How to Install Strapi CMS on Rocky Linux 9 (PostgreSQL + PM2 + Nginx + SSL)

Strapi CMS is an open-source, headless CMS built on Node.js. It provides an admin interface to manage content and automatically generates a REST or GraphQL API for delivery to any frontend. When deployed on Rocky Linux 9 with PostgreSQL, PM2, Nginx, and SSL, it becomes a secure, high-performance backend suited for production-grade applications.

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Why This Stack?

Component	Purpose
Rocky Linux 9	Enterprise-grade, RHEL-compatible OS with long-term support and security updates.
PostgreSQL	Reliable, feature-rich relational database for structured data.
PM2	Node.js process manager ensuring uptime, auto-restarts, and logging.
Nginx	Reverse proxy for load balancing, caching, and SSL termination.
Let’s Encrypt	Free, automated SSL certificates for encrypted communication.

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Advantages of Strapi on Rocky Linux 9

1. Enterprise Stability – Rocky Linux is designed for mission-critical environments.
2. Scalable Architecture – Strapi + PostgreSQL + Nginx can handle high concurrent requests.
3. Secure by Design – SELinux, firewall rules, and HTTPS protect your content API.
4. Headless Flexibility – Serve the same content to websites, mobile apps, and connected devices.
5. Modern Development Workflow – JavaScript/TypeScript support, customizable API, plugin ecosystem.

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How Strapi Compares to Other CMS Platforms

Feature / CMS	Strapi (Headless)	WordPress (Traditional)	Ghost (Headless/Blog)	Directus (Headless)
Architecture	API-first, Headless	Monolithic, Theme-based	API-driven (focused on blogs)	API-first, Headless
Database	PostgreSQL, MySQL, etc.	MySQL/MariaDB only	SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL	Multiple DBs
Frontend	Any framework (React, Vue, Angular, static sites)	Built-in PHP templates	Any framework	Any framework
Custom APIs	Fully customizable	Limited via plugins	Limited API options	Fully customizable
Programming Language	JavaScript/TypeScript	PHP	JavaScript	JavaScript/TypeScript
Admin UI	Modern, React-based	PHP-based, older UX	Minimal, blog-focused	Modern, Vue-based
Use Cases	Multi-platform apps, e-commerce, content hubs	Blogs, small to medium websites	Blogging, newsletters	Data-driven apps, dashboards

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Best Use Cases for This Stack

• Multi-channel publishing – Manage content once and publish to web, mobile, and digital signage.
• E-commerce backend – Serve product catalogs to custom frontends (e.g., React storefronts).
• Corporate portals – Secure internal content delivery with role-based access.
• Custom applications – Build tailored APIs without starting from scratch.

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Performance & Security Benefits

• Nginx Reverse Proxy improves speed with caching and compression.
• PM2 Process Management ensures zero downtime during deployments.
• PostgreSQL handles complex queries and large datasets efficiently.
• Let’s Encrypt SSL secures APIs without recurring certificate costs.
• Rocky Linux 9 provides predictable updates and SELinux protection.

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Step 1: Create a Rocky Linux 9 VPS on Shape.Host

Go to https://shape.host and log in.

Click “Create”, then select “Instance”.

Choose the server location closest to your target audience.

Select Rocky Linux 9 (64-bit) as the operating system.

Pick a plan with at least 2 CPUs, 4 GB RAM, and 20 GB SSD.

Click “Create Instance”.

Copy the IP address from the “Resources” section.

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Step 2: Connect to the Server

ssh root@your-server-ip

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Step 3: Update System and Install Base Packages

dnf update -y
dnf install curl wget nano unzip git -y

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Step 4: Install and Configure PostgreSQL 16

Enable the PostgreSQL repository:

dnf install https://download.postgresql.org/pub/repos/yum/reporpms/EL-9-x86_64/pgdg-redhat-repo-latest.noarch.rpm -y

Install PostgreSQL 16:

dnf install postgresql16 postgresql16-server postgresql16-contrib -y

Initialize the database:

/usr/pgsql-16/bin/postgresql-16-setup initdb

Enable and start PostgreSQL:

systemctl enable postgresql-16
systemctl start postgresql-16

Log into PostgreSQL and create the database and user:

su - postgres -c psql

Inside the prompt:

CREATE DATABASE strapidb;
CREATE USER strapiuser WITH ENCRYPTED PASSWORD 'YourStrongPassword';
ALTER DATABASE strapidb OWNER TO strapiuser;
\q

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Step 5: Install Node.js 20 and NPM

curl -fsSL https://rpm.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | bash -
dnf install nodejs -y
node -v
npm -v

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Step 6: Create and Build Strapi Project

Create the Strapi app:

npm create strapi-app@latest my-project

(Optional) Update npm:

npm install -g npm@11.5.2

Go to the project folder and build:

cd my-project
NODE_ENV=production npm run build

Install PostgreSQL support:

npm install pg

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Step 7: Install and Configure PM2

Install PM2 globally:

npm install -g pm2

Create PM2 configuration:

nano ecosystem.config.js

Paste:

module.exports = {
  apps: [
    {
      name: 'strapi',
      cwd: '/root/my-project',
      script: 'npm',
      args: 'start',
      env: {
        NODE_ENV: 'production',
        HOST: '127.0.0.1',
        PORT: '1337',
        DATABASE_CLIENT: 'postgres',
        DATABASE_HOST: '127.0.0.1',
        DATABASE_PORT: '5432',
        DATABASE_NAME: 'strapidb',
        DATABASE_USERNAME: 'strapiuser',
        DATABASE_PASSWORD: 'YourStrongPassword'
      }
    }
  ]
};

Start and enable PM2:

pm2 start ecosystem.config.js
pm2 startup
pm2 save

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Step 8: Install and Configure Nginx

dnf install nginx -y

Create the reverse proxy configuration:

nano /etc/nginx/conf.d/strapi.conf

Paste:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your_domain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:1337;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
        proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
    }
}

Enable and restart Nginx:

systemctl enable nginx
systemctl restart nginx

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Step 9: Install and Configure SSL with Let’s Encrypt

dnf install certbot python3-certbot-nginx -y
certbot --nginx -d rockylinux-tutorials.shape.host -m contact@shape.host --agree-tos --no-eff-email

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✅ Strapi CMS is now installed and running on Rocky Linux 9 with PostgreSQL, PM2, Nginx, and SSL.

You can access it at:

https://rockylinux-tutorials.shape.host

Use Shape.Host for fast and secure Linux SSD VPS hosting.