Cannot Deploy Strapi App to cPanel Using Phusion Passenger? We’ve Got You Covered!

Are you tired of banging your head against the wall because you cannot deploy your Strapi app to cPanel using Phusion Passenger? Well, you’re in luck! In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of deploying your Strapi app to cPanel using Phusion Passenger. But before we dive in, let’s take a step back and understand what exactly is Phusion Passenger and why do we need it.

What is Phusion Passenger?

Phusion Passenger is a popular and widely used web application server that allows you to deploy and manage your web applications easily. It’s an open-source tool that provides a simple and efficient way to deploy, scale, and manage your web applications. Phusion Passenger supports a wide range of programming languages, including Node.js, Python, Ruby, and more.

Why Do We Need Phusion Passenger to Deploy Strapi App to cPanel?

cPanel is a popular hosting control panel that provides a user-friendly interface for managing your website and hosting environment. However, cPanel doesn’t natively support Node.js applications, which is what Strapi is built on. That’s where Phusion Passenger comes in. Phusion Passenger provides a seamless way to deploy and manage Node.js applications, including Strapi, on cPanel.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following prerequisites in place:

• cPanel account with SSH access
• Strapi app installed on your local machine
• Phusion Passenger installed on your cPanel account
• Familiarity with the command line interface (CLI)

Step 1: Create a New Node.js Environment on cPanel

1. Log in to your cPanel account and navigate to the “Software” section.
2. Click on “Setup Node.js App” and fill in the required information, including the app name, version, and installation path.
3. Click “Create” to create the new Node.js environment.

Setting Up the Environment

Once the environment is created, you’ll need to set it up by installing the required dependencies. Follow these steps:

1. Access your cPanel account via SSH.
2. Navigate to the installation path of your Node.js environment.
3. Run the following command to install the required dependencies:npm install

Step 2: Configure Phusion Passenger

Next, you’ll need to configure Phusion Passenger to work with your Strapi app. Follow these steps:

Creating a Phusion Passenger Configuration File

Create a new file named `passenger-config.json` in the root directory of your Strapi app with the following contents:

{
  "environment": {
    "NODE_ENV": "production"
  },
  "app_type": "node",
  "startup_file": "app.js",
  "spawn_method": "smart",
  "script": "app.js"
}

Configuring Phusion Passenger to Use the Configuration File

Next, you’ll need to configure Phusion Passenger to use the configuration file. Follow these steps:

1. Access your cPanel account via SSH.
2. Navigate to the installation path of Phusion Passenger.
3. Run the following command to configure Phusion Passenger to use the configuration file:passenger configure --json /path/to/passenger-config.json

Step 3: Deploying Your Strapi App to cPanel

Now that Phusion Passenger is configured, it’s time to deploy your Strapi app to cPanel. Follow these steps:

Packaging Your Strapi App

First, you’ll need to package your Strapi app using the following command:

npm run build

Uploading Your Strapi App to cPanel

Next, you’ll need to upload your packaged Strapi app to your cPanel account. You can do this using an FTP client or the built-in file manager in cPanel.

Configuring Phusion Passenger to Start Your Strapi App

Finally, you’ll need to configure Phusion Passenger to start your Strapi app. Follow these steps:

1. Access your cPanel account via SSH.
2. Navigate to the installation path of Phusion Passenger.
3. Run the following command to start your Strapi app:passenger start

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter any issues during the deployment process, here are some common solutions:

Error Message	Solution
Phusion Passenger fails to start	Check the Phusion Passenger logs for any errors and ensure that the configuration file is correctly configured.
Strapi app fails to deploy	Check the Strapi app logs for any errors and ensure that the app is correctly packaged and uploaded to cPanel.
Node.js environment not installed	Ensure that the Node.js environment is installed on your cPanel account and that you have the correct version installed.

Conclusion

Deploying your Strapi app to cPanel using Phusion Passenger may seem like a daunting task, but with the right guidance, it’s a breeze. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to deploy your Strapi app to cPanel in no time. Remember to troubleshoot any issues that may arise and to always refer to the official Phusion Passenger and Strapi documentation for more information.

Happy deploying!

Frequently Asked Question

Strapi app deployment to cPanel using Phusion Passenger giving you a hard time? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Here are some frequently asked questions to help you troubleshoot the issue.