**Tags:** "Hello World" Examples · Node.js # Node.js Hello World A [Node.js](https://nodejs.org) application with [Express](https://expressjs.com) and [TypeScript](https://www.typescriptlang.org) connected to a [PostgreSQL](https://www.postgresql.org) database on [Zerops](https://zerops.io), demonstrating idempotent migrations and a health endpoint that proves both connectivity and data integrity. ### Available Environments - [AI Agent](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/node-js-hello-world.md?environment=ai-agent) - [Remote (CDE)](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/node-js-hello-world.md?environment=remote-cde) - [Local](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/node-js-hello-world.md?environment=local) - [Stage](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/node-js-hello-world.md?environment=stage) - **Small Production** ← current - [Highly-available Production](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/node-js-hello-world.md?environment=highly-available-production) ### Services in this Environment **Services:** - **core** (core@1) - Containers: 1 × Shared Core, 0.00 GB RAM, 0 GB Disk - **app** (nodejs@22) :3000 - Containers: 2 × Shared Core, 0.38 GB RAM, 1 GB Disk - Repository: [zerops-recipe-apps/nodejs-hello-world-app](https://github.com/zerops-recipe-apps/nodejs-hello-world-app) - **db** (postgresql@18) :5432, :6432 - Containers: 1 × Shared Core, 0.38 GB RAM, 1 GB Disk **Total Resources:** 4 containers, 1.12 GB RAM, 3 GB Disk ### One-Click Deploy (Import YAML) Use this YAML with `zcli project import` to deploy this environment: ```yaml # Small production environment offers a production-ready # setup optimized for moderate throughput. project: name: nodejs-hello-world-small-prod services: # Production app — Zerops pulls source and zerops.yaml # from the 'buildFromGit' repo, using the 'prod' zeropsSetup # to compile TypeScript and deploy optimized artifacts. # minContainers: 2 keeps two containers running at all times # for availability and load distribution without requiring # a full HA database tier. - hostname: app type: nodejs@22 zeropsSetup: prod buildFromGit: https://github.com/zerops-recipe-apps/nodejs-hello-world-app enableSubdomainAccess: true minContainers: 2 verticalAutoscaling: # V8 GC needs headroom — minFreeRamGB reserves ~50% of # minRam to absorb traffic spikes without OOM restarts. minRam: 0.25 minFreeRamGB: 0.125 # PostgreSQL single-node — automatic encrypted backups are # on by default. For higher-traffic production, consider # HA mode (see Environment 5) or an external backup strategy. - hostname: db type: postgresql@18 mode: NON_HA priority: 10 verticalAutoscaling: minRam: 0.25 minFreeRamGB: 0.125 ``` --- ## Next Steps After deploying one of the environments and getting to know Zerops, you have two paths to choose from: 1. **Template Flow** — Clone our GitHub repositories and use the whole recipe as a template 2. **Integrate Flow** — If you already have an existing application on a similar stack, integrate the recipe setup with your application Select a flow: [Template Flow](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/node-js-hello-world.md?environment=small-production&guideFlow=template) or [Integrate Flow](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/node-js-hello-world.md?environment=small-production&guideFlow=integrate) Both flows are shown below: ## How to take over the Small Production environment ### 📦 Clone the template repositories Fork or clone the following repositories to your local machine or GitHub account: - [zerops-recipe-apps/nodejs-hello-world-app](https://github.com/zerops-recipe-apps/nodejs-hello-world-app) ### 1. Find your service name Many commands and configurations need the exact name of your service. You can find it in the Zerops Dashboard. - Open your project in the Zerops Dashboard. - In the project overview, find the service you want to manage. - Use this exact name whenever a command or pipeline configuration asks for ``. Zerops GUI: Locating the Service Name ### 2. Configure deployment pipeline Go to Service Settings > Pipelines & CI/CD Settings in the Zerops Dashboard and connect your repository. For production, use a trigger on new tags. This keeps deployments intentional and tied to a specific version. You can also add a regex filter, such as `^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$`, if you want to allow only semantic version tags. Zerops GUI: Triggers Alternatively, add `zcli push` to your existing CI/CD pipeline if you want