Cloudways + Next.js SSR: What Actually Works (Node Setup, Caching, Logs, Scaling)
Introduction If you run a small business website or lead-generation app, you want fast pages, reliable uptime, and an easy way to deploy updates. This guide explains a practical, production-ready approach to running server-side rendered (SSR) Next.js apps on Cloudways — without needing full-time DevOps or switching to Vercel. Why Cloudways for Next.js SSR Cloudways strikes a balance: it gives you managed hosting with server control. That means you can run a Node server for SSR pages (great for SEO and consistent crawled HTML) while still getting predictable costs and support. For teams that prefer control but not heavy infrastructure work, Cloudways is a good middle ground. What your server needs Start with sensible hardware for production: - 2 vCPU and 4 GB RAM for small sites; 4 vCPU and 8+ GB for busier traffic. - SSD storage and swap enabled if memory is tight. - Node.js 18+ (check your Next.js version requirements). - A process manager like PM2 to keep your app running and ...