Guide How to Host a Node.js App on CloudPanel with PM2

Guide How to Host a Node.js App on CloudPanel with PM2 - Printable Version

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How to Host a Node.js App on CloudPanel with PM2 - JAY - 10-19-2026

How to host a Node.js app on CloudPanel with PM2

CloudPanel can run Node.js apps such as Express APIs, Next.js, Nuxt, Ghost or Strapi. CloudPanel creates the site, a dedicated site user and an Nginx reverse proxy that forwards your domain to the port your app listens on. You run the app itself with PM2, a process manager that keeps it online and restarts it after a crash or reboot.

[Image: attachment.php?aid=386]

What you need

CloudPanel installed, with your domain's DNS A record pointing to the server.
Your app's code (from Git or uploaded with SFTP).
The port your app listens on, for example 3000.

Step 1: Create the Node.js site

In CloudPanel, go to Sites > Add Site > Create a Node.js Site.
Enter the Domain Name, choose the Node.js Version and set the App Port (for example 3000).
Set the Site User and a strong Site User Password, then click Create.

Use the same port in your app. Each Node.js site on the server needs its own port.

Step 2: Log in as the site user
Connect over SSH as the site user, not as root:

Code:

ssh site-user@YOUR_SERVER_IP

Node.js and npm for the version you picked are already available for this user. Check them with:

Code:

node -v
npm -v

Step 3: Upload or clone your app
Your site lives in

Code:

~/htdocs/www.example.com/

. Put your project there, for example with Git:

Code:

cd ~/htdocs
rm -rf www.example.com
git clone https://github.com/your-name/your-app.git www.example.com
cd www.example.com
npm install

If your app needs a build step (Next.js, Nuxt, React SSR), run it now, for example

Code:

npm run build

. Put secrets in a

Code:

.env

file in the project folder and never commit it to Git.

Make sure the app listens on the App Port you set in Step 1, for example:

Code:

const port = process.env.PORT || 3000;
app.listen(port, '127.0.0.1');

Step 4: Start the app with PM2
Install PM2 for the site user and start the app:

Code:

npm install pm2@latest -g
pm2 start npm --name my-app -- start
pm2 save

Open your domain in the browser; Nginx now forwards requests to your app. Useful PM2 commands:

Code:

pm2 status
pm2 logs my-app
pm2 restart my-app
pm2 stop my-app

Step 5: Start the app again after a reboot
PM2 needs a cron job to bring your app back after the server restarts.

Print your PATH and copy the output:
Code:
echo $PATH
Open the site user's crontab:
Code:
crontab -e
Add these two lines, pasting your PATH into the first one:

Code:
PATH=PASTE_YOUR_PATH_HERE @reboot pm2 resurrect &> /dev/null
Reboot the server and run
Code:
pm2 status
. Your app should show as online.

Step 6: Add free SSL
Open the site in CloudPanel, go to SSL/TLS > Actions > New Let's Encrypt Certificate and create the certificate. Details: How to install free SSL in CloudPanel.

Deploying updates

Code:

cd ~/htdocs/www.example.com
git pull
npm install
npm run build   # only if your app has a build step
pm2 restart my-app

Troubleshooting

502 Bad Gateway: the app isn't running or listens on a different port. Run
Code:
pm2 status
and
Code:
pm2 logs my-app
, and compare the port with the App Port in CloudPanel.
App is down after a reboot: the crontab PATH line is missing or wrong. Repeat Step 5.
"pm2: command not found" in cron: same cause; the PATH line must contain the Node.js bin folder from
Code:
echo $PATH
.
Wrong Node.js version: check
Code:
node -v
as the site user. The version is set when you create the site.

Sources (checked October 2026): CloudPanel: Node.js deployment with PM2 · CloudPanel: Strapi

Not sure which site type to choose? See What can you host on CloudPanel?