Node on Windows using PM2

For a reason beyond nature you need to run node server/app on window.
Here is some of the options that I found useful:

• Use docker
• PM2 + Windows Task Scheduler
• PM2 + Windows Service

Note
You probably can use the below methods with other P(rocess) M(anager)s, use your own wrapper or run node directly.

Goals

• Simple
• Install PM2 in the local node_modules folder
  On windows, NPM install -g is not always what you think it is :)
• Don't mess up with system paths (there is one exception that I will mention below)

What are we going to use?

• PM2 - a production process manager for Node.js applications with a built-in load balancer.
• WinSW - Windows Service Wrapper

Preparations

Clone or download WinPM2.
Place it in a "central" directory/location, e.g. C:\NodeApps\WinPM2, and then run:

npm install

Setup PM2

Inside the project root do the following:

1. Open an elevated cmd terminal and run configure.bat
2. pm2 start examples\server.js
   ** it is for testing and demo
3. pm2 install @jessety/pm2-logrotate
4. pm2 save
5. pm2 kill

Note
Always use PM2 from elevated cmd terminal.

Note
Add WinPM2 directory to system paths if you wish that PM2 will be accessible from everywhere.
I believe this is not essential on a production server.

Note
the logrotate MP2 module is optional but you might like it
the command is pm2 install @jessety/pm2-logrotate NOT npm install..

 

PM2 + Task Scheduler Option

Test it

1. cd service
2. run pm2_task_scheduler_startup.bat
3. open http://localhost:3000/

Go Live

1. Set up a task scheduler with "at system startup" trigger.
2. Reboot (& test)
3. open http://localhost:3000/

PM2 + Windows Service

Test it

1. cd service
2. pm2_service_startup.bat
3. open http://localhost:3000/

Go Live

1. cd service
2. open WinSW_pm2.xml and check that the settings is for your like
3. WinSW_pm2.exe install
4. WinSW_pm2.exe start
5. open http://localhost:3000/
6. Reboot (& test)

 

Notes for myself:

sc query pm2_service
sc qfailure pm2_service

Bibliography

I read it so you don't have to, but at the end, it is up to you.

https://github.com/jessety/pm2-installer
https://github.com/coreybutler/node-windows
https://gist.github.com/zubair1024/8f6126db7ffbafd706f0e328ef8d4662
more at https://stackoverflow.com/