Using Node.js apps

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Creating a Node.js application

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. In the Software section, click Setup Node.js App.

3. Click Create Application and complete the form:
   • Node.js version: pick the version your app requires.
   • Application mode: Development or Production.
   • Application root: the folder containing your app (e.g. nodeapp), relative to your home directory.
   • Application URL: the domain or subdomain/path where the app is served.
   • Application startup file: your entry point (e.g. app.js or server.js).
4. Click Create.

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A minimal example app

const http = require('http');

const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
  res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' });
  res.end('Hello from Node.js on Stablepoint!');
});

server.listen(process.env.PORT || 3000);

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Installing dependencies

• On the app’s row in Setup Node.js App, click Run NPM Install, or
• Connect via SSH, enter the app’s virtual environment (the command is shown at the top of the app’s edit page — it looks like source /home/user/nodevenv/nodeapp/18/bin/activate), and run npm install.

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Managing the application

• Restart the app after deploying new code
• Stop/Start the app
• Set environment variables (e.g. NODE_ENV, API keys)
• Change the Node.js version

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Troubleshooting

• Check the stderr.log in the application root for startup errors.
• “503” or Passenger error pages usually mean the app crashed on boot — the log tells you why.
• After any code change, click Restart.