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Configure Node.js Environments on Elastic Beanstalk

Prerequisites

  • A deployed Node.js Elastic Beanstalk environment.
  • Project repository initialized with .elasticbeanstalk/ metadata.
  • Understanding of environment property usage from application code.
  • Permission to update environment configuration and deploy new versions.

What You'll Build

You will configure runtime values with environment properties, extend environment behavior with .ebextensions, direct process startup with Procfile, run platform hooks, and customize nginx behavior under .platform/nginx.

flowchart TD
    A[Environment Properties] --> B[process.env in Node.js app]
    C[.ebextensions] --> D[Option settings and resources]
    E[Procfile] --> F[Process command]
    G[.platform/hooks] --> H[Lifecycle scripts]
    I[.platform/nginx] --> J[Reverse proxy customization]

Steps

  1. Add environment properties in Elastic Beanstalk console or CLI and read them in application code.

    const envName = process.env.ENV_NAME || "dev";
const logLevel = process.env.LOG_LEVEL || "info";

  2. Add .ebextensions option settings for repeatable configuration.

    option_settings:
  aws:elasticbeanstalk:application:environment:
    ENV_NAME: prod
    LOG_LEVEL: info
  aws:elasticbeanstalk:container:nodejs:
    NodeCommand: "npm start"

  3. Define a Procfile when you need explicit process command control.

    web: npm start

  4. Add platform hooks for deployment lifecycle customization.

    .platform/hooks/prebuild/10-validate.sh
.platform/hooks/predeploy/20-migrate.sh
.platform/hooks/postdeploy/30-smoke-test.sh

  5. Add nginx custom snippets if you need reverse proxy customization.

    .platform/nginx/conf.d/security-headers.conf
.platform/nginx/conf.d/compression.conf

  6. Redeploy and verify applied settings.

    eb deploy
eb config

Verification

  • Application can read configured keys through process.env.
  • Environment option settings from .ebextensions are visible in effective configuration.
  • Procfile command is used as expected for the web process.
  • Hook scripts execute in lifecycle order without deployment failure.
  • nginx custom fragments load successfully and do not break health checks.

See Also

Sources