The short answer: a Go program compiles to a single file, with nothing to install on the server. On a VPS, the right path is: compile, copy the file, and run it as a system service (systemd), which starts it with the server and restarts it if it fails. Then a web server in front handles the address and https.
1. Compile for Linux
On your computer (Windows, Mac or Linux), in the project folder:
GOOS=linux GOARCH=amd64 go build -o myapp .
This creates the file myapp for a 64-bit Linux server. On Windows, set the two variables before running the command, according to your terminal.
2. Copy and prepare
| 2 |
Create a powerless user to run it (sudo useradd --system --no-create-home myapp) and give it the file and the folder.
|
|
| 3 |
Make the program listen only on 127.0.0.1 on a port (for example, 8080): whoever exposes it to the internet is the web server, not it.
|
|
| 4 |
Give it execute permission: sudo chmod +x /opt/myapp/myapp.
|
|
3. The service (systemd)
Create the file /etc/systemd/system/myapp.service with:
[Unit]
Description=My Go program
After=network.target
[Service]
User=myapp
WorkingDirectory=/opt/myapp
ExecStart=/opt/myapp/myapp
Restart=on-failure
Environment=PORT=8080
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
| To |
Command |
| Read the new file |
sudo systemctl daemon-reload |
| Start now and at every server restart |
sudo systemctl enable --now myapp |
| See whether it is running |
sudo systemctl status myapp |
| See what it writes (the logs) |
sudo journalctl -u myapp -f |
| After uploading a new version |
sudo systemctl restart myapp |
If the service does not start, status says why: A service that will not start.
4. Showing it on the internet
Put nginx in front, passing your domain’s requests to 127.0.0.1:8080: Nginx as a reverse proxy, and the certificate: HTTPS for a container. Open only ports 80 and 443 in the firewall: The ufw firewall.
|
Do not run the program as administrator (root) or leave it listening directly to the internet. And do not put passwords in the code: use environment variables in the service file, with closed permissions (EnvironmentFile=). See Keeping passwords out of your code.
|
|
The pattern is the same for a program in Rust, .NET or anything else that produces an executable. For one that runs in a terminal window and ends when you close it, see tmux and screen, which is the answer for one-off tasks, not for a service.
|
|
Want help putting a program of yours on a VPS? Open a ticket saying the language, the port and the domain.
Open a support ticket
|
RECOMMENDED PRODUCT VPS server with root access Resources of your own, the OS you choose, reinstall whenever you like. from $8.39/mo (3-year plan, with coupon) See plans |
Português
English
