Do I need to install Node.js on Production Server to host Angular 2?

Question

I am trying to deploy my 1st Angular 2 app on our live server (Windows 2008R2 IIS 7.5 server)

The MVC part is running fine. I could see the login username and showing the frame of MVC layout. But it's redirecting me to the Error.cshtml all the time.

I tried to turn on the DebugLog feature and I am getting the following error logs.

An unhandled exception has occurred: Failed to start Node process. To resolve this:.

[1] Ensure that Node.js is installed and can be found in one of the PATH directories. Current PATH enviroment variable is: C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Web Platform Installer\;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\dotnet\;;C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App\1.1.1 Make sure the Node executable is in one of those directories, or update your PATH.

[2] See the InnerException for further details of the cause.

It's telling me to install Node.js on the Production Server. I can install it on the live server but I am not sure whether I am doing it right or not.

As far as I know, all type script files are compiled onto .js file by using webpack and why do we still need to install Node on the Production server again?

Detail Log file can be seen here

Application started. Press Ctrl+C to shut down.
info: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.Internal.WebHost[1]
      Request starting HTTP/1.1 GET http://prenrolments/  
info: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.Cookies.CookieAuthenticationMiddleware[3]
      HttpContext.User merged via AutomaticAuthentication from authenticationScheme: Cookie.
info: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authorization.DefaultAuthorizationService[1]
      Authorization was successful for user: ttcg.
info: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Internal.ControllerActionInvoker[1]
      Executing action method PREnrolments.Controllers.HomeController.Index (PREnrolments) with arguments ((null)) - ModelState is Valid
info: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.ViewFeatures.Internal.ViewResultExecutor[1]
      Executing ViewResult, running view at path /Views/Home/Index.cshtml.
info: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Internal.ControllerActionInvoker[2]
      Executed action PREnrolments.Controllers.HomeController.Index (PREnrolments) in 3883.5488ms
fail: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Diagnostics.ExceptionHandlerMiddleware[0]
      An unhandled exception has occurred: Failed to start Node process. To resolve this:.

[1] Ensure that Node.js is installed and can be found in one of the PATH directories.
    Current PATH enviroment variable is: C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Web Platform Installer\;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\dotnet\;;C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App\1.1.1
    Make sure the Node executable is in one of those directories, or update your PATH.

[2] See the InnerException for further details of the cause.
System.InvalidOperationException: Failed to start Node process. To resolve this:.

[1] Ensure that Node.js is installed and can be found in one of the PATH directories.
    Current PATH enviroment variable is: C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Web Platform Installer\;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\dotnet\;;C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App\1.1.1
    Make sure the Node executable is in one of those directories, or update your PATH.

[2] See the InnerException for further details of the cause. ---> System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: The system cannot find the file specified
   at System.Diagnostics.Process.StartCore(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
   at System.Diagnostics.Process.Start()
   at System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.HostingModels.OutOfProcessNodeInstance.LaunchNodeProcess(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.HostingModels.OutOfProcessNodeInstance.LaunchNodeProcess(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.HostingModels.OutOfProcessNodeInstance..ctor(String entryPointScript, String projectPath, String[] watchFileExtensions, String commandLineArguments, ILogger nodeOutputLogger, IDictionary`2 environmentVars, Int32 invocationTimeoutMilliseconds, Boolean launchWithDebugging, Int32 debuggingPort)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.HostingModels.HttpNodeInstance..ctor(NodeServicesOptions options, Int32 port)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.HostingModels.NodeServicesOptionsExtensions.<>c__DisplayClass0_0.<UseHttpHosting>b__0()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.NodeServicesImpl.GetOrCreateCurrentNodeInstance()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices.NodeServicesImpl.<InvokeExportWithPossibleRetryAsync>d__10`1.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.SpaServices.Prerendering.PrerenderTagHelper.<ProcessAsync>d__33.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Razor.Runtime.TagHelpers.TagHelperRunner.<RunAsync>d__0.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at AspNetCore._Views_Home_Index_cshtml.<ExecuteAsync>d__35.MoveNext() in /Views/Home/Index.cshtml:line 2
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Razor.RazorView.<RenderPageAsync>d__14.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Razor.RazorView.<RenderAsync>d__13.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.ViewFeatures.ViewExecutor.<ExecuteAsync>d__18.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.ViewResult.<ExecuteResultAsync>d__26.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Internal.ControllerActionInvoker.<InvokeResultAsync>d__30.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Internal.ControllerActionInvoker.<InvokeNextResultFilterAsync>d__28.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Internal.ControllerActionInvoker.Rethrow(ResultExecutedContext context)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Internal.ControllerActionInvoker.Next(State& next, Scope& scope, Object& state, Boolean& isCompleted)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Internal.ControllerActionInvoker.<InvokeNextResourceFilter>d__22.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Internal.ControllerActionInvoker.Rethrow(ResourceExecutedContext context)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Internal.ControllerActionInvoker.Next(State& next, Scope& scope, Object& state, Boolean& isCompleted)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Internal.ControllerActionInvoker.<InvokeAsync>d__20.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Builder.RouterMiddleware.<Invoke>d__4.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.AuthenticationMiddleware`1.<Invoke>d__18.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.AuthenticationMiddleware`1.<Invoke>d__18.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at Microsoft.AspNetCore.Diagnostics.ExceptionHandlerMiddleware.<Invoke>d__6.MoveNext()
info: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.Cookies.CookieAuthenticationMiddleware[3]
      HttpContext.User merged via AutomaticAuthentication from authenticationScheme: Cookie.
info: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Internal.ControllerActionInvoker[1]
      Executing action method PREnrolments.Controllers.HomeController.Error (PREnrolments) with arguments ((null)) - ModelState is Valid
info: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.ViewFeatures.Internal.ViewResultExecutor[1]
      Executing ViewResult, running view at path /Views/Shared/Error.cshtml.
info: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Internal.ControllerActionInvoker[2]
      Executed action PREnrolments.Controllers.HomeController.Error (PREnrolments) in 724.6616ms
info: Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.Internal.WebHost[2]
      Request finished in 5619.0985ms 500 text/html; charset=utf-8

Answer 1

If you have created your application using "AspNetCoreSpaTemplates" in VS2017 then by default it would add "Microsoft.AspNEtCore.SpaServices" to your project, you should see this under NuGet package list (please refer to the attached screenshot).

This "Microsoft.AspNEtCore.SpaServices" package includes "Microsoft.AspNetCore.NodeServices" which has dependency for Node.js on the server.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/client-side/spa-services

Microsoft.AspNEtCore.SpaServices is used for server-side pre-rendering.

If you do not need this, you can uninstall Microsoft.AspNEtCore.SpaServices from Nuget Package Manager option.

After you uninstall it you should get 2 to 3 build errors as the SPA services is referred in "Startup.cs" & "ViewImports.cshtml". Comment or delete those reference and publish your code to server. Now it should work without Node.js on the server.