---
title: "How to deploy a Node application"
description: "Deploy a Node web app or API with a compatible Node 22 runtime, production start command, PORT binding, and health checks."
canonical_url: "https://ample.computer/guides/deploy-node-app"
last_updated: "2026-07-30"
author: "Ample Computer"
---

# How to deploy a Node application

Deploy a Node web app or API with a compatible Node 22 runtime, production start command, PORT binding, and health checks.

## The short version

To deploy a Node application, make sure it has a production start path and listens on the PORT environment variable at 0.0.0.0. Ample detects common Node projects, installs dependencies, runs the build when present, selects a Node 22 runtime for a new server, and waits for the app to pass health checks.

## Who this is for

This guide is for Node, Express, Fastify, and other JavaScript server projects that need a public URL.

## How to do it

1. **Define a production start command.** The process should start the actual web server, not a file watcher or development server. Put the command in package.json or provide it explicitly.

2. **Bind to the platform port.** Read process.env.PORT, fall back only for local use, and listen on 0.0.0.0 so the platform can reach the process.

   ```sh
   server.listen(Number(process.env.PORT || 3000), '0.0.0.0')
   ```

3. **Run the plan.** The plan can detect linked databases, required secrets, and whether the repo contains multiple services.

   ```sh
   ample plan --write
   ```

4. **Deploy and inspect the result.** Apply the plan. If activation fails, use runtime logs to inspect the process output rather than rerunning the same deployment.

   ```sh
   ample up
   ```

## What this supports

- Node 22 applications
- Express and Fastify APIs
- npm, pnpm, yarn, and bun dependency workflows
- Linked managed databases and persistent volumes

## Know the limits

- Development-only start commands are not suitable for production
- A Node app must use a Node-compatible server template
- Local disk writes need a volume if they must survive releases

## Common failure modes

- **Health checks cannot connect** Bind the process to 0.0.0.0 and the supplied PORT.
- **The process exits immediately** Read runtime logs and verify the production start file exists in the packaged release.
- **A native or workspace dependency is missing** Check the lockfile, deploy root, install command, and build output in the build logs.

## Related guides

- [How to deploy a Next.js application](https://ample.computer/guides/deploy-nextjs-app)
- [How to add environment variables during deployment](https://ample.computer/guides/environment-variables-deployment)
- [What to do when an app works locally but not in production](https://ample.computer/guides/works-locally-not-production)

## Machine-readable resources

- [llms.txt](https://ample.computer/llms.txt) | [AGENTS.md](https://ample.computer/AGENTS.md) | [sitemap.md](https://ample.computer/sitemap.md) | [OpenAPI](https://ample.computer/openapi.json)