How to host Node RED on Digitalocean Droplet - ServerAvatar

Node-RED is a widely used open-source platform for building and managing complex automation workflows effortlessly. It allows users to visually create and coordinate flows for integrating various services and devices, making it suitable for applications from IoT to data processing tasks. For hosting Node-RED, DigitalOcean is ideal due to its reliable, scalable infrastructure and simple deployment features. ServerAvatar simplifies the deployment of your Node-RED application on the DigitalOcean platform through a user-friendly, step-by-step method.

Create Server in Digitalocean

Digitalocean is one of the most popular cloud platforms right now. It offers on-demand cloud computing for various use cases as well as some managed solutions. We can deploy any PHP-based applications on Digitalocean Droplets. Droplets are the servers or cloud computing instances in Digitalocean. If you want to learn about droplet management in-depth in Digitalocean, We recommend you to read our Digitalocean guide.

To deploy any application on Digitalocean, We first need a Droplet. So, we will first create a droplet and perform the initial setup.

Step 1: Go to the Create Droplets page.

Log in to your Digitalocean account and click on the Create button given on the top-right corner of the page. From the drop-down menu, click on the Droplets option to see a droplet creation form.

Step 2: Choose Region

On the Droplet creation page, you will find several sections for selecting different options. We will proceed step by step.

The first thing you have to do is select the region for your droplet. Digitalocean provides several options when it comes to selecting the location. The general rule is to select the region that is closest to your audience. It means that for the majority of your audience, Your sites will load faster due to low latency.

Step 3: Choose an Image or an OS

In this step, you have to select the operating system for your droplet. We recommend you to use Ubuntu 20.04 LTS x64 or Ubuntu 22.04 LTS x64. These operating systems are a requirement if you are using ServerAvatar to manage your droplets.

Step 4: Choose the size of the Droplet

Here you have to choose the size of your Droplet. As we mentioned above, Digitalocean provides many different types of droplets. Select the one that fits best your requirements.

The minimum requirements for hosting Node-RED applications are a minimum of 2GB or more RAM to ensure smooth operation, especially if handling multiple flows or integrations, and a minimum of 10GB of free disk space is recommended, but more may be needed depending on the size of your flows and data storage requirements.

If your site is brand new and does not have much traffic, start with a small plan. Once the project starts getting traction, you can upgrade the plan to handle more visitors on the site.

Step 5: Choose Authentication Method

Now you have to select the authentication method. There are two types of authentication methods. They are as follows:

1. Authentication via SSH Keys
2. Authentication via Password

Using SSH keys for authentication is the best option. If you are not familiar with SSH keys, you can choose the password method. Make sure to set a strong password for your root user, which is the most powerful user with all the privileges on Linux OS.

Step 6: Selecting Additional Options

There are three additional options you can choose from. They are optional but important in different use cases. The additional options are:

1. Monitoring: It is a free feature by Digitalocean. It allows you to see additional monitoring data for your server.
2. Backups: We recommend you to enable full server backups if you are going to deploy in a production environment. The cost of the backups depends on the size of the droplet.
3. Managed Database: You do not need a Managed database if you are using ServerAvatar to manage sites on a droplet. A managed database is a pre-configured MySQL Droplet.

Step 7: Finalise Details

In the last step of this process, We have to enter the name of the droplet, and the number of droplets you want to create, Define any tags, and select the project. Enter all the details and click on the Create Droplet button to create a droplet.

In a few minutes, You will have the Droplet up and running. Now, We have to perform the initial configuration on the Droplet to host PHP-based frameworks and software.

Initial Server Configuration

The Initial server configuration includes the installation and configuration of various packages required to host your website. Usually, You have to write commands and modify configuration files. Luckily, With ServerAvatar, Your full server configuration and optimization can be automated.

Here are the three ways to automatically configure your server with ServerAvatar.

wget https://srvr.so/install
chmod +x install
./install

Install and Setup Node-RED on Cloud using ServerAvatar

Getting Started With Node-RED:

Node-RED is a flow-based development tool that utilizes visual programming, developed by IBM. It provides a web-based interface enabling users to integrate hardware devices, APIs, and online services creatively.

Node-RED supports the development of custom nodes using JavaScript, following developers to extend its capabilities and seamlessly integrate with proprietary systems. Its efficient runtime and compatibility with Docker containers ensure easy deployment, whether on cloud platforms or local servers.

Key Features:

• Visual Programming: Node-RED uses a visual programming model, which makes the creation and visualization of complex workflows easier.
• Web-Based Interface: Node-RED offers a web-based interface that is accessible from anywhere, making it convenient for remote development and monitoring.
• Open Source: Node-RED is open-source software, that promotes transparency, collaboration, and innovation within the developers.
• Real-Time Processing: Node-RED enables real-time data processing and supports event-driven applications, making it suitable for IoT and automation projects.

Let's begin by creating the application.

Step 1: Create a Node-RED application

• Log in to your ServerAvatar account and navigate to the Application tab from the server panel. click on the Create button.

• On the following screen, fill in the Application details, including:

  • Application Name: Enter your Application Name.
  • Select Domain: Select between a Test Domain or a Primary Domain as per your requirements.
  • Enter Domain: Enter your Application Domain.
  • Method: Select One Click as your application method.
  • Select Application: Select Node RED as an Application.
  • Username: Enter your application Username.
  • Password: Enter the Password for your application.

• After Filling up the details, click on the Create Application button.

Note: If the Node-RED option is disabled and you are unable to select it, you will need to follow additional provided steps.

• Navigate to the Server Settings option and click on the Install button next to the Node Red option.

• After completing the installation process of Node-RED, you can proceed with creating the Node-RED application.

Step 2: Access Node-RED

• Once the Node-RED Application is created, click on the domain link of your Node-RED application.

• The Node-RED interface will open, showing that the installation and setup have been completed successfully.

  • Enter your Username and Password.
  • Click the Login button.

• Congratulations! You've successfully set up a fully functional Node-RED application using ServerAvatar.