Every project we ship uses the same deployment stack: Docker for containerization, Nginx as a reverse proxy, and PM2 for process management. Here's why.
Docker
Docker ensures the app runs identically on our machines and on production. No more "it works on my machine" problems. We use a multi-stage Dockerfile that builds the Next.js app and serves it with a lightweight Node.js runtime.
Nginx
Nginx sits in front of the app, handling SSL termination, static file serving, and load balancing. With Let's Encrypt, SSL certificates are free and auto-renewing.
PM2
PM2 keeps the app running. If it crashes, PM2 restarts it. If the server reboots, PM2 starts the app. It also provides simple monitoring and log management.
This stack works for everything from small client sites to high-traffic SaaS platforms.