Hosting Playbook Node/Express API under Apache + Passenger (DirectAdmin)

You can run a Node.js and Express API on Domain India DirectAdmin shared hosting. The server's Node.js selector starts your app with Phusion Passenger behind Apache and connects it to your domain, so you don't manage ports, process managers or a proxy yourself. This page is the DirectAdmin checklist for an Express API: layout, database, secrets, SSL, logs and backups.

1. What our DirectAdmin server provides

Node.js 20 and older are end of life, so choose 22 or 24 unless your code needs something else.

2. Lay out the app

Keep application code out of the public web folder:

/home/USERNAME/
  domains/example.com/public_html/    # static files or a PHP site, if any
  api/                                # your Express app (the application root)
    app.js
    package.json
    routes/

In the Node.js selector, set the application root to api, the application URL to the domain or a path such as example.com/api, and the startup file to app.js. The selector writes the Passenger configuration for you; you don't need your own entry file in public_html.

3. The Express start file

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.use(express.json());

app.get('/health', (req, res) => res.json({ status: 'ok' }));
app.use('/items', require('./routes/items'));

app.use((req, res) => res.status(404).json({ error: 'Not found' }));
app.use((err, req, res, next) => {
  console.error(err);
  res.status(500).json({ error: 'Internal Server Error' });
});

app.listen(process.env.PORT || 3000);

Passenger tells the app which port to use, so never hard-code one. If the application URL is a sub-path such as /api, your routes may need to include that prefix; call /health under the full URL after the first start to check.

4. Deploy and update

For a rollback, keep the previous release as a Git tag or an archive on your computer, upload it again, and restart. git pulls are possible over jailed SSH when git is available in your account; see deploying with Git.

5. Database and secrets

Create the database and user under Account Manager › Databases in DirectAdmin; see creating and connecting to a MySQL database in DirectAdmin. Connect with a pool:

const mysql = require('mysql2/promise');

module.exports = mysql.createPool({
  host: 'localhost',
  user: process.env.DB_USER,
  password: process.env.DB_PASS,
  database: process.env.DB_NAME,
  connectionLimit: 5,
  enableKeepAlive: true,
});

Put DB_USER, DB_PASS, DB_NAME and API keys in the environment variables section of the selector, then restart. Don't commit them to Git, and never put a .env file inside public_html. Keep the pool small: every connection counts against your account's limits.

MySQL port 3306 is closed from outside. To reach the database from your computer, use an SSH tunnel once SSH is enabled; see how to connect to the MySQL database.

6. SSL, logs and backups

• HTTPS. Issue a free Let's Encrypt certificate in DirectAdmin and turn on the HTTPS redirect; see Let's Encrypt in DirectAdmin.
• Logs. Your app's console output goes to the log named on its selector page. The domain's web server logs can be viewed in DirectAdmin, and older logs are archived as .tar.gz files under domains/example.com/logs. See reviewing error logs.
• Backups. JetBackup 5 takes a weekly backup every Sunday and keeps the last 5 copies. Keep your own copies too: your code in Git, and regular database exports downloaded off the server.

7. Common errors

8. When to move off shared hosting

Shared hosting runs your API to answer web requests within the account's CPU and memory limits. It isn't for background workers, queues or long-lived connections. The App Platform builds Node.js apps automatically, deploys from GitHub or a deploy token, and includes PostgreSQL and SSL; it does not support WebSockets. A VPS gives you root access for anything else.

Prices on the cards are live Domain India list prices and exclude 18% GST.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to deploy? Follow the full Node.js deployment guide, compare App Platform plans, or open a support ticket to have jailed SSH enabled.