Deploy with cPanel

cPanel supports Node.js applications through its Application Manager. This guide covers deploying OpenCodeHub on cPanel-based shared hosting.

Limitations

Shared hosting has significant limitations for Git servers:

• No Docker support
• Limited process control
• Shared resources with other users
• May not support persistent processes

For production use, consider a VPS or dedicated server instead.

Prerequisites

• cPanel hosting with Node.js support (v18+)
• PostgreSQL database addon (or external database)
• SSH access recommended
• Domain configured in cPanel

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Step 1: Create PostgreSQL Database

1. Login to cPanel
2. Go to Databases → PostgreSQL Databases
3. Create a new database: opencodehub
4. Create a new user with a strong password
5. Add user to database with ALL PRIVILEGES
6. Note the connection string:

   postgresql://username:password@localhost:5432/opencodehub

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Step 2: Upload Application Files

Option A: Git Clone (if SSH available)

ssh username@yourhost.com
cd ~/
git clone https://github.com/swadhinbiswas/OpencodeHub.git opencodehub

Option B: File Manager Upload

1. Download the repository as ZIP from GitHub
2. Go to cPanel → File Manager
3. Navigate to your home directory
4. Upload and extract the ZIP file
5. Rename to opencodehub

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Step 3: Create Node.js Application

1. Go to cPanel → Setup Node.js App
2. Click Create Application
3. Configure:

Setting	Value
Node.js version	18.x or 20.x
Application mode	Production
Application root	opencodehub
Application URL	git.yourdomain.com
Application startup file	dist/server/entry.mjs

4. Click Create

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Step 4: Configure Environment Variables

In the Node.js Application page:

1. Scroll to Environment Variables
2. Add the following:

NODE_ENV=production
PORT=3000
SITE_URL=https://git.yourdomain.com

# Database
DATABASE_DRIVER=postgres
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://cpuser_dbuser:password@localhost:5432/cpuser_opencodehub

# Security (generate with: openssl rand -hex 32)
JWT_SECRET=<64-char-hex>
SESSION_SECRET=<64-char-hex>
INTERNAL_HOOK_SECRET=<64-char-hex>

# Storage
STORAGE_TYPE=local
STORAGE_PATH=./data/repos

3. Click Save

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Step 5: Install Dependencies and Build

1. In the Node.js app page, click Run NPM Install
2. Connect via SSH and run:

cd ~/opencodehub

# Enter virtual environment
source /home/username/nodevenv/opencodehub/18/bin/activate

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build the application
npm run build

# Initialize database
npm run db:push

# Create admin user (if script exists)
npm run scripts/seed-admin.ts

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Step 6: Start Application

1. In cPanel Node.js app manager, click Start App
2. Verify it’s running by visiting your domain

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Alternative: Using PM2

If your host supports PM2:

# Install PM2 globally
npm install -g pm2

# Start with PM2
pm2 start dist/server/entry.mjs --name opencodehub

# Save process list
pm2 save

# Setup startup script
pm2 startup

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Handling Git Operations

Important

cPanel’s Node.js apps may not handle long-running Git operations well. For push/pull with large repos, you may experience timeouts.

Workarounds

1. Increase PHP/Node timeout (if available in hosting settings)
2. Use external storage (S3) to reduce local I/O
3. Consider VPS for better control

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Troubleshooting

Application Won’t Start

1. Check error logs in cPanel → Errors
2. Verify Node.js version compatibility
3. Check if all dependencies installed
4. Verify startup file path is correct

Database Connection Errors

# Test connection via SSH
psql "postgresql://user:pass@localhost/dbname"

503 Service Unavailable

• Application may have crashed
• Check logs and restart via cPanel

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Limitations Summary

Feature	cPanel Support
Web UI	✅ Works
Git clone/push	⚠️ May timeout on large repos
WebSockets	❌ Usually not supported
Background jobs	❌ Limited
Custom domains	✅ Works
SSL	✅ Via AutoSSL

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Recommended Alternative

For a Git server, we strongly recommend:

1. VPS (DigitalOcean, Linode, Vultr) - Full control
2. Docker on any cloud provider - Easy deployment
3. Vercel/Cloudflare - For serverless approach

See Docker Deployment Guide for production setups.