Create and Run a NestJS Project

What is NestJS?

NestJS is a framework for building efficient and scalable Node.js server-side applications. It is written in TypeScript, inspired by Angular, adopting a modular architecture and dependency injection (DI) pattern. NestJS provides powerful tools and features that allow developers to easily build complex applications.

Key Features and Benefits of NestJS

• Modular Architecture: Organizes code through modules, making the application more structured and maintainable.
• Dependency Injection: Offers a robust DI system, enhancing code testability and maintainability.
• Uses TypeScript: Leverages TypeScript's static type checking and modern JavaScript features, improving development efficiency and code quality.
• Rich Decorators: Uses decorators to define controllers, services, modules, etc., making the code more concise and intuitive.
• Strong Ecosystem: NestJS has extensive support for third-party modules and plugins, making development more convenient.

Using NestJS can help developers quickly build high-performance web applications and APIs.

Create and Run a NestJS Project with ServBay

In this article, we will use the Node.js environment provided by ServBay to create and run a NestJS project. We will use ServBay's 'Hosting' feature to set up a web server and access the project through reverse proxy.

Create NestJS Project

1. Initialize Project

   First, ensure that you have installed the Node.js environment provided by ServBay. Then, globally install the NestJS CLI using the following command:

   npm install -g @nestjs/cli

   Create a new NestJS project in the recommended root directory /Applications/ServBay/www:

   cd /Applications/ServBay/www
   nest new servbay-nest-app

   Follow the prompts to enter the project name (recommended as servbay-nest-app) and select other options as needed.

2. Install Dependencies

   Enter the project directory and install dependencies:

   cd servbay-nest-app
   npm install

Modify the Output Content of the NestJS Project

1. Modify the src/app.controller.ts File

   Open the src/app.controller.ts file and change its content to make the webpage display "Hello ServBay!":

   import { Controller, Get } from '@nestjs/common';
   
   @Controller()
   export class AppController {
     @Get()
     getHello(): string {
       return 'Hello ServBay!';
     }
   }

Enter Development Mode

1. Run Development Server

   Start the development server and specify the port (e.g., 8585):

   PORT=8585 npm run start

   This will start a local development server and expose port 8585.

2. Configure ServBay Host Reverse Proxy

   Use ServBay's 'Hosting' feature and access the development server through reverse proxy. In ServBay's 'Hosting' settings, add a new reverse proxy:

   • Name: My first NestJS dev site
   • Domain: servbay-nest-test.dev
   • Host Type: Reverse Proxy
   • IP: 127.0.0.1
   • Port: 8585

   Refer to the detailed setup steps in adding a Nodejs development website.

3. Access Development Mode

   Open the browser and visit https://servbay-nest-test.dev to see the project in real-time. With ServBay's support for custom domains and free SSL certificates, you will enjoy higher security.

Deploy Production Version

1. Prepare Production Environment

   Ensure that your project can run normally in a production environment. Generally, NestJS projects do not require special build steps, but you may need to set some environment variables or perform other configurations.

2. Run Production Server

   Start the production server and specify the port (e.g., 8586):

   PORT=8586 NODE_ENV=production npm run start:prod

3. Configure ServBay Host Reverse Proxy

   Use ServBay's 'Hosting' feature and access the production server through reverse proxy. In ServBay's 'Hosting' settings, add a new reverse proxy:

   • Name: My first NestJS production site
   • Domain: servbay-nest-test.prod
   • Host Type: Reverse Proxy
   • IP: 127.0.0.1
   • Port: 8586

4. Access Production Mode

   Open the browser and visit https://servbay-nest-test.prod to view the production version. With ServBay's custom domain and free SSL certificates, your website will have higher security and credibility.

Database Connection

ServBay provides support for Redis, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB databases. Below are examples of how to connect to these databases.

1. Connect to MongoDB

   Install @nestjs/mongoose and mongoose:

   npm install @nestjs/mongoose mongoose

   Then import and connect in the project:

   import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
   import { MongooseModule } from '@nestjs/mongoose';
   import { AppController } from './app.controller';
   import { AppService } from './app.service';
   
   @Module({
     imports: [
       MongooseModule.forRoot('mongodb://localhost/servbay-nest-app'),
     ],
     controllers: [AppController],
     providers: [AppService],
   })
   export class AppModule {}

2. Connect to Redis

   Install @nestjs/redis and redis:

   npm install @nestjs/redis redis

   Then import and connect in the project:

   import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
   import { RedisModule } from '@nestjs/redis';
   import { AppController } from './app.controller';
   import { AppService } from './app.service';
   
   @Module({
     imports: [
       RedisModule.forRoot({
         url: 'redis://localhost:6379',
       }),
     ],
     controllers: [AppController],
     providers: [AppService],
   })
   export class AppModule {}

3. Connect to MariaDB

   Install @nestjs/typeorm and mysql2:

   npm install @nestjs/typeorm mysql2

   Then import and connect in the project:

   import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
   import { TypeOrmModule } from '@nestjs/typeorm';
   import { AppController } from './app.controller';
   import { AppService } from './app.service';
   
   @Module({
     imports: [
       TypeOrmModule.forRoot({
         type: 'mariadb',
         host: 'localhost',
         port: 3306,
         username: 'root',
         password: 'password',
         database: 'servbay_nest_app',
         entities: [],
         synchronize: true,
       }),
     ],
     controllers: [AppController],
     providers: [AppService],
   })
   export class AppModule {}

4. Connect to PostgreSQL

   Install @nestjs/typeorm and pg:

   npm install @nestjs/typeorm pg

   Then import and connect in the project:

   import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
   import { TypeOrmModule } from '@nestjs/typeorm';
   import { AppController } from './app.controller';
   import { AppService } from './app.service';
   
   @Module({
     imports: [
       TypeOrmModule.forRoot({
         type: 'postgres',
         host: 'localhost',
         port: 5432,
         username: 'user',
         password: 'password',
         database: 'servbay_nest_app',
         entities: [],
         synchronize: true,
       }),
     ],
     controllers: [AppController],
     providers: [AppService],
   })
   export class AppModule {}

By following these steps, you have successfully created and run a NestJS project and used ServBay's features to manage and access your project while connecting to multiple databases.