Host a Node.js /w Next.js Application

Intro

Running a Next.js app on a Windows Server with IIS (Internet Information Services) so it's publicly accessible requires a few steps, since IIS is not built to directly run Node.js apps. But you can do it by using a reverse proxy to forward IIS requests to your Next.js app running on a local port.

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Step 1: Install Node.js on Windows Server

1. Go to https://nodejs.org/ and download the LTS version.

2. Install it and verify with:

   node -v
   npm -v

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Step 2: Copy or Build Your Next.js App

• Copy your app to the Windows Server.

• Navigate to the app folder and run:

npm install
npm run build
npm run start

• This starts your app, likely on http://localhost:3000.

If needed, you can configure it to use a different port (e.g., 5000) by setting the PORT environment variable:

set PORT=5000 && npm run start

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Step 3: Set Up IIS as a Reverse Proxy

To make the app accessible via IIS:

Install URL Rewrite & ARR (Application Request Routing)

• URL Rewrite Module

• ARR

Enable Proxy in ARR

• Open IIS Manager

• Click on the server name (root node)

• Open Application Request Routing Cache

• On the right-hand side, click "Server Proxy Settings"

• Check "Enable proxy" and click Apply

Create a Website in IIS

• Point the site root to any folder (even if empty—it won’t serve files directly).

• Assign a host name (e.g., myapp.mydomain.com) or use a port binding.

Add URL Rewrite Rule

• Select the website in IIS

• Open URL Rewrite

• Click "Add Rules" → Choose "Reverse Proxy"

• Set the destination as:

http://localhost:3000

(or whatever port your Next.js app is running on)

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Step 4: Make Sure the App Is Running Continuously

IIS won’t run the Node app directly, so use one of these tools:

• PM2 (recommended for production):

npm install pm2 -g
pm2 start npm --name "nextjs-app" -- run start
pm2 save
pm2 startup

• NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager) to run it as a Windows Service

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Step 5: Test Public Access

• Make sure your domain (e.g., myapp.mydomain.com) points to your Windows server’s IP.

• Open a browser and visit the domain — you should see your Next.js app!

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Extra Notes

• Make sure ports 80/443 are open in the firewall.

• You can also configure HTTPS using a certificate in IIS.

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REFERENCES

• https://medium.com/@adarsh-d/deploy-node-js-application-on-iis-9703d5dfcaca

• https://medium.com/@unlikelycreator/enable-iis-and-host-nodejs-application-on-iis-a27058e1ca79

• https://github.com/tjanczuk/iisnode

• https://dev.to/petereysermans/hosting-a-node-js-application-on-windows-with-iis-as-reverse-proxy-397b

• https://www.skillsoft.com/course/running-nodejs-applications-in-iis-92fa6817-14c0-11e7-92d9-0242c0a80b07