setup

Hosting a Next.js App on Linode

1. Create a Linode Account and Server

Sign up for a Linode account at linode.com.
Create a new Linode:
- Choose a plan (start with Nanode 1 GB for $5/month for small projects)
- Select a Linux distribution (e.g., Ubuntu 20.04 LTS)
- Choose a region close to your target audience
- Set a strong root password

2. Initial Server Setup

SSH into your Linode:
```
ssh root@your_linode_ip
```
Update the system:
```
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
```

Create a non-root user:

adduser username
usermod -aG sudo username

Set up SSH key authentication for added security.

3. Install Required Software

Install Node.js and npm:

curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_14.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

Install PM2 for process management:
```
sudo npm install -g pm2
```
Install Nginx as a reverse proxy:
```
sudo apt install nginx
```

4. Deploy Your Next.js App

Clone your Next.js app repository:

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/your-nextjs-app.git

Navigate to your app directory:
```
cd your-nextjs-app
```
Install dependencies:
```
npm install
```
Build your Next.js app:
```
npm run build
```

Start your app with PM2:

pm2 start npm --name "next-app" -- start

5. Configure Nginx

Create a new Nginx config file:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/next-app

Add the following configuration:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your_domain.com www.your_domain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
    }
}

Enable the configuration:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/next-app /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

Test and restart Nginx:

sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl restart nginx

6. Set Up SSL with Let's Encrypt

Install Certbot:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx

Obtain and install SSL certificate:

sudo certbot --nginx -d your_domain.com -d www.your_domain.com

7. Domain Configuration

Update your domain's DNS settings to point to your Linode's IP address. Log into your Namecheap account. Go to your "Domain List" and click on "Manage" next to robertrahardja.online. Navigate to the "Advanced DNS" tab. You'll need to add or modify two A records: a. For the root domain (@):

Type: A Record Host: @ Value: 139.162.7.179 TTL: Set to 5 min (or the lowest available)

b. For the www subdomain:

Type: A Record Host: www Value: 139.162.7.179 TTL: Set to 5 min (or the lowest available)

If there are any existing A records for @ or www that point to different IP addresses, you should remove them. Scroll down and click "Save Changes" to apply your new DNS settings. (Optional) If you want to use Namecheap's email forwarding or other services, you can leave their default CNAME, MX, and TXT records in place. If not, you can remove them.

8. Maintenance and Scaling

Regularly update your server:
```
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
```
Monitor your app's performance and logs using PM2:
```
pm2 monit
pm2 logs
```
Scale vertically by upgrading your Linode plan if needed.

9. Backup and Security

Set up Linode Backups for disaster recovery.
Configure a firewall (e.g., UFW) to restrict incoming traffic.
Regularly update your Next.js app and its dependencies.

Remember to adjust these instructions based on your specific Next.js app requirements and Linode's current offerings. Hosting a Next.js App on Linode