Deploying Next.js to IIS with a custom server

[Kudratov]

Hi everyone
Is there any way to deploy Next js app to IIS, nearly there are no docs those are related to the deployment if you have any idea or docs that will help to solve the issue, please share.
Any answer will be appreciated.

[timneutkens]

next build and then next start should be enough, it's a Node.js application so it's not any different from hosting a Node.js server on IIS

[emmsdan]

Hi @timneutkens
Am using IISnode, and in there I need to point to a specific file ie. server.js

<handlers>
      <add name="iisnode" path="dist/server.js" verb="*" modules="iisnode" />
</handlers>

after building the next app next build where can I point node to directly. node next/server.js

[timneutkens]

node ./node_modules/bin/next start

[rpateld]

should be something ".next/server/init-server.js.js" but it's not working. Please confirm.

[mcmillhj-wta]

@Kudratov how did you handle the port? That is what I am currently stuck on

[nlimpag07]

Hi, I think we need clarification on this. I also encountered similar and I've seen that the webpack-hmr still runs in production.

Server: IIS via iisnode

In package.json file:

"scripts": {
    "dev": "next dev",
    "build": "next build",
    "start": "node server.js"
  },

In server.js:

  // server.js
const { createServer } = require('http')
const { parse } = require('url')
const next = require('next')

const dev = process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production'
const port = process.env.PORT || 3000;
const app = next({ dev })
const handle = app.getRequestHandler()

app.prepare().then(() => {
  createServer((req, res) => {
    // Be sure to pass `true` as the second argument to `url.parse`.
    // This tells it to parse the query portion of the URL.
    const parsedUrl = parse(req.url, true)
    const { pathname, query } = parsedUrl

    if (pathname === '/a') {
      app.render(req, res, '/a', query)
    } else if (pathname === '/b') {
      app.render(req, res, '/b', query)
    } else {
      handle(req, res, parsedUrl)
    }
  }).listen(port, (err) => {
    if (err) throw err
    console.log(`> Ready on http://localhost:${port}`)
  })
})

In web.config:

<configuration>
  <system.webServer>    
    <rewrite>
      <rules>
        <rule name="myapp">
          <match url="/*" />
          <action type="Rewrite" url="server.js" />
        </rule>
      </rules>
    </rewrite>

    <iisnode node_env="production" nodeProcessCommandLine="&quot;E:\GIT\node.exe&quot;" interceptor="&quot;%programfiles%\iisnode\interceptor.js&quot;" />

  </system.webServer>
    <location path="" overrideMode="Deny">
        <system.webServer>
    <handlers>
      <add name="iisnode" path="server.js" verb="*" modules="iisnode" />
    </handlers>
        </system.webServer>
    </location>
</configuration>

This works but there are performance issues as webpack-hmr still runs in production.

But if we change the package,json "start": "node server.js" into "start": "next start" then build and run in production, the webpack-hmr won't run (the expected).

Is there any way to run "next start" from web.config without going through server.js?

[ShawnCentra]

Also curious about deployment on IIS with next.js

I get that its a node.js application but there seems to be a lack of documentation around the setup, seems overtly complicated

[ShawnCentra]

Update: next.js npm build -> npm start works with IISnode with no config server ( no custom server )

[hagenderouen]

@ShawnCentra Please share your webconfig. Thanks

[ShawnCentra]

<configuration> <system.webServer> <rewrite> <rules> <rule name="ReverseProxyInboundRule1" stopProcessing="true"> <match url="(.*)" /> <action type="Rewrite" url="http://localhost:3000/{R:1}" /> </rule> </rules> </rewrite> </system.webServer> </configuration>

Set up reverse proxy so that the node server handles the routing etc. on IIS

[ShawnCentra]

the http redirect one isn't necessary for it to get running just the one below it

I followed some reverse proxy set up guide with IIS online, dont remember the link I'll try to find it later.

[AnweshGangula]

Found following resources that can be helpful:

• https://alex.domenici.net/archive/deploying-a-node-js-application-on-windows-iis-using-a-reverse-proxy
• https://stackoverflow.com/a/63098601/6908282
• https://stackoverflow.com/q/54965069/6908282

[bishrant]

For someone coming here and being frustrated with the approved answer. Here are the config that worked for us
-You need to install IISNode and URLRewrite module.

