Why use PM2 with next start?

PM2 keeps the Node process alive after you disconnect SSH, restarts on failure, and integrates with startup scripts. It is a common choice on single EC2 instances.

Should I use PM2 cluster mode with Next.js on a small instance?

Running many clustered Node processes can exhaust CPU and RAM on small instances. Start with a single forked process; scale out horizontally or tune clustering after load testing.

Deploy Next.js on EC2

Q: What does npm start do for Next.js?

After next build, npm start runs next start, which serves your production build. It is the standard way to run Next.js without a custom Express server.

Intermediate

⏱️ 13 min read

📚 Updated: Aug 2025

Next.js / PM2 / Ubuntu

Next.js application running on Amazon EC2

What you’ll learn

Run a Next.js production server on Ubuntu EC2 using next start behind PM2. You scaffold the app locally, upload sources (not node_modules), install and build on the server, then start with a small pm2.config.js.

This is the stock hosting path recommended by Next.js for a single Node process; it avoids a custom Express wrapper unless you need one.

Prerequisites

AWS account and EC2: An AWS account with access to EC2.
Running EC2 instance: An EC2 instance (Ubuntu recommended) reachable over SSH.
Elastic IP (recommended): An Elastic IP for a stable public address.
FileZilla: FileZilla (or SFTP) for uploads.
PuTTY or SSH: PuTTY or OpenSSH for shell access.
Node.js and npm: Node.js and npm on the instance.

Single process first. The sample pm2.config.js uses one fork worker. Turning on PM2 cluster with instances: max on a small VM can starve CPU/RAM; add workers only after you measure load.

Create the Next.js app locally

Create the app (replace my-nextjs-app if you prefer another name):
Terminal (local)
```
npx create-next-app@latest my-nextjs-app
```
Terminal (local)
```
cd my-nextjs-app
```
Start the dev server:
Terminal (local)
```
npm run dev
```
Open http://localhost:3000/.
Browser
Edit the starter page in your editor:
- App Router: src/app/page.tsx or app/page.tsx
- Pages Router: pages/index.tsx or pages/index.js
Standard Next.js templates do not use a src/App folder; that path in older tutorials was incorrect.

Add pm2.config.js in the project root (next to package.json):

pm2.config.js

module.exports = {
  apps: [
    {
      name: 'next-app',
      script: 'npm',
      args: 'start',
      instances: 1,
      exec_mode: 'fork',
      env: {
        NODE_ENV: 'production',
        PORT: 80,
      },
    },
  ],
};

PM2 runs npm start, which maps to next start after a production build. When you run PM2 from the project directory, the working directory is correct.

Deploy on EC2

Confirm the instance is running; note public DNS or Elastic IP.
Amazon EC2
SSH with PuTTY or ssh.
PuTTY
Verify Node and npm.
Ubuntu

Create a deploy directory and give ownership to your user:

Terminal (EC2)

sudo mkdir -p /home/ubuntu/nextjs-website
sudo chown ubuntu:ubuntu /home/ubuntu/nextjs-website

Optional short-term permission for FileZilla demos only:
Terminal (EC2)
```
sudo chmod 777 /home/ubuntu/nextjs-website
```
Ubuntu
Upload the project with FileZilla. Exclude .git, node_modules, and usually .next so you rebuild on the server.
FileZilla
Install PM2 globally:
Terminal (EC2)
```
sudo npm i -g pm2
```
PM2 documentation
Ubuntu
Install dependencies and build (from the uploaded project folder):
Terminal (EC2)
```
cd /home/ubuntu/nextjs-website
npm install
NODE_ENV=production npm run build
```
Prefer fixing file ownership over habitual sudo npm install.
Start with PM2 using your config (port 80 usually requires sudo):
Terminal (EC2)
```
cd /home/ubuntu/nextjs-website
sudo pm2 start pm2.config.js
```
Allow inbound TCP 80 on the security group. Optionally run sudo pm2 save and sudo pm2 startup so the app restarts after reboot.
Ubuntu
Open http://<public-dns-or-ip>/ in a browser.
Browser
If it fails, check sudo pm2 logs, confirm npm run build succeeded, and verify the security group.

Key takeaways

next build then npm start (via PM2) is the standard production path for a single EC2 host.

Install dependencies on the server; skip uploading node_modules from your laptop.

Add HTTPS and a reverse proxy when you move beyond a lab setup.

Frequently asked questions

What does npm start do for Next.js?

After a successful build, npm start runs the production server (next start) defined by your Next.js version.

Why use PM2?

PM2 supervises the Node process, survives SSH disconnects, and can integrate with OS startup for reboots.

Should I enable PM2 cluster mode immediately?

On small instances, start with one process. Clustering multiple Node workers without load testing can hurt performance more than it helps.

Need a custom HTTP layer?

When you must attach middleware in Node before Next handles the request, use the Express + Next pattern.

Next.js on EC2 with Express →

Did you know?

This flow uses the built-in next start command (via npm start). If you need a custom Node HTTP layer in the same process, see Next.js on EC2 with Express.

About the author

Mari Selvan M P 🔗

Developer, cloud engineer, and technical writer

Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
Focus Full Stack Development, AWS, and Developer Education

I write practical tutorials so students and working developers can learn by doing—from databases and APIs to deployment on AWS.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (Credly)

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Deploy Next.js on EC2

What you’ll learn

Prerequisites

Create the Next.js app locally

Deploy on EC2

Key takeaways

Frequently asked questions

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About the author