Generate standalone output of your Next.js app and deploy through pm2

References

• https://nextjs.org/docs/pages/api-reference/config/next-config-js/output

Set Next.js to output standalone

// next.config.mjs located in the same directory as package.json

// *** START: Export a DEFAULT object, i.e nextConfig
const nextConfig = {}

// Produce standalone output
// ---------------------------------
//  "next start" doesn't generate standalone output.
//  Generate standalone output if BUILD_STANDALONE=true.
nextConfig.output = process.env.BUILD_STANDALONE === "true" ? "standalone" : undefined;

// *** END: Export
export default nextConfig;

Build & deploy

export BUILD_STANDALONE=true
npm run build

#\cp -a data         .next/standalone/  # For other file. e.g. myDb.sqlite
\cp -a public       .next/standalone/
\cp -a .next/static .next/standalone/.next/

nextjs_port=4666
export PORT=${nextjs_port}
node .next/standalone/server.js

nextjs_app_name="openwritings.net"
nextjs_port=4666

# Remove entry if it already exists.
pm2 stop ${nextjs_app_name} || true
pm2 delete ${nextjs_app_name} || true

# Run & deploy using pm2
export PORT=${nextjs_port}
pm2 start node --name ${nextjs_app_name} -- .next/standalone/server.js

# Save it so after computer reboot, it will automatically run.
pm2 save

Issues

• Error such as "File not found" or "Sqlite database file not found".
  • This is likely you pass a full path or a relative path where your file is not found under ./standalone/ directory.
  • The solution that I'm proposing is:

    • For all your file paths, use relative path to the ROOT directory of your Next.js app.(<Next_ROOT_DIR>/package.json)

    • ./standalone/ directory becomes the <Next_ROOT_DIR> directory.

    • Therefore, copy your files under ./standalone/ directory.

    • Example: my ./data/ is copied to ./standalone/

      data/
      ├── _empty_db.txt
      ├── rampricesdeal.db
      └── _readme.sh
      package.json
      
      #...
      
      .next/standalone/data
                      ├── _empty_db.txt
                      ├── rampricesdeal.db
                      └── _readme.sh