Self-hosting

Robo.js can be self-hosted, meaning you can run your own instance of Robo.js on your own server.

This is great for those who want to have full control over their projects, or for those who want to run Robo.js in a private environment isolated from civilization. Before you can self-host Robo.js, you'll need Node.js v20 or newer installed on your server.

Feeling overwhelmed? Deploy with one command on RoboPlay, a hosting service made for Robo.js projects!

Running

Install dependencies

Make sure you have all the necessary dependencies installed.

npm install

Build for production

Some hosts might need you to run robo build before or after uploading your code. This step compiles your source code into an optimized production format, especially important for TypeScript users.

npx robo build

This command will compile your Robo.js project into a production-ready format, making it easier to run on your server.

Set environment variables

Before starting your Robo, make sure you have all the necessary environment variables set up on your server. Check out the Secrets page for more info. You'll need to set NODE_ENV to "production" to run your Robo in production mode.

Start in production mode

Once you've built your project, you can start your Robo.js server with the following command:

npx robo start

This will start your Robo.js server, making it accessible to the world.

Extra tidbits

Unlike Hosting on RoboPlay, self-hosting your Robo.js project means you're responsible for keeping your server up and running. Make sure you have the necessary resources and knowledge to maintain your server before self-hosting your Robo.js project.

The following are things that are already set up for you when you host on RoboPlay, but good to know when self-hosting.

CDN

We recommend using a CDN like Cloudflare to cache your assets. This will help speed up and reduce the load on your server.

Logs

Logs are essential for debugging issues in production. The Robo.js Logger will write logs to stdout by default, but you can configure it to write to a file or a logging service via custom drains.

We recommend using a service like Better Stack to collect and analyze your logs. We even have the @robojs/better-stack plugin to make it easier to integrate.

Recovery

Unlike robo dev, robo start will not automatically restart your Robo if it crashes. You'll need to set up a process manager like PM2 to keep your Robo running in the background.

TLS

Don't forget to create and set up a TLS certificate if you plan to serve your Robo over HTTPS. This is especially important if you're using a custom domain.