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Node.js Web Applications on Tux

Before following this documentation, you will either need to be on the campus network or connected to the Drexel VPN. If you are off campus, make sure you are connected to Drexel VPN following the instructions at VPN.


To run Node.js web applications on Tux, you should start by connecting to Tux following the instructions at Tux Account Information. 


Once connected to Tux, run the command:

ssh node

Note that you may need to accept the SSH host key, as you did with Tux, as well as enter your password a second time. This is expected and you can type "yes" at this prompt.

ssh_authenticity

This will connect you to CCI's web application server, node.cci.drexel.edu. This is where your web application will be served.


Next you should make a directory to store your web application. This can be called anything that makes sense for your app, and can be stored anywhere in your home directory. In this example, we're calling the folder "nodejs-web-app"

# create a directory for your web app and cd to it
mkdir nodejs-web-app  
cd nodejs-web-app

Basic Node.js application


Then, create a file "test.js" and fill it with the following code, replacing "{{PORT_NUM}}" with the port number you've been assigned at {{NEW_PORT_ASSIGNMENT_PAGE}}

var http = require('http');

http.createServer(function (req, res) {
  res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/plain'});
  res.end('Hello World!');
}).listen({{PORT_NUM}});

Save the file and run the command

pm2 start test.js

This will submit the Node application to pm2, the process manager we use on the Node server to manage web applications. This allows you to disconnect from Node without your application going offline - useful for handing access over to a TA or faculty member for grading. More details on use of pm2 can be found at PM2 Command List.


As long as the command "pm2 status" shows that your application is online, you should be ready to visit your web application from your web browser. 

pm2 status

Navigate to https://node.cci.drexel.edu/?port={{PORT_NUM}} in order to access your website.

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