How to Deploy a Node.js App on AWS with Microtica

Deploying a Node.js application on AWS can be a time-consuming task—especially when you factor in configuring infrastructure, setting up CI/CD pipelines, and managing deployments. Microtica simplifies that process. With a ready-made Node.js template, developers can deploy a production-ready application on AWS in just a few minutes.

Whether you're starting from scratch or bringing in an existing Node.js project, Microtica provides the tools to streamline deployment, automate infrastructure setup, and handle CI/CD out of the box. Below is a step-by-step guide to deploying your Node.js app using Microtica’s template, plus everything you need to get started.

Prerequisites for Node.js AWS Deployment

Before deploying a Node.js application to AWS, ensure you have the right requisites in place. You will need:

• Node.js Application: A working Node.js project with a package.json file and an entry point.
• An AWS Account: A valid AWS account with access to services like EC2 or S3.
• IAM Permissions: Make sure your AWS user has the necessary IAM permissions to create and manage resources.
• AWS CLI Installation: Install the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) on your local machine. 
• Basic Terminal Knowledge: You should be comfortable using the terminal to run commands, navigate directories, and install packages. 

Proper preparation helps avoid common setup issues and streamlines the overall deployment process. Therefore, having these prerequisites in the first place will to run a smooth and secure application deployment in AWS.

How to Deploy a Node.js App on AWS Step by Step

Deploying a Node.js app requires carefully following each step in the process. The main steps of how to deploy a node are:

1. Select the Node.js Template

In the starting screen, select the Node.js template, in the Free Application Templates section. These are free forever templates. You will be redirected to a page where you need to connect your Git account, choose a cluster where to deploy your app, and Deploy.

On the left side, you can see a link to the source code of this template. It will redirect you to Microtica's GitHub account.

2. Import Git Repository

As a first step, you need to connect a Git account (GitHub, Bitbucket, or GitLab). If you already have a Git account connected to Microtica, you can choose it from the list. Select the repository with your existing application code, click Save, and every Git push will be deployed automatically in Microtica.

3. Prepare Your Git Repository

When importing an existing project in Microtica, there are necessary files that need to be present in the repository, in order for the CI/CD pipelines to work correctly. These files are defined in the .microtica folder, whose content you can preview on our GitHub account.

Clicking the Add button will create a new .microtica folder in your Node.js repository that contains (among other files) the microtica.yaml pipeline spec and a Dockerfile. The files contain some default configurations, so if you have anything specific for your application, you can update them.

Before continuing to the next step, we need to verify that these files are present in the repository. Clicking the Validate button will perform a check, and you can continue to choose where to deploy your application, once everything is correctly setup in your Git repo.

4. Select a Cluster

The next step is choosing the Kubernetes cluster where your application will deploy. There are two options you can select to run your container app:

• Create a new EKS cluster on the spot
• Connect an existing cluster

4.1. Create a New EKS Cluster on the Spot

If you want to deploy your Node.js application on your own AWS account, you can create an AWS managed-Kubernetes (EKS) cluster, by clicking on the Create Amazon EKS Cluster button.

This is the recommended option for production applications, as it gives you full ownership of your cloud infrastructure and applications.

This action will open the popup shown on the image above. You can select the environment in which you'd want this cluster to be deployed. If you don't have an existing environment, you can create one by selecting the Create Environment action from the dropdown menu.

Once you select an environment, the next step is to select an AWS account and region where the EKS cluster will be deployed. If you don't have a connected AWS account, you can connect one right here by clicking the Connect AWS Account button. This will initiate a CloudFormation stack that will give Microtica permissions to provision infrastructure on your AWS account. Once you create the stack, the connection will be established automatically and you'll be able to see the AWS account in the dropdown list of accounts.

Select the account, select a region, and then click on Deploy to start the deployment of your environment.

Deploying a new Kubernetes cluster on your AWS account could take up to 15 mins.

4.2. Connect an Existing Cluster

In Microtica you can also connect an existing Kubernetes Cluster that you have and deploy your applications there. You can connect Kubernetes clusters running on basically any cloud provider or on-premise. By connecting a cluster you can use the full capabilities of Microtica’s Kubernetes automation.

To connect an existing Kubernetes cluster in Microtica and deploy your Node.js application there, follow the documentation linked here.

5. Deploy Node on AWS

Once you’re done with the cluster selection, you can go ahead and trigger a deployment of the environment by clicking on the Deploy button.

It takes approximately 4-5 minutes for this application to be deployed on the cloud. In the meantime, you can follow the detailed deployment logs by clicking the View Logs button.

6. Access Application

When the deployment is finished, you will see a View Applications button, that leads you to the Apps tab inside the environment. Here you can see all your live applications that are deployed and currently running on the cloud.

Select your Node.js application to navigate to the overview page, where you have some basic information about the app. By clicking on the domain field or the Visit button, you can preview your application live in the browser.

For even more information, you can also look at the Deployments and Monitoring tabs, where you have the pipeline history, resource consumption metrics, and logs for your instances.

Why Use Microtica for Node.js on AWS?

Microtica provides a streamlined way to deploy Node applications on AWS by automating the entire infrastructure and deployment process. It eliminates the difficult part of manual setup and configuration with integrated CI/CD pipelines, saving time and reducing the possibility of mistakes.

Teams without experienced DevOps resources will find it especially helpful because it manages environment management, scaling, and provisioning completely out of the box. This keeps developers' attention on the code while ensuring a secure and reliable operation of their apps on AWS.

To Recap

Deploying a Node.js application on AWS can be challenging, particularly when handling infrastructure, environments, and deployment pipelines manually. Microtica streamlines this process with automation, reusable components, and built-in CI/CD integration, reducing complexity and saving time. With proper tools and requisites, you can automate the process, reduce setup time, and ensure a smooth, scalable deployment.

To learn more about how to scale your Node.js application in Microtica, read the following article about Scaling Applications in Microtica.

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