1. Set the permissions on whole folder to be read/write to IIS_IUSRS
2. run npm run build
3. Create app.js as your main point of entry

const { createServer } = require('http')
const { parse } = require('url')
const next = require('next')

const dev = process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production'
const app = next({ dev })
const handle = app.getRequestHandler()

app.prepare().then(() => {
  createServer((req, res) => {
    const parsedUrl = parse(req.url, true)
      handle(req, res, parsedUrl)
  }).listen(process.env.PORT || 3000, (err) => {
    if (err) throw err
    console.log('> Ready on http://localhost')
  })
})

4. Create web.config on your root with following content

<configuration>
  <system.webServer>
    <handlers>
      <add name="iisnode" path="app.js" verb="*" modules="iisnode" />
    </handlers>
    <iisnode loggingEnabled="true" debuggingEnabled="false"/>
    <rewrite>
      <rules>
        <rule name="app" patternSyntax="Wildcard">
          <match url="*"  />
          <action type="Rewrite" url="app.js" />
        </rule>
      </rules>
    </rewrite>
  </system.webServer>
</configuration>

Make sure you copy the node_modules and .next folder. You might be able to strip more folders but we haven't got that far.

If you run into any issues, usually deleting .next and node_modules folder followed by IIS restart and npm install and npm run build fixes things

[ShawnCentra]

If you have a custom server yea this is the way to go.

[hagenderouen]

I'm missing the solution without a customer server

[mugambi40]

I have followed the exact procedure, unfortunately am get the error below:

`iisnode encountered an error when processing the request.

HRESULT: 0x2
HTTP status: 500
HTTP subStatus: 1001
HTTP reason: Internal Server Error
You are receiving this HTTP 200 response because system.webServer/iisnode/@devErrorsEnabled configuration setting is 'true'.

In addition to the log of stdout and stderr of the node.exe process, consider using debugging and ETW traces to further diagnose the problem.

The last 64k of the output generated by the node.exe process to stderr is shown below:

(node:14164) [DEP0005] DeprecationWarning: Buffer() is deprecated due to security and usability issues. Please use the Buffer.alloc(), Buffer.allocUnsafe(), or Buffer.from() methods instead.
(Use node --trace-deprecation ... to show where the warning was created)
warn - SWC minify beta enabled. https://nextjs.org/docs/messages/swc-minify-enabled`

[ShawnCentra]

@hagenderouen reverse proxy node application set up
Reverse Proxy

[webdeveloper2794]

that worked for me thanks

[q7314568]

How can i host next on IISNode with SSL?

[ShawnCentra]

reverse proxy guide from above, follow my config bellow and setup HTTPS through IIS bindings

[zafergurel]

If you want to deploy the html export of your next.js site, I've written my experience here.
By deploying the html export only, you don't need to deal with node.js and other stuff.

[q7314568]

thx for reply,have u tried deploy with serverside?

[zafergurel]

Yes, I have. That's why I wrote that blog post to share the experience.

[AbdelazizEid]

This guide helps me to run next start on IIS without needing server.js or next export

[OZZlE]

const port = process.env.PORT || process.env.port; is key to making it work with iisnode, I guess it decides itself which port it wants to use, if you try to define it yourself it seems to always fail..

[cmolina-rugertek]

That worked for me! I was stuck for two days. Than you so much!

[ShawnCentra]

Hey guys.

You need pm2
IISnode installed on IIS

commands I run to build and deploy (i use yarn, but you can use npm with npm run command)
yarn build:production
yarn pm2

//package.json
{
  "name": "website",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "private": true,
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "next dev",
    "build": "next build",
    "build:production": "cp .env.prod .env.local && next build --debug",
    "build:staging": "cp .env.staging .env.local && next build --debug",
    "dev:staging": "cp .env.staging .env.local && next dev",
    "postbuild": "npx next-sitemap --config custom-next-sitemap.js",
    "start": "next start",
    "devServer": "node server.js",
    "pm2": "pm2 start pm2.json"
  },

//web.config file at root directory of project (next to package.json)
<configuration>
    <system.webServer>
        <rewrite>
            <rules>
                <clear />
                <rule name="ReverseProxyInboundRule1" stopProcessing="true">
                    <match url="(.*)" />
                    <conditions logicalGrouping="MatchAll" trackAllCaptures="false" />
                    <action type="Rewrite" url="http://localhost:3033/{R:1}" />
                </rule>
            </rules>
        </rewrite>
    </system.webServer>
</configuration> 

//pm2.json (root dir)
{
	"apps": [
		{
			"name": "website",
			"script": "node_modules/next/dist/bin/next",
			"log_date_format" : "YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm Z",
			"args": "start --port 3033",
			"cwd": "./"
		}
	]
} 

[ShawnCentra]

point IIS site to the directory
set up the port 80 and port 443 for https and add the domain name for the site (otherwise it'll deploy on localhost)

[ShawnCentra]

you can see if your site is started on pm2 using pm2 list