Strapi CMS on Ubuntu 24.04 (with PostgreSQL, PM2 & Nginx)

Strapi is a powerful, open-source headless CMS written in Node.js, designed to create, manage, and expose content via RESTful or GraphQL APIs. It’s widely used by developers building JAMstack applications, mobile apps, and single-page frontends that require a robust, customizable backend.

When deployed on Ubuntu 24.04 with PostgreSQL, PM2, and Nginx, Strapi becomes a production-ready, performant, and scalable content platform ideal for enterprise and modern web projects.

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Key Technologies in This Stack

Component	Role
Strapi	Node.js-based headless CMS
PostgreSQL	Primary database for content and settings storage
PM2	Process manager to keep the Strapi app running
Nginx	Reverse proxy for SSL, HTTP/2, and performance
Ubuntu 24.04	OS with long-term support, security, and stability

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Why PostgreSQL for Strapi?

Strapi supports SQLite, MySQL, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL. Among these, PostgreSQL is the recommended production database, offering:

• Better performance under high loads
• Advanced JSONB support for flexible content
• Full-text search and indexing
• ACID-compliant transactions
• Strong data integrity and role management

PostgreSQL integrates smoothly with Ubuntu 24.04 and is available from official repositories or via upstream packages for newer versions.

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Role of PM2 in Strapi Deployments

PM2 is a production-grade process manager for Node.js applications. It provides:

• Zero-downtime reloads
• Startup scripts with pm2 startup
• Process monitoring and auto-restart on crash
• Cluster mode for performance scaling
• Log management with built-in log rotation

Using PM2 ensures that Strapi runs as a background service, restarts automatically on reboots, and can be scaled or monitored easily.

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Why Use Nginx with Strapi?

Although Strapi can serve HTTP traffic directly, Nginx adds a layer of performance, security, and production hardening:

• Acts as a reverse proxy to forward requests to Strapi (usually running on port 1337)
• Handles SSL/TLS termination (e.g., using Let’s Encrypt certificates)
• Supports HTTP/2 and gzip compression
• Can serve static assets, redirects, rate-limiting, and caching rules
• Enables firewalling and filtering before reaching Strapi

This combination makes Strapi + Nginx an excellent solution for scalable web APIs, especially in enterprise and cloud deployments.

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Security Considerations

Deploying Strapi securely in production requires:

• HTTPS only via Nginx
• Environment variables for database credentials and API secrets
• Firewall rules (UFW or nftables) to restrict port access
• Fail2Ban for brute-force protection on the admin panel
• Keeping Strapi and dependencies updated regularly
• Using custom user roles and permissions within the Strapi admin interface

Ubuntu 24.04 provides modern crypto libraries (OpenSSL 3.x) and AppArmor for optional process-level confinement.

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Strapi in Production on Ubuntu 24.04 – Best Practices

• Use PostgreSQL instead of SQLite for scalable, multi-user environments
• Keep Strapi behind Nginx for better control and resilience
• Use PM2 with ecosystem files to manage multiple environments (dev/staging/prod)
• Set NODE_ENV=production for optimized builds
• Regularly back up PostgreSQL and .env config files
• Serve Strapi’s public and upload folders with appropriate Nginx location blocks

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Use Cases for Strapi

• JAMstack apps with React, Vue, Svelte, Astro, or Next.js
• Mobile app backends with REST or GraphQL APIs
• Multi-language content delivery using internationalization (i18n) plugins
• Corporate websites with role-based editorial workflows
• E-commerce CMS layer integrated with Shopify, Snipcart, or custom carts
• Internal portals and dashboards for structured content management

Strapi’s modular plugin system and extensible API make it suitable for both startups and large-scale digital platforms.

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Strapi vs. Other Headless CMSs

Feature	Strapi	Directus	KeystoneJS	Sanity	Contentful (SaaS)
Self-hosted	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No
Database	PostgreSQL/MySQL	PostgreSQL	MongoDB/Postgres	Hosted	Managed
Admin UI	Built-in	Built-in	Built-in	Built-in	Built-in
Custom Fields	✅ Full control	✅ Flexible	✅ Schema-driven	✅ Groq-based	✅
GraphQL Support	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Open Source	MIT	GPL	MIT	Source-available	❌ Proprietary

Strapi stands out by offering a balance of flexibility, visual admin panel, REST/GraphQL APIs, and full database control, making it especially attractive for developers who want to own their data and deployment.

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Deploying Strapi CMS on Ubuntu 24.04 with PostgreSQL, PM2, and Nginx provides a:

• Secure and scalable headless CMS platform
• Developer-friendly environment with full control over APIs, schema, and content
• Production-ready deployment stack that ensures uptime, monitoring, and performance
• Ideal backend for modern web and mobile applications

This stack offers a mature, modular, and flexible content solution that works well for both MVPs and large-scale content-driven projects.

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Step 1: Create a VPS on Shape.Host

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

Click “Create”, then choose “Instance”.

Choose a server location closest to your users.

Select Ubuntu 24.04 (64-bit) as the operating system.

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

Click “Create Instance”.

Copy the IP address from the “Resources” tab once the instance is ready.

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Step 2: Connect to Your Server via SSH

ssh root@your-server-ip

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Step 3: Install System Dependencies

apt update && apt upgrade -y
apt install curl wget nano gnupg2 software-properties-common ca-certificates unzip

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Step 4: Install and Configure PostgreSQL

apt install postgresql postgresql-contrib

Create the database and user:

su - postgres -c psql

Inside the PostgreSQL prompt:

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

🔐 Replace 'YourStrongPassword' with a secure password.

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Step 5: Install Node.js 20 and NPM

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | bash -
apt install nodejs
node -v
npm -v

(Optional: Update NPM)

npm install -g npm@11.5.2

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Step 6: Create Your Strapi Project

npm create strapi-app@latest my-project
cd my-project
NODE_ENV=production npm run build

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Step 7: Run Strapi with PM2 (Process Manager)

Install PM2:

npm install -g pm2

Create the ecosystem config file:

nano ecosystem.config.js

Paste this:

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

Start and enable PM2 on boot:

pm2 start ecosystem.config.js
pm2 startup
pm2 save

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Step 8: Install and Configure Nginx as Reverse Proxy

apt install nginx

Create a new config file:

nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/strapi

Paste this config:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your_domain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost: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 the config and restart Nginx:

ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/strapi /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
nginx -t && systemctl reload nginx

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Step 9: Secure with SSL (Let’s Encrypt)

Install Certbot:

apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx

Get a free SSL certificate:

certbot --nginx -d ubuntu-tutorials.shape.host -m contact@shape.host --agree-tos --no-eff-email

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Step 10: Access Your Strapi CMS

Now you can access Strapi at:

https://ubuntu-tutorials.shape.host

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You now have a secure Strapi CMS running on Ubuntu 24.04, managed with PM2, behind Nginx, and using a PostgreSQL database.

For lightning-fast Cloud VPS hosting, visit Shape.Host and deploy your next project today.