Deploying your Node.js application on AWS Elastic Beanstalk provides an easy way to manage application scaling, monitoring, and environment provisioning. This tutorial will guide you through the entire process of deploying your application to Elastic Beanstalk, including installing the AWS CLI, creating an application, and configuring it properly.

Step 1: Setting Up Your AWS Account

1. Create an AWS Account:

   • If you don’t already have an AWS account, visit the AWS website to sign up. Provide the necessary information and complete the verification process.

2. Access the AWS Management Console:

   • Once your account is set up, log in to the AWS Management Console. This will be your hub for managing AWS services.

Step 2: Installing the AWS CLI

The AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) allows you to interact with AWS services using commands in your terminal.

1. Download the AWS CLI:

   • Visit the AWS CLI installation page and follow the instructions for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).

2. Install the AWS CLI:

   • Follow the installation steps provided on the website. After installation, you can verify it by running:

   aws --version
   

3. Configure the AWS CLI:

   • Set up your AWS CLI with your access keys:

   aws configure
   

   • You will need to provide your AWS Access Key ID, Secret Access Key, region (e.g., us-west-2), and output format (e.g., json).

Step 3: Preparing Your Node.js Application

1. Navigate to Your Application Directory:

   • Open your terminal and navigate to the root directory of your Node.js application.

2. Create a package.json:

   • If you haven’t already, create a package.json file:

   npm init -y
   

3. Add a Start Script:

   • Ensure your package.json includes a start script:

   "scripts": {
     "start": "node server.js"
   }
   

4. Install Dependencies:

   • Make sure all your dependencies are installed:

   npm install
   

5. Test Your Application Locally:

   • Run your application locally to confirm that everything works:

   npm start
   

Step 4: Creating an Application on Elastic Beanstalk

1. Open Elastic Beanstalk in the AWS Console:

   • In the AWS Management Console, search for "Elastic Beanstalk" and select it.

2. Create a New Application:

   • Click on "Create Application." You will be prompted to provide an application name and description. Fill these out and click "Create."

3. Create a New Environment:

   • After creating the application, you will need to create an environment. Choose "Web Server Environment."
   • Select the platform as "Node.js." You may also need to specify the Node.js version.

4. Upload Your Application Code:

   • You can upload a zip file of your application code. Create a zip file containing all your project files (including node_modules, package.json, and your main application file).

5. Configuration Settings:

   • Configure options such as instance type, capacity, and load balancing. You can start with the default settings and adjust later as needed.

6. Review and Create:

   • Review your settings and click "Create Environment." This will take a few minutes as AWS provisions the resources and deploys your application.

Step 5: Accessing Your Application

1. Find Your Application URL:

   • Once the environment is created, you’ll see a URL in the Elastic Beanstalk console. This is your application’s endpoint.

2. Test Your Application:

   • Open the URL in your web browser to verify that your application is running properly.

Step 6: Managing Environment Variables

1. Set Environment Variables:

   • In the Elastic Beanstalk console, select your environment, and click on "Configuration."
   • Under "Software," you can add environment properties such as database URLs or API keys. Click "Edit" and input your key-value pairs.

2. Access Environment Variables in Your Code:

   • Use process.env to access these variables in your Node.js application:

   const dbUrl = process.env.DB_URL;
   

Step 7: Handling Application Logs

1. View Logs:

   • In the Elastic Beanstalk console, select your environment and click on "Logs." You can request logs to be generated and downloaded for review.

2. Stream Logs:

   • Use the AWS CLI to stream logs:

   eb logs --stream
   

Step 8: Updating Your Application

1. Make Code Changes:

   • Make any necessary changes to your application code locally.

2. Create a New Zip File:

   • Zip your updated application files again.

3. Deploy the Updated Version:

   • In the Elastic Beanstalk console, go to your environment, and choose "Upload and Deploy." Select the new zip file and click "Deploy."

4. Monitor Deployment Status:

   • You can monitor the deployment process through the console.

Step 9: Managing Your Environment

1. Scaling Your Application:

   • To scale your application, go to the "Configuration" section and adjust the instance count or types under "Capacity."

2. Monitoring Application Health:

   • Use the Elastic Beanstalk console to monitor your application's health metrics. Look for errors or performance issues.

3. Rolling Back Changes:

   • If an update causes issues, you can easily roll back to a previous version of your application through the "Application Versions" section.

Conclusion

Deploying your Node.js application on AWS Elastic Beanstalk allows for easy management and scaling. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can set up your application, configure environment variables, and update it as needed. With this setup, you can focus on development while AWS handles the infrastructure management. Explore additional features of Elastic Beanstalk as you continue to develop your application.