Windows Server Node.js Application #

A simple Node.js TypeScript server that returns "hello world", configured for deployment on Windows Server 2019 Data Center.

Features #

• Built with Express.js and TypeScript
• Health check endpoint
• Graceful shutdown handling
• PM2 process manager configuration
• Production-ready setup for Windows Server

Prerequisites #

On Windows Server 2019 VM instance on GCP: #

1. Node.js (LTS version recommended)

   • Download from: https://nodejs.org/

2. PM2 (Process Manager) - Optional but recommended

   npm install -g pm2
   npm install -g pm2-windows-service
   

Local Development #

1. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

2. Run in development mode:

   npm run dev
   

3. Build the project:

   npm run build
   

4. Run the production build:

   npm start
   

Deployment on Windows Server 2019 #

Option 1: Manual Deployment #

1. Copy project files to the server (exclude node_modules and dist)

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install --production
   

3. Build the application:

   npm run build
   

4. Start the server:

   npm start
   

Option 2: PM2 Process Manager (Recommended) #

PM2 provides automatic restarts, monitoring, and log management.

1. Install PM2 globally:

   npm install -g pm2
   

2. Start the application:

   pm2 start ecosystem.config.js
   

3. Configure PM2 as a Windows Service:

   npm install -g pm2-windows-service
   pm2-service-install
   

4. PM2 Commands:

   pm2 list              # List all processes
   pm2 logs              # View logs
   pm2 monit             # Monitor processes
   pm2 restart winserver # Restart the app
   pm2 stop winserver    # Stop the app
   pm2 delete winserver  # Remove from PM2
   

Option 3: Windows Service with node-windows #

1. Install node-windows:

   npm install -g node-windows
   

2. Create a service installation script (service-install.js):

   var Service = require("node-windows").Service
   
   var svc = new Service({
     name: "WinServer Node App",
     description: "Node.js TypeScript Hello World Server",
     script: "C:\\path\\to\\winserver\\dist\\server.js",
     nodeOptions: ["--max_old_space_size=4096"],
   })
   
   svc.on("install", function () {
     svc.start()
   })
   
   svc.install()
   

3. Run the installation script:

   node service-install.js
   

Configuration #

Environment Variables #

Create a .env file in the root directory (optional):

PORT=3000
NODE_ENV=production

Port Configuration #

The server uses port 3000 by default. To change it:

• Set the PORT environment variable
• Or modify the port in src/server.ts

Firewall Configuration #

Open the port in Windows Firewall:

netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Node Server Port 3000" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=3000

API Endpoints #

• GET / - Returns "hello world"
• GET /health - Health check endpoint (returns JSON status)

Testing #

After deployment, test the endpoints:

curl http://localhost:3000
curl http://localhost:3000/health

Or open in a browser:

• http://localhost:3000
• http://localhost:3000/health

Monitoring #

Logs Location #

When using PM2:

• Log files are stored in ./logs/ directory
• Error logs: ./logs/err.log
• Output logs: ./logs/out.log
• Combined logs: ./logs/combined.log

Performance Monitoring #

pm2 monit  # Real-time monitoring
pm2 info winserver  # Detailed process info

Troubleshooting #

Port Already in Use #

# Find process using the port
netstat -ano | findstr :3000

# Kill the process (replace PID with actual process ID)
taskkill /PID <PID> /F

Node.js Not Found #

Ensure Node.js is added to the system PATH:

1. Right-click "This PC" → Properties
2. Advanced system settings → Environment Variables
3. Add Node.js installation path to PATH variable

Permission Issues #

Run Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator when:

• Installing global packages
• Creating Windows services
• Modifying firewall rules

Production Best Practices #

1. Use PM2 or Windows Service for automatic restarts
2. Configure logging and log rotation
3. Set up monitoring and alerting
4. Use environment variables for configuration
5. Enable HTTPS with a reverse proxy (IIS or nginx)
6. Implement rate limiting for production use
7. Set up regular backups of application files

Security Considerations #

• Keep Node.js and dependencies updated
• Use a reverse proxy (IIS) for SSL/TLS termination
• Implement authentication if needed
• Use environment variables for sensitive data
• Configure Windows Firewall appropriately
• Run the service with minimal required permissions

Updating the Application #

1. Stop the application:

   pm2 stop winserver
   

2. Pull latest changes or update files

3. Rebuild:

   npm run build
   

4. Restart:

   pm2 restart winserver
   

License #

ISC