Installing PencilBlue on Node.js VPS (CentOS 6.x)

PencilBlue is a fully featured, open-source content management platform for website development using technologies such as Node.js, MongoDB, Bootstrap, AngularJS, etc.

РencilBlue is supported on all virtual servers and dedicated servers, offered by SuperHosting.BG.

This installation takes place on a virtual server with installed CentOS x64 – Node.JS server template.

Installing PencilBlue

Log into your Node.js VPS and install the pencilblue-cli command line tool:

npm install pencilblue-cli -g

Access the directory for your future web project, for example /var/www/html:

cd /var/www/html

Run the PencilBlue installation with:

pbctrl install dirname

dirname – the directory where PencilBlue will be installed. However, if you do not enter a specific directory name, the installation will be made in the pencilblue root directory.

This is followed by a few configuration steps:
– enter the website name;
– fill in the domain name (the website’s URL), for example: http://mysitename.com;
– enter the IP address of the VPS;
– for the port number you only need to enter 80;

Finishing PencilBlue installation in your browser

In the Node.js VPS configuration, the script set to be run by default is apps.js. Instead, it should be replaced by the PencilBlue script (pencilblue.js).

Go to the /etc/rc.d/init.d/node-default.sh file, find the following lines:

DESC="Test application"
NAME="apps.js"
DIR="/var/www/html"

and change them to:

DESC="Test application"
NAME="pencilblue.js"
DIR="/var/www/html/pencilblue"

pencilblue – The pencilblue directory where PencilBlue is installed

Save your changes and run the script with forever:

forever start /var/www/html/pencilblue/pencilblue.js

To see the running scripts use:

forever list

To stop the previously executed script apps.js use:

forever stop 0

The number of the running apps.js script in the forever list is 0

Restart the pencilblue.js script with:

forever restart /var/www/html/pencilblue/pencilblue.js

Finish the PencilBlue installation as you enter the website URL in the browser.

After the administrator user is set up, you may immediately start using the system.

You can find further useful and interesting information about PencilBlue here.