full control over when deployments happen. Learn more about pipeline triggers: https://docs.zerops.io/features/pipeline ### 3. Deploy to production Create and push a new Git tag to deploy a specific version of your app: ```bash git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "Release version 1.0.0" git push origin v1.0.0 ``` > [!TIP] > Open the pipeline detail in the Zerops Dashboard to check the build progress and verify that all steps finish successfully. ### 4. Configure autoscaling Review the autoscaling settings for your runtime services and databases in Service Settings > Automatic Scaling Configuration in the Zerops Dashboard. Zerops GUI: Autoscaling configuration The most important settings are: ```yaml verticalAutoscaling: minRam: 1 minFreeRamGB: 0.5 minFreeRamPercent: 20 ``` > [!CAUTION] > Pay attention to `minFreeRamGB`. This value tells Zerops when to scale RAM vertically. Adjust it based on your app’s real memory needs. RAM scales up immediately, while CPU scales after two consecutive measurements below the threshold. > [!TIP] > Run a quick stress test with a tool like hey before real users arrive. This helps you see how your app behaves under load and tune the autoscaling settings. ### 5. Set up your domain To send real traffic to your app, configure public HTTP access in Service Settings > Public Access & Internal Ports in the Zerops Dashboard. Add your custom domain and point your DNS records to the Zerops IPs shown in the dashboard: Zerops GUI: Public access and custom domain ```text Type Name Content TTL A example.com Auto AAAA example.com Auto ``` For wildcard domains, add a CNAME record for SSL validation. Check the public access documentation: https://docs.zerops.io/features/access > [!TIP] > When changing DNS records for production, start with a low TTL value. Make sure SSL certificates are active before you disable the fallback Zerops subdomain. Once everything works, you can disable the Zerops subdomain so all traffic goes through your custom domain. --- ### 🎉 You are good to go! Your application is live in production and the core setup is complete. The following sections are optional. They cover extra production features such as log forwarding, backups, and diagnostic access. You can stop here and come back later when you need them. --- ### 6. Set up log forwarding (Optional) To send logs to an external service, go to Project Settings > Log Forwarding & Logs Overview in the Zerops Dashboard. You can forward logs to services like Better Stack, Papertrail, or your own self-hosted solution. Learn more about log forwarding: https://docs.zerops.io/references/logging ### 7. Configure database backups (Optional) Manage automated encrypted backups in Service Settings > Backups in the Zerops Dashboard. By default, backups run daily between 00:00 and 01:00 UTC. Before a major deployment, create a manual protected backup: ```bash zcli backup create --tags pre-deploy,protected ``` Read the backup documentation for more options: https://docs.zerops.io/features/backup ### 8. Set up diagnostic access (Optional) Use zCLI and VPN access when you need to inspect or maintain services directly. For runtime services: ```bash zcli vpn up ssh .zerops ``` For databases, connect through the VPN to reach the project’s private network, or set up secure direct IP access for your database admin tools. Check the VPN documentation: https://docs.zerops.io/references/cli/commands#vpn-up ## How to integrate app with Zerops ### 1. Adding `zerops.yaml` The main application configuration file you place at the root of your repository, it tells Zerops how to build, deploy and run your application. ```yaml zerops: # Production setup — compile TypeScript to JS, deploy # compiled artifacts with production dependencies only. - setup: prod build: base: nodejs@22 buildCommands: # npm ci installs exact versions from package-lock.json # for reproducible, auditable production builds. - npm ci - npm run build # Strip dev-only packages (TypeScript, ts-node, type # definitions) after compilation — runtime only needs # production dependencies. - npm prune --omit=dev deployFiles: - ./dist # compiled JS (index.js + migrate.js) - ./node_modules # production dependencies only - ./package.json # Cache node_modules between builds to avoid re-downloading # unchanged packages on every build trigger. cache: - node_modules # Readiness check: verifies new containers respond at / # before the project balancer routes traffic to them. # Prevents requests reaching containers still starting up. deploy: readinessCheck: httpGet: