HTTPS Server with Node.js and Let's Encrypt

This is a simple e-commerce application built with Node.js and Express.js that demonstrates how to create an HTTPS server using Node.js with Let's Encrypt SSL certificates.

The application automatically switches between HTTP (development) and HTTPS (production) modes based on environment configuration. In production mode, it uses Let's Encrypt certificates to serve secure HTTPS connections and includes an HTTP redirect server that automatically redirects all HTTP traffic to HTTPS.

Project Structure

demo-node-app/
├── app.js                 # Main Express application
├── server.js              # Server entry point (handles HTTP/HTTPS based on environment)
├── controllers/           # Controller files
│   ├── productController.js
│   └── userController.js
├── routes/                # Route files
│   ├── productRoutes.js
│   └── userRoutes.js
├── data/                  # Mock data files
│   ├── products.json
│   └── users.json
└── public/                # Static files
    ├── index.html
    ├── cart.html
    ├── script.js
    └── cart.js

Installation

Install dependencies:

npm install

Production Server Configuration

The server.js file dynamically configures the server based on the NODE_ENV environment variable:

• Development Mode (default, when NODE_ENV is not set or not "production"):

  • Runs HTTP server only
  • Default port: 3000
  • Accessible at http://localhost:3000
  • No .env file required

• Production Mode (NODE_ENV=production):

  • Runs HTTPS server on port 443
  • Runs HTTP redirect server on port 80 (redirects to HTTPS)
  • Uses Let's Encrypt SSL certificates
  • Domain configured via DOMAIN env variable
  • Requires .env file with production settings

Running the Application

Development Mode

Start the server:

npm start

For development with auto-reload:

npm run dev

The application will be available at http://localhost:3000

Production Mode

1. Create a .env file in the root directory with production settings:

NODE_ENV=production
DOMAIN=yourdomain.com

2. Start the server:

npm start

SSL Certificate Setup (Let's Encrypt)

For production deployment with HTTPS, you need to generate SSL certificates using Let's Encrypt.

Prerequisites

1. Update your system packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y certbot

2. Important: Make sure your server is NOT running before generating certificates.

Generate Certificates

Run the following command to generate certificates for your domain (replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain):

sudo certbot certonly --standalone -d yourdomain.com

If successful, certificates will be created here:

/etc/letsencrypt/live/yourdomain.com/

The certificate files include:

• privkey.pem - Private key
• fullchain.pem - Certificate chain

Check Certificates

To verify your certificates are valid and check their expiration:

sudo certbot certificates

Certificate Renewal

Let's Encrypt certificates expire after 90 days. To renew:

sudo certbot renew

API Endpoints

Products

• GET /api/products - Get all products
• GET /api/products/:id - Get product by ID
• GET /api/products/category/:category - Get products by category

Users

• GET /api/users - Get all users
• GET /api/users/:id - Get user by ID

Usage

1. Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000
2. Browse products using the category filters
3. Click "Load Users" to view all registered users
4. Use the "Add to Cart" button on products (currently shows an alert)

Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root directory:

NODE_ENV=development  # Set to "production" for HTTPS mode
PORT=3000             # Port for development server (default: 3000)
DOMAIN=yourdomain.com # Domain name for production (used for SSL certificates)

Notes

• All API routes are prefixed with /api
• Products are stored in data/products.json
• Users are stored in data/users.json
• The UI uses Tailwind CSS via CDN with a dark theme and blue color scheme
• The server automatically switches between HTTP (development) and HTTPS (production) based on NODE_ENV
• For production, ensure SSL certificates are generated and the server has read access to /etc/letsencrypt/live/{domain}/