Deploying Node.js and Express Applications on a Linux VPS: Complete Guide

Setting Up Your VPS for Node.js

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs
node --version  # v20.x.x
npm install -g pm2

PM2 — Production Process Manager

PM2 keeps your Node.js application running after crashes, manages logs, and provides a cluster mode for utilizing all CPU cores:

pm2 start app.js --name myapp
pm2 startup  # auto-start on reboot
pm2 save
pm2 logs myapp  # view logs
pm2 monit  # real-time monitoring

NGINX Reverse Proxy Configuration

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name yourdomain.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;
    }
}

Zero-Downtime Deployments

PM2 cluster mode enables zero-downtime reloads: pm2 reload myapp. This restarts workers one at a time, ensuring continuous availability during deployments.

FAQ

How many Node.js apps can I run on a single VPS?

As many as your RAM allows. Each Node.js process typically uses 50-200 MB depending on the application. An 8 GB RAM VPS can comfortably run 10-20 smaller applications.