Host Node.js Application on Plesk

This guide provides simple, step-by-step instructions to help you install and run your Node.js application on a Plesk server. Follow these steps carefully to get your application up and running.

Step 1: Check Requirements
Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

✔ Access to your Plesk control panel (username and password).
✔ The files for your Node.js application.
✔ The version of Node.js required for your application.

Step 2: Set Up Your Domain or Subdomain

  1. Log in to your Plesk control panel.
  2. Go to ‘Websites & Domains’ and click ‘Add Domain’ or ‘Add Subdomain’ depending on your need.
  3. Enter the domain name (or subdomain name) and set the document root / Project directory for your application files.

Step 3: Enable Node.js

  1. In ‘Websites & Domains’, find the domain or subdomain you created.
  2. Click on the ‘Node.js’ option in ‘Dashboard’ window. Check ‘Get Started’ window if you cannot find ‘Node.js’ option.

3. Turn on Node.js by enabling the feature.

  1. Choose the correct Node.js version for your application.

Step 4: Upload Your Application Files

  1. Go to ‘File Manager’ in Plesk.

2. Upload all your application files to the folder set as the document root.

Tip: If your application is hosted on GitHub, use the ‘Git’ option in Plesk to clone it directly.

Step 5: Install Dependencies

  1. Open the ‘Node.js’ settings for your domain or subdomain.
  2. Click the ‘NPM Install’ button to automatically download and install all required dependencies.

Step 6: Application Location

  1. Specify the location of your application files.
    (For example, if your application file app.js is located in the httpdocs directory, select /httpdocs as the location.)

Step 7: Configure the Application

  1. Specify the file that starts your application (e.g., app.js or server.js) in the ‘Application Startup File’ field.
  1. Add any necessary environment variables in the ‘Environment Variables’ section.

Step 8: Start the Application

  1. Go back to the ‘Node.js’ settings.
  2. Click ‘Run script’ to run your application.

3. Visit your domain or subdomain in a browser to check if the application is working correctly.

Troubleshooting Tips
✔ If your application doesn’t start, check the logs in the ‘Node.js’ section for errors.
✔ Double-check that all dependencies are installed by ensuring the NPM process completed successfully.
✔ Verify the startup file and environment variables are set correctly.

Conclusion
Congratulations! You have successfully deployed your Node.js application on a Plesk server.