Deploying Node.js Apps to Heroku, AWS, and DigitalOcean

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“Deploying Node.js Apps to Heroku, AWS, and DigitalOcean”

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Preparing for Production

1. Environment Variables: Use dotenv for configuration (e.g., database URLs, API keys).
2. Logging: Replace console.log with Winston or Morgan.
3. Process Manager: Use PM2 to keep apps alive after crashes.

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Deploying to Heroku

Step 1: Install Heroku CLI

brew tap heroku/brew && brew install heroku  # macOS
sudo snap install heroku --classic          # Linux

Step 2: Create a Heroku App

heroku login
heroku create your-app-name

Step 3: Configure Procfile
Add Procfile to your project root:

web: node app.js

Step 4: Deploy via Git

git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git push heroku main

Step 5: Set Environment Variables

heroku config:set NODE_ENV=production DATABASE_URL=your_mongodb_url

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Deploying to AWS EC2

Step 1: Launch an EC2 Instance

1. In AWS Console, choose an Ubuntu AMI.
2. Configure security groups to allow HTTP (80), HTTPS (443), and SSH (22).

Step 2: Connect via SSH

ssh -i "your-key.pem" ubuntu@ec2-xx-xx-xx-xx.compute-1.amazonaws.com

Step 3: Install Node.js and PM2

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs
sudo npm install -g pm2

Step 4: Clone and Run Your App

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/your-app.git
cd your-app
npm install
pm2 start app.js

Step 5: Set Up Nginx Reverse Proxy

1. Install Nginx:

   sudo apt install nginx
   

2. Configure /etc/nginx/sites-available/your-app:

   server {
     listen 80;
     server_name your-domain.com;
   
     location / {
       proxy_pass http://localhost: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;
     }
   }
   

3. Enable the configuration and restart Nginx:

   sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/your-app /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
   sudo systemctl restart nginx
   

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Deploying to DigitalOcean App Platform

Step 1: Create a New App

1. In DigitalOcean, link your GitHub/GitLab repository.
2. Select “Web Service” and configure:
   • Run Command: node app.js
   • Environment Variables: Add NODE_ENV=production.

Step 2: Auto-Deploy on Git Push
Enable automatic deployments for specific branches.

Step 3: Add a Database (Optional)
Attach a managed MongoDB or PostgreSQL database from the marketplace.

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Scaling and Monitoring

• Heroku: Scale dynos via heroku ps:scale web=2.
• AWS: Use Elastic Load Balancer (ELB) with multiple EC2 instances.
• DigitalOcean: Adjust instance size and enable horizontal scaling.

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Conclusion

You’ve deployed Node.js apps to Heroku, AWS, and DigitalOcean! Next steps:

• Implement CI/CD pipelines (e.g., GitHub Actions).
• Monitor performance with tools like New Relic or Datadog.
• Secure apps with HTTPS using Let’s Encrypt.

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