Deploying Node.js server on AWS EC2

Introduction

Deploying a Node.js application to production can feel overwhelming if you're doing it for the first time. In this guide, we'll deploy a production-ready Node.js server on an AWS EC2 instance using:

Node.js
pnpm for dependency management
PM2 for process management
Nginx as a reverse proxy
Certbot for free HTTPS (Let's Encrypt)

This setup is stable, scalable, and commonly used in real-world production environments.

Note: This is not the only way to deploy an application. There are multiple deployment approaches depending on requirements and system complexity. This guide demonstrates one beginner-friendly method to get started with AWS.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

An AWS account with EC2 instance
A domain name pointing to your EC2 public IP

Step 1: Connect to Your EC2 Instance

Connect to your EC2 instance using your preferred method.

All commands below assume you are logged in as the ubuntu user.

Step 2: Update the System

Always start by updating system packages:

sudo apt update -y && sudo apt upgrade -y

This ensures security patches and dependency compatibility.

Step 3: Install Essential Tools

Install common tools required for building and running Node.js apps:

sudo apt install -y build-essential git curl jq nginx certbot python3-certbot-nginx

What these do:

build-essential - Compiles native Node modules
git - Clone your repository
nginx - Reverse proxy and SSL termination
certbot - HTTPS certificates via Let's Encrypt

Step 4: Install Node.js (v24)

We'll use NodeSource to install the latest Node.js 24.x:

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_24.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

Now you can verify installation:

node -v
npm -v

Step 5: Enable Corepack and Install pnpm

Node.js ships with Corepack, which lets us manage package managers cleanly.

corepack enable
corepack prepare pnpm@latest --activate

Verify pnpm:

pnpm -v

Persist pnpm in PATH

# set pnpm path
pnpm setup
# reload shell
exec $SHELL

Step 6: Install PM2 (Process Manager)

PM2 keeps your Node.js app running in the background and restarts it on crashes.

npm install -g pm2
pm2 -v

Step 7: Clone Your Application

Move to the home directory and clone your repo:

cd /home/ubuntu
git clone https://github.com/your-org/your-repo.git app
cd app

This setup is for public git repository.

Check out Private repo cloning with ssh

Step 8: Install Dependencies and Build

Navigate to project then Install dependencies using pnpm:

pnpm install

If your project has a build step (e.g. TypeScript, Next.js, etc.):

pnpm build

Step 9: Start the App with PM2

Create file named ecosystem.config.js and configure it.

module.exports = {
  apps: [
    {
      name: "backend",
      script: "./backend/dist/index.js",
      cmd: "/home/ubuntu/backend",
      args: "--env production",
      exec_mode: "cluster",
      instances: 0,
      env_production: {
        // your envs
      }
    }
  ]
}

Refer pm2 if needed.

cd /home/ubuntu/app
pm2 start ecosystem.config.js --env production

You can check logs using:

pm2 logs

Step 10: Configure Domain and HTTPS

Ensure your domain points to your EC2 public IP.

Then generate SSL certificates:

sudo certbot --nginx -d demo-domain.dev

Certbot will automatically configure HTTPS and renew certificates.

Step 11: Configure Nginx as a Reverse Proxy

Edit your Nginx site config:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/demo-domain.dev

Example Configuration

# Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
server {
  listen 80;
  server_name demo-domain.dev;

  return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}

server {
  listen 443 ssl http2;
  server_name demo-domain.dev;

  ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/demo-domain.dev/fullchain.pem;
  ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/demo-domain.dev/privkey.pem;

  # Proxy /api to Node.js app
  location /api/ {
    proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:5000/api/;
    proxy_http_version 1.1;
    proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
    proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
  }

  location / {
    return 404;
  }
}

Enable the site and reload Nginx:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/demo-domain.dev /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx

Step 12: Verify Deployment

Visit: https://demo-domain.dev/api

Conclusion

You've successfully deployed a production-grade Node.js server on AWS EC2 using modern tooling and best practices.

Happy deploying!!!