How to Use Node.js on Plesk

How to Use Node.js on Plesk

Plesk provides native support for Node.js applications via the Node.js extension, making it easy to run and manage JavaScript server-side apps.

✅ Prerequisites

Before you begin:

• Ensure the Node.js extension is installed (Plesk admin can install it)

• You have a domain or subdomain ready

• Your Node.js app files are uploaded (or you're starting from scratch)

Step 1: Install the Node.js Extension (Admin Only)

• Go to Extensions > Extension Catalog

• Search for Node.js

• Click Install

Once installed, the Node.js tab will appear in domain settings.

Step 2: Create or Upload Your Node.js App

Option A: Create from Scratch

1. Go to Websites & Domains

2. Click File Manager and navigate to /httpdocs

3. Create a new file called app.js with example content:

const http = require('http');
const port = process.env.PORT || 3000;

http.createServer((req, res) => {
  res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/plain'});
  res.end('Hello from Node.js on Plesk!\n');
}).listen(port);

Option B: Upload an Existing App

• Zip and upload your Node.js app via File Manager or FTP

• Unzip into the httpdocs directory or a subfolder

Step 3: Enable Node.js for Your Domain

1. Go to Websites & Domains

2. Click Node.js

3. Set the application root (e.g., /httpdocs or /httpdocs/myapp)

4. Set the startup file (app.js, server.js, etc.)

5. Choose the Node.js version

6. Click Enable Node.js

Step 4: Install Dependencies

• In the Node.js tab, click Run NPM install

  • This will read your package.json and install required modules

• You can also run custom npm scripts if needed (e.g., npm run build)

Step 5: Start the App

Plesk uses Phusion Passenger to run Node.js apps. Once configured, your app will automatically run on the specified port.

Your app will now be accessible via:

https://yourdomain.com

No need to run node app.js manually — Plesk manages the process.

Optional: Advanced Configuration

• Set environment variables via the Node.js > Environment Variables tab

• Add build tools (like Webpack or TypeScript) to devDependencies

• Use Git deployment + Node.js for a CI/CD workflow

Summary