port: 3000 path: / run: base: nodejs@22 # Run migration once per deploy across all containers. # initCommands (not buildCommands) keeps migration and code # deployment atomic — a failed deploy won't leave a migrated # schema paired with old application code. # --retryUntilSuccessful handles the brief window when the # database port isn't yet accepting connections after import. initCommands: - zsc execOnce ${appVersionId} --retryUntilSuccessful -- node dist/migrate.js ports: - port: 3000 httpSupport: true envVariables: NODE_ENV: production # Cross-service references — ${hostname_key} resolves to the # value generated by the 'db' service at container start. DB_NAME: ${db_dbName} DB_HOST: ${db_hostname} DB_PORT: ${db_port} DB_USER: ${db_user} DB_PASS: ${db_password} start: node dist/index.js # Health check restarts unresponsive containers after the # retry window expires — keeps production alive when the # process hangs or the database connection is lost. healthCheck: httpGet: port: 3000 path: / verticalAutoscaling: # V8 GC needs headroom for traffic spikes — reserve ~50% # of minRam as free RAM to prevent OOM restarts. minRam: 0.25 minFreeRamGB: 0.125 # Development setup — deploy full source for interactive # development via SSH. The container stays idle (zsc noop) # so the developer controls what runs. - setup: dev build: base: nodejs@22 buildCommands: # npm install (not npm ci) — works without a lock file, # giving flexibility during early development stages. - npm install # Deploy the entire working directory — source code, # node_modules (with devDependencies), and config files. deployFiles: ./ cache: - node_modules run: base: nodejs@22 # Ubuntu provides richer tooling (apt, curl, git, vim) # for interactive development via SSH. os: ubuntu # Migration runs on every container start — execOnce # ensures it only executes once per deploy version even # when multiple containers are running. initCommands: - zsc execOnce ${appVersionId} --retryUntilSuccessful -- npx ts-node src/migrate.ts ports: - port: 3000 httpSupport: true envVariables: NODE_ENV: development DB_NAME: ${db_dbName} DB_HOST: ${db_hostname} DB_PORT: ${db_port} DB_USER: ${db_user} DB_PASS: ${db_password} # Container stays idle — developer SSHs in and runs: # npm run dev (ts-node hot-reload via nodemon) # or # npm start (plain ts-node) start: zsc noop --silent ``` ### 2. Trust proxy and bind 0.0.0.0 Zerops terminates SSL at its L7 balancer and forwards requests via reverse proxy. Without trusting the proxy, Express misreports `req.ip` and `req.protocol`. Binding `localhost` causes 502 errors because the L7 balancer routes to the container's VXLAN IP. ```typescript app.set('trust proxy', true); app.listen(port, '0.0.0.0'); ``` ### 🎯 What's next? **Deploy other environments** — Ready to scale? Deploy additional environments for different stages of your workflow: - [AI Agent](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/node-js-hello-world.md?environment=ai-agent) - [Remote (CDE)](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/node-js-hello-world.md?environment=remote-cde) - [Local](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/node-js-hello-world.md?environment=local) - [Stage](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/node-js-hello-world.md?environment=stage) - [Highly-available Production](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/node-js-hello-world.md?environment=highly-available-production) ## Knowledge Base ### Platform Reference - [Routing & Domains](https://docs.zerops.io/features/access) - [Scaling](https://docs.zerops.io/features/scaling) - [Environment Variables](https://docs.zerops.io/features/env-variables) - [CLI (zcli)](https://docs.zerops.io/references/cli) ### Service Type Reference **Node.js** - [Build & Deploy](https://docs.zerops.io/nodejs/how-to/build-pipeline) - [Customize Runtime](https://docs.zerops.io/nodejs/how-to/customize-runtime) **PostgreSQL** - [Connect](https://docs.zerops.io/postgresql/how-to/connect) - [Backup & Restore](https://docs.zerops.io/postgresql/how-to/backup) - [Manage](https://docs.zerops.io/postgresql/how-to/manage) - [Scale](https://docs.zerops.io/postgresql/how-to/scale) --- ## Related Recipes - [Nest.js minimal](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/nestjs-minimal.md) - [Nest.js showcase](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/nestjs-showcase.md) - [Bun Hello World](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/bun-hello-world.md) - [Go Hello World](https://app.zerops.io/recipes/go-hello-world.md)