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Node.js lets you run JavaScript on your server. It’s used for web applications (Express, Next.js, Nuxt), APIs, real-time apps, and build tools. This guide installs it on your GoZen Host VPS, keeps your app running with PM2, and puts it behind Nginx.

NVM (Node Version Manager) lets you install and switch between multiple Node.js versions easily.

Install NVM 

  curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.3/install.sh | bash

Reload your shell:

  source ~/.bashrc

Install Node.js 

  # Install the latest LTS version (recommended for production)
nvm install --lts

# Or install a specific version (24 is the current LTS line; 20 is end of life)
nvm install 24

# Verify
node --version
npm --version

Switch Between Versions 

  # List installed versions
nvm ls

# Switch to a version
nvm use 24

# Set a default version
nvm alias default 24

Method 2: System Package Manager

If you prefer a system-wide installation:

Ubuntu/Debian 

  # Add NodeSource repository (Node.js 24 LTS)
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_24.x | sudo -E bash -

# Install
sudo apt install -y nodejs

# Verify
node --version
npm --version

AlmaLinux/Rocky 

  curl -fsSL https://rpm.nodesource.com/setup_24.x | sudo bash -
sudo dnf install -y nodejs

Running a Node.js App

Simple Test

Create a test app:

  mkdir ~/myapp && cd ~/myapp
nano app.js
  
  const http = require('http');
const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
    res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' });
    res.end('Hello from GoZen Host VPS!\n');
});
server.listen(3000, () => {
    console.log('Server running on port 3000');
});
  
  node app.js

Visit http://your-server-ip:3000 to see it working. Press Ctrl+C to stop.

PM2: Keep Your App Running

Node.js apps stop when you close your SSH session. PM2 keeps them running in the background and auto-restarts them if they crash.

Install PM2 

  npm install -g pm2

Start Your App 

  cd ~/myapp
pm2 start app.js --name "myapp"

PM2 Commands 

  # List running apps
pm2 list

# View logs
pm2 logs myapp

# Restart
pm2 restart myapp

# Stop
pm2 stop myapp

# Delete from PM2
pm2 delete myapp

# Monitor resources
pm2 monit

Auto-Start on Reboot 

  pm2 startup
# Follow the instructions it prints
pm2 save

Nginx Reverse Proxy

Your Node.js app runs on port 3000 (or similar), but visitors expect port 80/443. Use Nginx as a reverse proxy:

Install Nginx 

  sudo apt install -y nginx

Configure the Proxy 

  sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com
  
  server {
    listen 80;
    server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000;
        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_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
    }
}
  
  # Enable the site
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/yourdomain.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

# Test config
sudo nginx -t

# Reload
sudo systemctl reload nginx

Add SSL with Let’s Encrypt 

  sudo apt install -y certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com -d www.yourdomain.com

Certbot automatically configures HTTPS and sets up auto-renewal.

Environment Variables

Don’t hardcode secrets in your code. Use environment variables:

With PM2

Create an ecosystem.config.js:

  module.exports = {
    apps: [{
        name: 'myapp',
        script: 'app.js',
        env: {
            NODE_ENV: 'production',
            PORT: 3000,
            DB_HOST: 'localhost',
            DB_PASSWORD: 'your-db-password'
        }
    }]
};

Start with: pm2 start ecosystem.config.js

With a .env File

Use the dotenv package:

  npm install dotenv

Create .env:

  PORT=3000
DB_HOST=localhost
DB_PASSWORD=your-db-password

Load it at the very top of app.js, before anything reads process.env:

  require('dotenv').config();

Recent Node.js versions can also read the file without a package: node --env-file=.env app.js.

Never commit .env files to Git. Add .env to your .gitignore.

Firewall

Allow only the ports you need:

  # Allow SSH, HTTP, HTTPS
sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'
sudo ufw enable

# Don't expose your Node.js port directly
# Nginx handles public traffic on 80/443

Last updated 21 Oct 2026, 00:00 +0300. history

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