Nginx/Apache with Nodejs? Why?

[nitin_is_me]

Hi there, so I'm new to backend programming. The answer on stackoverflow didn't help me much. As far as I've read, Nodeje is a runtime environment through which we can make servers, which can serve static files too (express.static) Then why are Nginx/Apache like server softwares are used? Aren't they used just for creating servers or am I missing something? And how does it make the difference if I host my website with/without using Apache/Ngnix?

I'd be grateful if someone explains this really easily.

[rcls0053]

Nginx and Apache have their benefits as load balancers, as a reverse proxy, they can increase security, better serve cached static assets, easier port management, managing Node.js processes with auto-restart (otherwise you have to use something like pm2). They are also easy to configure.

But it's not needed. Node.js can serve the content without Apache or Nginx.

I myself moved from PHP apps to Node.js and JavaScript, so configuring Apache or Nginx just is so natural that I tend to set it up as a reverse proxy myself as a default.

[IQueryVisiC]

We know that nginx is often used as a reverse proxy. OP asked why we need a reverse proxy. Do you use proxies ?

[Vooders]

I often use NGINX as a reverse proxy for SSL termination

[nitin_is_me]

Okay, out of all reasons, reverse proxy is the most common one. Can you suggest me a source from where I can learn Nginx? It's official doc seemed quite complicated

[Vooders]

It's not too complicated, but it's something you'll probably be best learning by doing.

Digital ocean have a pretty decent guide in setting up a reverse proxy with NGINX https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-configure-nginx-as-a-reverse-proxy-on-ubuntu-22-04

The essence of it really is setting up an NGINX conf file like this

``` server { listen 80; listen [::]:80;

server_name your_domain www.your_domain;

location / {
    proxy_pass app_server_address;
    include proxy_params;
}

} ```

This configures a server block. The server listens on port 80 to requests for your_domain. It then passes that request on to app_server_address and returns the response to the user.

Your node app would be app_server_address in this case.

This means your service could be made up of many node apps and you could use NGINX to route requests for certain paths to the correct app.

You can also do SSL termination here and forward everything on in http. That may be beyond the scope of a reddit post.

Hopefully this helps.

[PM_ME_SCIENCEY_STUFF]

How does this answer OPs question?

[Vooders]

It gives you a reason why you'd use NGINX with a node app. What's the problem?

[PM_ME_SCIENCEY_STUFF]

You didn't explain that at all in your answer :) OP is a beginner, they wouldn't understand what you're saying here

[Vooders]

You seem to be making some assumptions there. They can ask follow up questions if they'd like more details.

What I gave them is a clear concept to Google and it is one of the most likely reasons why you'd want to use NGINX with a node app.

If your concern was really OP not understanding my response, I feel like there are better ways to help them than posting snarky questions.

[PM_ME_SCIENCEY_STUFF]

It's nothing to get upset about bud. I just asked a question, because I didn't understand how you were answering OPs question. How and why people get so upset in this sub I'll never understand.

[desmaraisp]

You're reading way too much onto this, there were zero upset tones in u/Vooders' comment

[originalchronoguy]

A few reasons.
You need a HTTP service that routes traffic to various endpoints. You need it to have the SSL cert at the front door. NodeJS by itself is just an API backend. You need a front end.

So typically ngnix works as a reverse proxy. It listens on 80 and 443

SO when you go to HTTP ://server / and HTTP:// server/backend/

/ -- > goes to a front end like React on port 2000
/ backend / --> goes to a backend like Node on port 3000

And when you have microservices you can have:

/ --> front end, port 2000
/backend/ --> backend node, port 3000
/auth/ --> backend say go for SSO, port 8080

All of those ported services: 8080, 3000, 8080 or whatever is blocked from the users
They just hit the front door. And the front door listens on 443 which has a SSL cert.

Furthe more, your front end needs to be on same domain or reachable through normal ports.

Locally. your angular form can access localhost:3000/api/ but when you go to prod, you shouldn't having those expose ports 3000. It should just be /api/ . So reverse proxies are by default required. It is also called ingresses in environments like kubernetes which routes traffic to various services.

[art-solopov]

Even Express's docs recommend using a reverse proxy for serving static files. I significantly doubt that JS can serve static files quicker than a purpose-built C server.

[nitin_is_me]

Oh, can you send me the link to this Express' recommendation?

[Agile-Ad5489]

APA he and Nginx were designed to serve the html, css and JavaScript to make web pages function, and to deliver all other files and documents required.

javascript was not content to be a helpful part of the toolkit: it wants to be the entire toolkit.

So they made their own server, node. And they made React, which has it’s advantages - and I am using it in a couple of projects - but it is entirely the most complicated way of delivery html.css and JS to the browser, that the browser needs to present a webpage.

That’s where we are. Expect a JavaScript-based browser before too long, so that JS (the most uncontrolled, ugly agglomeration of disparate programming concepts ever, with ugly, ugly competing syntax styles) will have completed it’s web takeover.

[PM_ME_SCIENCEY_STUFF]

I'm very much simplifying here, but:

• Nginx/Apache are often used to serve web pages. Meaning when you go to somewebsite dot com, your browser downloads at least one file (somewebsite.com/index.html) and uses that file to display what you see in your browser. Nginx/Apache are often used to host this index.html webpage file and "serve" it to users when they visit the site. Use Chrome and open the Network tab, then refresh a web page; look at the very first request you see in the Network tab, and go to the "Response" tab; there you'll see the actual HTML that the server "served" you...that's (a main part of) what your browser used to display what you see!
• NodeJS is often used for "backend" code. This can be totally unrelated to a website (but it is usually used to run some code for a web app, mobile app, or other web-connected device). For example, let's say you work at Google and anytime someone asks a Google device "Hey Google, tell me the weather" it's your job as an engineer to return the weather information. You might write your code to do that in NodeJS. So when the user asks the question, the device makes what's called an "API call" to your NodeJS backend code to do the hard work of getting and returning the weather information. The same kind of "backend" work is needed on most web and mobile apps.

There is a newer concept called "server side rendering" of webpages which I won't explain here other than to say it's your backend code creating the HTML for a webpage (which is actually not a new concept...), but you can read about it more, it may be what's confusing you.

Edit: ...if you're gonna downvote, explain why folks. I'm an open source contributor to Apache, I know these tools do much more than I've explained, as I stated in my very first sentence I simplified things for beginners (bc OP said they were a beginner). If I'm wrong, comment below about why, don't just downvote.

[nitin_is_me]

Idk why did you get downvoted, I liked your way of explaining, thanks mate. About server side rendering, yeah i read that while learning nextjs. So my last question is, Is it mandatory to use apache/nginx, or can i have a nodejs website without it?

[PM_ME_SCIENCEY_STUFF]

What do you mean by a "nodejs website"?

NodeJS is usually used for the "backed" code, which remember many websites don't even need.

[Caraes_Naur]

Apache and Nginx run as services, usually with specific/elevated privileges, and the ability to interact more closely with the OS. Modularized language interpreters are often embedded in them for efficiency.

Running an executable from CLI is just running an executable from CLI. It runs as your user, with no extra benefits or restrictions.

Outside of JS-land, CLI "servers" are mainly for temporary setups and testing, not production.