How to Deploy a Scalable Node.js App Using GitHub Actions and Docker on Cloudways

In today’s fast-paced development environment, automating deployments and ensuring scalability are key factors in delivering robust web applications. If you’re working with Node.js and want a hassle-free cloud deployment experience, Cloudways offers an outstanding managed cloud hosting solution that takes care of performance, scalability, and security.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through deploying a Node.js application using Docker and automating the deployment process with GitHub Actions – all hosted on Cloudways.

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Why Cloudways?

Cloudways is a managed hosting platform built for developers and agencies. It sits on top of leading cloud providers like DigitalOcean, AWS, and Google Cloud, offering a simplified dashboard and powerful tools for deploying and managing web apps.

Top Reasons to Use Cloudways:

• Managed servers with SSH/SFTP access
• Built-in server-level caching (Varnish, Redis, Memcached)
• 24/7 support
• One-click staging environments
• Easy scaling
• Free SSL certificates

✅ Ideal for DevOps workflows with Docker and Git-based deployments

Prerequisites

To follow this tutorial, make sure you have the following:

• A Node.js application
• A GitHub repository
• A Dockerfile in your app root
• A Cloudways account (You can sign up here)

Step 1: Preparing the Node.js Application

Here’s a basic app.js:

const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000;

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.send('Hello from Cloudways!');
});

app.listen(PORT, () => {
  console.log(`App is running on port ${PORT}`);
});

And your package.json:

{
  "name": "cloudways-node-app",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "main": "app.js",
  "scripts": {
    "start": "node app.js"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "express": "^4.17.1"
  }
}

Step 2: Dockerize the App

Create a Dockerfile:

FROM node:18

WORKDIR /app

COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm install

COPY . .

EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["npm", "start"]

Create .dockerignore:

node_modules
npm-debug.log

Step 3: Push Code to GitHub

Initialize your Git repository and push it:

git init
git remote add origin https://github.com/your-username/your-repo.git
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git push -u origin master

Step 4: Setup a Cloudways Server

1. Log in to your Cloudways Dashboard.
2. Launch a server (choose DigitalOcean or AWS as base).
3. Select Custom App (PHP) for flexibility.
4. Note your public IP and SSH credentials.

Although Cloudways doesn’t natively support Docker, you can SSH into your server and install Docker manually.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker.io -y
sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo systemctl start docker

Step 5: Configure GitHub Actions for CI/CD

In your project, create a .github/workflows/deploy.yml file:

name: Deploy to Cloudways

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - master

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest

    steps:
    - name: Checkout Code
      uses: actions/checkout@v2

    - name: Set up SSH
      uses: webfactory/ssh-agent@v0.5.4
      with:
        ssh-private-key: ${{ secrets.SSH_PRIVATE_KEY }}

    - name: Copy Files to Cloudways
      run: |
        ssh user@CLOUDWAYS_IP "docker stop nodeapp || true && docker rm nodeapp || true"
        scp -r . user@CLOUDWAYS_IP:/home/master/app
        ssh user@CLOUDWAYS_IP "cd /home/master/app && docker build -t nodeapp . && docker run -d -p 3000:3000 --name nodeapp nodeapp"

Make sure you set your SSH_PRIVATE_KEY secret in your GitHub repo.

if you looks for Projects for Git-hub Actions you can Read this Deploying a .NET Core App with Docker and GitHub Actions on Azure – Complete CI/CD Pipeline

Step 6: Verify the Deployment

Once your CI/CD pipeline runs, you should be able to access your Node.js app by visiting:

http://<Your-Cloudways-IP>:3000

Optional: Add NGINX Reverse Proxy

To make your app accessible on port 80 or 443:

sudo apt install nginx

Create a config:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/nodeapp

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name yourdomain.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 it:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/nodeapp /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl restart nginx

Conclusion

You now have a fully automated, scalable Node.js application running on Cloudways, deployed using Docker and GitHub Actions. This setup provides a real-world DevOps experience while keeping infrastructure management simple.

If you’re looking for a powerful, affordable, and scalable hosting provider that integrates beautifully with your DevOps pipelines, Cloudways is the way to go.

🎁 Try Cloudways and get started today: Use this link to claim your free trial