/ssl/private/apache-selfsigned.key

    ProxyRequests Off
    ProxyPreserveHost On
    ProxyVia Full
    <Proxy *>
        Require all granted
    </Proxy>

    <Location /hello-app>
        ProxyPass http://127.0.0.1:4567
        ProxyPassReverse http://127.0.0.1:4567
    </Location>


</VirtualHost>