🛠️ VPS Interactive Setup Script Documentation

Overview

This script is designed to fully configure a fresh VPS server with essential tools like Node.js (via NVM), PM2, Nginx, and project-specific deployment for Node.js, React, Static, Laravel, or Python apps. It includes interactive prompts, robust error handling, retry/revert mechanisms, and clean user experience.

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📋 Script Features

• Interactive CLI prompts
• NVM-based Node.js installation (LTS or manual)
• PM2 setup for background process management
• Nginx installation and project-specific configuration
• Multi-project directory support
• Rollback support for failed steps
• Safe system updates and user creation
• PM2 startup configuration for boot persistence
• Modular and retry-safe

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🚀 Step-by-Step Implementation

1. 🔄 System Update

• Updates package list and upgrades packages.
• Prompts user for confirmation.
• Retries on error or skips if declined.

2. 👤 Create a New User

• Prompts: "Do you want to create a new sudo user?"
• Adds user and sets password.
• Adds user to sudo group.
• Gracefully skips or retries on error.

3. 🧰 Install Essential Packages

Installs:

• curl
• git
• build-essential
• ufw
• unzip
• software-properties-common
• And others...

4. ⚙️ Install NVM and Node.js

• Installs NVM using official script.
• Prompts:
  • “Use latest LTS version?” or
  • “Manually enter Node.js version”
• Validates entered version against nvm ls-remote
• Retries on invalid version.
• Sets installed version as default.

5. 🔁 Install PM2 Globally

• Installs PM2 using npm install -g pm2
• Confirms successful installation
• Retries if needed

6. 🌐 Install and Configure Nginx

• Installs Nginx via apt
• Checks status with systemctl
• Prompts to retry or fix if service doesn't start

7. 📁 Create Project Directories

• Loop:
  • Asks: “Create a new project directory?”
  • Prompts for directory name (e.g., my-app)
  • Creates under /var/www/
• Repeats until user opts out

8. 🏗️ Configure a Project

• Prompts:
  • Which directory to configure
  • Type of project:
    • node
    • react
    • static
    • laravel
    • python
• Based on type:
  • Node.js → prompt port number
  • React/Static → configure to serve index.html
  • Laravel → serve from public/ folder
  • Python → prompt for gunicorn port/command
• Auto-generate Nginx config
• Prompt: “Apply this config now?”

9. 🔍 Test and Reload Nginx

• Runs nginx -t
• On failure:
  • Prompt to retry or revert changes
• On success:
  • Reloads Nginx config

10. ⚡ Setup PM2 for a Project

• Prompt: “Do you want to setup PM2 for a project?”
• Asks:
  • Directory to run from
  • PM2 start command (e.g., npm run start, gunicorn app:app)
• Starts process via PM2
• Optionally creates ecosystem file

11. ♻️ Enable PM2 Startup

• Run pm2 startup to generate startup command
• Runs pm2 save to persist current processes
• Ensures processes restart on server boot

12. ✅ Final Summary

Displays:

• Created user info
• Installed tools
• Project directories
• Nginx and PM2 configuration status
• Next steps or access URLs if applicable

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🔄 Error Handling & Rollback

• Every step checks success
• If a step fails:
  • Prompt: Retry / Revert / Skip
• Rollback:
  • Removes files/configs created in the step
  • Reverts packages if required (e.g., uninstall Nginx)

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📦 Optional Add-Ons (Future Modules)

• SSL via Let’s Encrypt (certbot)
• Firewall setup with ufw
• Fail2ban for brute-force protection
• Docker and Docker Compose
• Database setup (MySQL, PostgreSQL)

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🧪 Example Prompt Flow

➤ Do you want to install Node.js via NVM? [Y/n]
➤ Use LTS version or enter a specific version? [lts/manual]
➤ Enter Node.js version (e.g., 18.18.0): 17.2.1
⛔ Version not found. Try again.
...
➤ Create a new project directory? [Y/n]
➤ Enter project directory name: my-app
...
➤ Which project type is this? [node/react/static/laravel/python]
➤ Enter port number to forward for Node.js: 3000
...
➤ Nginx config successful. Reload now? [Y/n]

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✅ Requirements

• Ubuntu 22.04 or compatible Debian-based distro
• Root SSH access (or sudo user)