Host React App on Windows Server

Greetings, Dev! Today we will be discussing how to host your React app on a Windows server. This can be a bit tricky, but with the right instructions and a bit of patience, anyone can do it. Let’s dive right in!

Step 1: Prepare Your Windows Server

Before we can start hosting our React app, we need to ensure that our Windows server is properly set up. Here are a few steps you need to follow:

1. Install IIS

The first step is to install the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager. This is a free web server software that comes with the Windows operating system. You can install IIS by following these steps:

Step	Description
1	Open the Server Manager.
2	Select the “Add Roles and Features” option.
3	Select the “Web Server (IIS)” option.
4	Select the “Install” button.

2. Install URL Rewrite

We also need to install the URL Rewrite extension. This is a free extension that allows us to rewrite URLs in our React app. Here’s how to install it:

Step	Description
1	Open the Server Manager.
2	Select the “Web Server (IIS)” option.
3	Click on “Add Role Services”.
4	Select “URL Rewrite”.
5	Click on “Install”.

3. Install Node.js

Finally, we need to install Node.js on our Windows server. This is a JavaScript runtime that allows us to run our React app. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Step	Description
1	Go to the Node.js website and download the Windows installer.
2	Run the installer and follow the instructions.
3	Restart your computer to complete the installation.

Once you have completed these steps, your Windows server should be ready to host your React app. Let’s move on to the next step.

Step 2: Build Your React App

The next step is to build your React app. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Install Create React App

The easiest way to create a new React app is to use the Create React App command-line tool. You can install it by running the following command in your terminal:

npx create-react-app my-app

2. Build Your App

Once your React app is created, you need to build it. This will create a production-ready version of your app that can be hosted on a server. Here’s how you can do it:

npm run build

This will create a new folder called “build” in your project directory. This folder contains all the files you need to host your React app on a server. Let’s move on to the next step.

Step 3: Host Your React App on a Windows Server

Now that we have prepared our Windows server and built our React app, we are ready to host it. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Create a New IIS Site

The first step is to create a new IIS site for your React app. Here’s how you can do it:

Step	Description
1	Open the IIS Manager.
2	Right-click on “Sites” and select “Add Website”.
3	Enter a name for your website.
4	Specify the physical path to your React app’s “build” folder.
5	Specify the port number you want to use for your website.
6	Click on “OK”.

2. Create a URL Rewrite Rule

The next step is to create a URL rewrite rule. This will ensure that your React app’s URLs work properly. Here’s how you can do it:

Step	Description
1	Open the IIS Manager.
2	Click on your website’s name.
3	Double-click on “URL Rewrite”.
4	Click on “Add Rule(s)” on the right-hand side.
5	Enter a name for your rule.
6	Set the “Match URL” option to “Matches the Pattern”.
7	Enter the following pattern: (.*)
8	Set the “Action” option to “Rewrite”.
9	Enter the following URL: /
10	Click on “Apply”.

And that’s it! Your React app should now be hosted on your Windows server. If you’re having trouble, check out the FAQ section below.

FAQ

1. Why do I need to install Node.js?

Node.js is a JavaScript runtime that allows us to run our React app on the server. Without Node.js, we wouldn’t be able to host our React app.

2. What is IIS?

IIS stands for Internet Information Services. It is a web server software that comes with the Windows operating system. It allows us to host web applications on a Windows server.

3. What is URL Rewrite?

URL Rewrite is an IIS extension that allows us to rewrite URLs in our React app. This is necessary because React apps use client-side routing, which doesn’t work correctly on a server without URL rewriting.

4. Why do I need to create a URL rewrite rule?

A URL rewrite rule is necessary to ensure that your React app’s URLs work correctly on the server. Without a URL rewrite rule, your app’s URLs will not work as expected.

5. Why is my React app not working on my Windows server?

There are several reasons why your React app may not be working on your Windows server. Here are a few things you can check:

• Make sure you have followed all the steps in this article.
• Check the IIS logs for any error messages.
• Check the browser console for any error messages.
• Make sure your server is properly configured and running.

If you’re still having trouble, feel free to reach out to us for help.

That’s it for this article, Dev! We hope you found this helpful. Happy hosting!