Deploy a Node.js Application Using MySQL and Prisma on a Raspberry Pi

Deploying applications has become increasingly accessible, with a range of free and paid hosting options like Render, AWS, and DigitalOcean. However, for developers who want to learn, experiment, and deploy applications without recurring hosting fees, a Raspberry Pi offers an excellent alternative. This compact yet powerful device allows you to create your own Linux-based server for hosting web applications.

In this blog, we’ll explore how to deploy a TypeScript Node.js application using MySQL (MariaDB on Raspberry Pi) and Prisma ORM on a Raspberry Pi. Additionally, we’ll configure NGINX for reverse proxying and use Ngrok to expose the application to the internet. Let’s dive in!

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Tools Overview

Raspberry Pi

A low-cost, single-board computer that runs a Linux-based operating system. It’s ideal for creating your own server for IoT or web applications.

Node.js & TypeScript

Node.js is a runtime environment for executing JavaScript on the server, and TypeScript adds static typing to JavaScript, making the codebase more maintainable.

MySQL (MariaDB on Raspberry Pi)

A popular relational database system, MariaDB is a compatible replacement for MySQL and is lightweight enough for a Raspberry Pi.

Prisma ORM

An Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) tool that simplifies database interactions with a type-safe query language and schema migrations.

NGINX

A high-performance HTTP server and reverse proxy server. It helps route traffic to your Node.js application.

Ngrok

A tunneling tool that exposes your locally hosted applications to the internet securely without complex network configurations.

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Prerequisites

1. A working Raspberry Pi - Ensure that SSH is enabled on the Raspberry Pi and you can access it remotely.
2. Github Repository - Your Node.js TypeScript application should be hosted in a GitHub repository for easy deployment.
3. Ngrok Account - Create a free account on Ngrok to obtain an auth token for exposing your Raspberry Pi app to the internet.

Setting Up Raspberry Pi

1. Install the OS

   Setup your Raspberry Pi with an OS like Raspberry Pi OS. Use the Raspberry Pi Imager to find other OS compatible to your Raspberry Pi.

2. Find the IP Address

   Use a tool like Angry IP Scanner to discover your Raspberry Pi’s IP address. Ensure the Raspberry Pi is connected to the same network as your local machine.

3. Check Raspberry Pi Status
   

   ping <IP_ADDRESS_OF_RPI>

4. SSH Into the Raspberry Pi
   

   ssh <username>@<IP_ADDRESS_OF_RPI>

   Replace with your Raspberry Pi’s username and with the IP address and then enter the password.

5. Update the System
   

   sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

6. Install Git

   Check if git is installed. If not, run the below command to install git
   

   sudo apt install git

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Installing Node.js

To install node js, we will be using nvm (Node Version Manager). It allows you to quickly install and use different version of node via command line.

1. Install NVM
   

   curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.1/install.sh | bash

2. Verify Installation
   

   nvm --version

3. Install the Latest LTS Version of Node.js
   

   nvm install --lts

4. Verify Node.js and npm Installation
   

   node --version
   # v22.12.0
   
   npm --version
   # 10.9.0

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Setting Up MySQL (MariaDB)

For Raspberry Pi OS, we will be installing MariaDB.

1. Install the MariaDB SQL Server
   

   sudo apt install mariadb-server

2. Secure MariaDB Installation
   

   sudo mysql_secure_installation

   Follow the prompts to secure your database.

   • Enter the current root password: - Press Enter when asked to enter the current password for the root user (since it hasn’t been set yet).
   • Set the root password: - Type n when prompted to set the root password (we’ll set it later).
   • Remove anonymous users: - Type Y to remove anonymous users and improve security. (For testing purposes, you can type n to keep anonymous users.)
   • Disallow root login remotely: - Type n to allow root login remotely (optional but less secure).
   • Remove the test database: - Type y to remove the test database and access to it. (Type n if you want to keep it.)

3. Login to MariaDB Client
   

   sudo mysql

4. Setup a Root password for MariaDB

   First, we need to tell the database server to reload the grant tables.
   

   MariaDB [(none)]> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

   Change the root password with below query.
   

   MariaDB [(none)]> ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '<new_password>';

   Replace with your own password.

   Use the exit command to exit from MariaDB CLI.
   

   MariaDB [(none)]> exit;
   Bye

5. Login to MariaDB Client With Root User
   

   ping <IP_ADDRESS_OF_RPI>

   Enter the password for the root user.

Setting up Database and User

Let's create a new database and a user. We will be granting all privileges to the new user for the new database we have created.

1. Create a Database
   

   ssh <username>@<IP_ADDRESS_OF_RPI>

2. Create a New User With Password
   

   sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

3. Grant Privilege To New User Created
   

   sudo apt install git

4. Flush The Privileges Table
   

   curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.1/install.sh | bash

5. Exit from mysql client using exit command.

6. Login With New User
   

   nvm --version

   Enter the password you used while creating the user.

7. Verify User Can List The Database
   

   nvm install --lts

That’s it! We will use this database and user in our application.

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Setup your Node.js Application

1. Clone Your Github Repository
   

   node --version
   # v22.12.0
   
   npm --version
   # 10.9.0

2. Navigate To Your Project Repository
   

   sudo apt install mariadb-server

3. Install Project Dependencies
   

   sudo mysql_secure_installation

4. Compile TypeScript Code
   

   sudo mysql

Make sure you have configured the outDir property in your tsconfig.json file. This specifies the directory where the compiled JavaScript code will be generated. By default, it’s commonly set to dist, but you can customize it based on your project structure.

