Install Sails.js on Ubuntu: A Step-by-Step Guide

Install NVM

Node Version Manager (NVM) lets you manage different versions of Node.js easily. Run this command to install the 💿 latest stable NVM version:

curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.1/install.sh -o install_nvm.sh | bash install_nvm.sh

Next, update your bash profile:

source ~/.bashrc

Install Node.js

Now, use NVM to install the current Active LTS version of Node.js:

nvm install --lts

Install Sails.js

npm -g install sails

Check the installation by running:

sails --version

Create Sails app

To create a new Sails app on Ubuntu, open your terminal and run the command sails new geek-app. When the setup prompts you to choose a template, select Web App to build the standard project structure. Finally, move into your project folder and start the development server by running sails lift so you can test that everything works correctly.

sails new geek-app

Select "Web App" when prompted. Navigate into your folder, install dependencies, and start the app:

cd geek-app
npm install
sails lift

Check the official Sails.js documentation for current database adapter compatibility and potential Docker deployment alternatives. Open your browser to http://localhost:1337 to see your app.

Create Sails systemd service

To create a Sails systemd service on Ubuntu so your app starts automatically after a reboot, open a new service file using the command sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/geek-app.service. This configuration file tells the operating system how to run your application in the background without requiring you to start it manually each time the server restarts.

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/geek-app.service

Paste the following into the file. Replace $USER with your actual system username:

[Unit]
Description=Sails.js App
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=$USER
WorkingDirectory=/home/$USER/geek-app
ExecStart=/bin/bash -c "source /home/$USER/.nvm/nvm.sh && npm start"
Restart=on-failure

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Reload the system and start your service:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable geek-app --now

You can now manage your app with sudo systemctl stop geek-app or sudo systemctl start geek-app.

Using reverse proxy

Using a reverse proxy like Nginx in front of your Sails app on Ubuntu helps manage incoming web traffic safely and efficiently. Setting up this configuration allows Nginx to handle public requests directly, pass them securely to your Node.js application, and easily add SSL certificates through Let's Encrypt for public websites.

How to set up a reverse proxy with Nginx

How to set up a reverse proxy with Apache

You may also secure your site with Let's Encrypt:

Set up Let's Encrypt with Nginx

Set up Let's Encrypt with Apache

Conclusion

You have successfully installed Sails.js and configured it to run as a background service on Ubuntu. Your environment is now ready for professional web development.

[Unit] [Service] [Install] [22377] [22377] [22377] [22377] [22377] [22377] [22377] [22377] [22377]