Node.js

Supported Versions

Server	Node.js Version
Tommy	8.17.0, 10.24.1, 12.22.12, 14.21.3, 16.19.1, 17.9.1
Johnny	12.22.12, 14.21.3, 16.19.1

About Node.js

As an asynchronous event-driven JavaScript runtime, Node.js is designed to build scalable network applications. In Node.js applications, many connections can be handled concurrently. Upon each connection, the callback is fired, but if there is no work to be done, Node.js will sleep.

This is in contrast to today's more common concurrency model, in which OS threads are employed. Thread-based networking is relatively inefficient and very difficult to use. Furthermore, users of Node.js are free from worries of dead-locking the process, since there are no locks. Almost no function in Node.js directly performs I/O, so the process never blocks. Because nothing blocks, scalable systems are very reasonable to develop in Node.js.

How to setup Node.js

Your Node.js files will go into your user directory (NOT httpdocs).

In that folder create an app.js file:

const http = require('http');
const hostname = '127.0.0.1';
const port = 3000;

const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
  res.statusCode = 200;
  res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/html');
  res.end('Node.js is working.');
});

server.listen(port, hostname, () => {
  console.log(`Server running at http://${hostname}:${port}/`);
});

In Plesk, go to "Website & Domains".

Under the domain you'd like to use for Node.js, select Node.js.

If you do not see Node.js listed, you may need to Change View in Plesk

Here, you're able to configure settings for your application.

You don't need to worry about environment variables on this simple example. Select app.js for your startup file. If you have any NPM packages, Plesk can install them for you.

In order for the Node.js application to be deployed, it requires an Apache restart. Apache is restarted every 2 hours, so you may need to wait anywhere from a few minutes to up to 2 hours maximum. If it's been more than 2 hours, and the Node.js application still isn't working, please submit a request containing your hosting account username in the Customer Support forum.

Once the Node.js application has been deployed you should be able to go to domain.heliohost.org and see the text Node.js is working..

Change View in Plesk

If you do not see Node.js listed under the domain you'd like to use, you will need to change your Plesk dashboard View settings. To do this, go to "Website & Domains", select "Set View", scroll down to "View Mode", and change the selected view. Now, you should be able to find Node.js listed.