Installing Node.js and NPM on a VPS Hosting Server

1. Access the Remote Server via SSH

            
ssh -p PORT USERNAME@HOSTIP
# Example:
ssh -p 22 raj@216.32.44.12
        

2. Verify if Node.js and NPM are Installed

            
node -v
npm -v
        

3. Install Node.js and NPM

            
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo -E bash - &&\
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs
        

4. Get the Latest Node.js and NPM Installation Instructions

For the most recent installation instructions, refer to the official documentation:

NodeSource Distributions

5. Confirm Successful Installation

            
node -v
npm -v
        

6. Update NPM (If Desired)

            
npm install -g npm@latest
        

7. Clean Up Unused Packages (Optional)

            
sudo apt-get clean
        

8. Configure Environment Variables

Set up environment variables for your Node.js applications to manage configurations efficiently:

            
nano ~/.bashrc
# Add the following lines:
export NODE_ENV=production
export PORT=8000
# Save and exit, then run:
source ~/.bashrc

        

9. Use NVM (Node Version Manager)

NVM allows you to install and manage multiple versions of Node.js. To install NVM:

            
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/install.sh | bash
# Restart your terminal, then install Node.js:
nvm install 18
nvm use 18
        

10. Check Installed Versions with NVM

            
nvm ls
nvm current
        

11. Set Default Node Version

            
nvm alias default 18
      

12. Install Global Packages

You can install global packages that you frequently use:

            
npm install -g express
npm install -g nodemon
        

13. Monitor Node.js Processes

Use PM2 to manage and monitor your Node.js applications:

            
sudo npm install -g pm2
pm2 start app.js
pm2 list