Skip to main content
The Node.js runtime runs JavaScript and TypeScript bots, APIs and server-rendered websites. Square Cloud installs your dependencies from package.json and starts your app with Node.js.

​
Before you begin

  • Node.js and npm on your machine. If you don’t have them, download them from the official Node.js website.
  • A Square Cloud account: sign up with your email or GitHub.
  • An active plan. See the plans and pick the one that fits your project.

​
Configure Square Cloud

If you upload your application through the dashboard, you can skip this section: the dashboard creates the squarecloud.app configuration file for you.

Configuration file reference

The squarecloud.app file tells Square Cloud how to run your application: its main file, memory, runtime version, name and, for a website, its subdomain.
A complete configuration file for each kind of app:
squarecloud.app
VERSION=recommended runs the current LTS line of Node.js, and VERSION=latest the newest release.

​
What Square Cloud runs

  • If the START field is not defined in the configuration file, Square Cloud runs node MAIN. When the app has 1024 MB of memory or more, it adds --max_old_space_size=<MEMORY> (the Node.js heap limit, in MB). If the START field is defined, the value in it will be executed directly. For more information about configuration file parameters, visit configuration parameters.
  • If the app has no node_modules folder, Square Cloud runs npm install --no-audit --no-fund before starting it. Packages in devDependencies are not installed, because the runtime sets NODE_ENV=production. When node_modules already exists, the install step is skipped.

​
Port and host for websites and APIs

Square Cloud sets the PORT environment variable to 80 and HOST to 0.0.0.0. Your server must listen on that port and on all network interfaces, for example with Express:
Next.js, Nuxt, React Router, Astro and SolidStart read PORT by themselves: their framework guides say when there is nothing to change.

​
Prepare the project

​
Required files

  • squarecloud.app, at the root of the ZIP.
  • Your main file, for example index.js or src/index.ts.
  • package.json, with your dependencies. An upload without it fails with INVALID_DEPENDENCY.
The configuration file (squarecloud.app) must be located at the root of the zip file. Otherwise, Square Cloud will not be able to find it during deploy.
Square Cloud runs TypeScript natively with tsx (npx tsx MAIN), but compiling to JavaScript is still recommended for production: build it on your machine and point MAIN to the compiled file.

​
What to leave out

  • node_modules: Square Cloud removes this folder from your upload and installs the dependencies from package.json on the first start. That keeps the upload small and builds the dependencies for the server’s system.
  • Lockfiles (package-lock.json, yarn.lock, pnpm-lock.yaml): the CLI and the VS Code extension leave them out by default, so npm installs the newest versions allowed by the ranges in package.json. When you need the exact versions of your lockfile, re-include it with !package-lock.json in your squarecloud.ignore.

​
Framework guides

Express

Fastify

NestJS

Next.js

Nuxt

React Router

Angular

Astro

SolidJS

Qwik

React

Vue

Single-page apps built with Vite, React, Vue or Preact can also run without Node.js, on the static runtime.

​
Troubleshooting

This error occurs when the file defined as “main” for your application in the configuration file does not exist, is written incorrectly, or the path is wrong. If your main file is inside a folder, for example, you must specify folder/file.js.
The minimum amount of RAM required to host a bot is 256MB and for a site/API is 512MB. However, depending on the size and complexity of your application, it may be advisable to allocate a larger amount of RAM to avoid your application running out of memory and crashing.
For other problems, see Troubleshooting.

​
Deploy

​
Via dashboard

1

Access the Upload Page

Access the upload page and upload your project zip file.
2

Configure Your Environment

After uploading your zip, you will need to configure the name, main file or runtime environment and other settings for your project.
If you are uploading a web project, make sure to select “Web Publication” and set a subdomain to your project.
3

Deploy Your Project

Finally, click on the “Deploy” button to host your project on Square Cloud.
After deployment, you can monitor your project’s status and logs from the dashboard.
Uploading application to Square Cloud
4

Confirm Your App Is Live

Your first deploy usually takes less than a minute. In the dashboard, wait for your application status to show as running and check the logs for any startup errors.
If you deployed a website or API, open https://<your-subdomain>.squareweb.app in your browser: you should see your application responding. If you deployed a bot, send it a command to confirm it is online.
App not starting? See the Troubleshooting guide for the most common causes and fixes.

​
Via CLI

To use this method, your project needs a configuration file named squarecloud.app at its root. It tells Square Cloud how to run your application.

Configuration file guide

Learn how to create the squarecloud.app configuration file that defines your application’s environment.
1

Install the CLI

Install the Square Cloud CLI. If you already have it, run the same command to update it:
2

Log In

Run the command below. It opens your browser: approve the login there and the CLI is ready. There is no API key to copy. For scripts and CI, see CLI authentication.
3

Upload Your Project

From your project folder, run the command below. The CLI zips the current folder, leaving out what squarecloud.ignore lists, and uploads it:
To upload a zip you created yourself, pass it with --file:
4

Confirm Your App Is Live

Your first deploy usually takes less than a minute. Check your application status and logs directly from the terminal:
If you deployed a website or API, open https://<your-subdomain>.squareweb.app in your browser: you should see your application responding. If you deployed a bot, send it a command to confirm it is online.
App not starting? See the Troubleshooting guide for the most common causes and fixes.

​
Next steps

Environment variables

Keep secrets and settings out of your code and read them at runtime.

Custom domain

Serve your app on your own domain, on the Standard plan and above.

Troubleshooting

Fix an app that does not start or a site that does not respond.

​
Contact us

If you continue facing technical difficulties, our specialized support team is available to assist you. Contact us and we’ll be happy to help you resolve any issue: support quality is a big part of why developers rate Square Cloud 4.9/5 across 402 reviews on Google and Trustpilot.