Setting up environment variables (Optional)

If your project uses environment variables, you need to set them on your Raspberry Pi. You can create a .env file in the root directory of your project to store all the environment variables.

1. Create .env File
   

   MariaDB [(none)]> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

2. Update .env File
   

   MariaDB [(none)]> ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '<new_password>';

3. Enter your Environment Variables
   

   MariaDB [(none)]> exit;
   Bye

   Replace the , and with the one you created in the previous steps.

   Save the file by pressing Ctrl O, then press Enter, and exit the editor using Ctrl X.

Migrate Prisma Schema

If you are using Prisma, all the schema files will be located inside the prisma/schema directory. We will now deploy these schemas to the database.

Run the below command

sudo mysql -u root -p

This command will use the DATABASE_URL provided in the .env file to deploy the schemas to the database. You can verify the deployment by logging into the MySQL client and using the command SHOW TABLES; to list all the tables.

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Setting Up PM2

PM2 is a production process manager for Node.js applications which helps in managing and keeping the application online. Install PM2 to manage your Node.js application.

ping <IP_ADDRESS_OF_RPI>

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Configuring NGINX

1. Install NGINX
   

   ssh <username>@<IP_ADDRESS_OF_RPI>

2. Create a Site Configuration
   

   sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

3. Add the Below Code
   

   sudo apt install git

   Here’s a breakdown of each part:

   listen 80; This directive tells NGINX to listen on port 80, which is the default port for HTTP traffic.

   server_name ; This specifies the domain name or IP address of your Raspberry Pi. Replace with the actual IP address of your Raspberry Pi. NGINX will respond to requests sent to this address.

   location / { ... } This block defines how NGINX should handle requests to the root URL (/). Essentially, this tells NGINX that whenever a request is made to the root, it should be forwarded to the backend (your Node.js application) running on the specified port.

   proxy_pass http://localhost:YOUR_NODE_JS_PORT; This is the key line that forwards incoming requests to your Node.js application. Replace YOUR_NODE_JS_PORT with the actual port where your Node.js app is running (for example, 5000). The requests will be sent to the Node.js application running on the same machine (localhost).

   proxy_http_version 1.1; This sets the HTTP version to 1.1 for the proxy connection, which ensures better handling of certain features like WebSockets.

   proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade; This header allows WebSocket connections to be upgraded, which is important for real-time applications.

   proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade'; This header is used alongside the Upgrade header to manage WebSocket connections, ensuring that the connection is properly upgraded from HTTP to WebSocket.

   proxy_set_header Host $host; This passes the original Host header from the client request to the backend server. This is useful for applications that rely on the original Host header (e.g., for routing or virtual hosting).

   proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade; This ensures that WebSocket connections bypass any caching mechanisms, allowing real-time communication to work without interference from caching.

   Save the file by pressing Ctrl O, then press Enter, and exit the editor using Ctrl X.

4. Enable the Site Configuration
   

   curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.1/install.sh | bash

5. Test NGINX Configuration
   

   nvm --version

   If the test is successfull, you will see something like below:
   

   ping <IP_ADDRESS_OF_RPI>

6. Restart NGINX Server To Apply the Changes
   

   ssh <username>@<IP_ADDRESS_OF_RPI>

7. Check NGINX Server Status
   

   sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

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Running the Application

1. Navigate to your project

2. Start Your Application Using PM2

   If you have setup a script in package.json, use the below command:
   

   sudo apt install git

   Or, you can directly run you application using index.js file in your dist directory:
   

   curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.1/install.sh | bash

   You can also check the logs using below command:
   

   nvm --version

Now, check your app by entering the IP address of your Raspberry Pi in the browser on your local machine. It should work. Make sure both your local machine and Raspberry Pi are connected to the same network; otherwise, it will not work.

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Exposing Your App To The World Using Ngrok

Now that you have deployed your app to the Raspberry Pi, you can only access the app from the same network in which the Raspberry Pi is running. To expose it to the internet, we need to use port forwarding.

You can set up port forwarding using your router settings, but in this case, I will be using ngrok. Ngrok is useful for development, allowing us to run our apps for testing purposes for free.

Make sure to create an account by visiting https://dashboard.ngrok.com/login. You will need the auth token to configure ngrok on the Raspberry Pi.

1. Install Ngrok
   

   nvm install --lts

2. Add your auth token to ngrok configuration file
   

   node --version
   # v22.12.0
   
   npm --version
   # 10.9.0

3. Disable default nginx config file
   

   sudo apt install mariadb-server

4. Test NGINX configuration
   

   sudo mysql_secure_installation

5. Restart NGINX server to apply the changes
   

   sudo mysql

6. Deploy your app online
   

   MariaDB [(none)]> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

   This should provide a URL like https://xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx.ngrok-free.app/ that forwards traffic to your Node.js app. You can navigate to this URL from any other network and access your application.

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Summary

In this guide, we successfully deployed a TypeScript Node.js application with MySQL and Prisma on a Raspberry Pi. We configured NGINX as a reverse proxy and used Ngrok to make the application accessible over the internet. With this setup, you have your own cost-effective, self-hosted development server.

This approach is perfect for learning and experimenting with full-stack application deployment, all while gaining valuable experience in server management.

Let me know if you deploy your application using this guide—I’d love to hear about your experience! ?

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