Next.js + MySQL → cPanel Deployment

My setup:

Next.js (Frontend + Backend)
        ↓
      Prisma
        ↓
      MySQL
        ↓
     cPanel

1. cPanel MySQL

Create a new DB and user from:

cPanel → MySQL Databases

Example:

DB:       numberle_11
User:     numberle_11
Host:     127.0.0.1
Port:     3306

Production DATABASE_URL:

mysql://numberle_11:PASSWORD@127.0.0.1:3306/numberle_11

---

2. Create Node.js App

Go to:

cPanel → Setup Node.js App

Example:

Node.js:       20
Application:   https://11numberleathershoes.com
Root:          /home/numberle/11numberleathershoes
Startup file:  server.js

Node virtual environment:

/home/numberle/nodevenv/11numberleathershoes/20/bin/activate

---

3. Required Project Files

Don't only upload .next.

Make sure the project has:

.github/workflows/deploy.yml
scripts/cpanel-build.sh
server.js
package.json
prisma/schema.prisma

package.json:

"scripts": {
  "start": "node server.js"
}

---

4. GitHub Secrets

GitHub:

Repository
→ Settings
→ Secrets and variables
→ Actions

Server — reusable

CPANEL_HOST       = 65.181.111.182
CPANEL_USERNAME   = numberle
CPANEL_PORT       = 22
CPANEL_SSH_KEY
CPANEL_SSH_PASSPHRASE

Don't use CPANEL_PASSWORD because this workflow uses SSH key authentication.

Application-specific

CPANEL_APP_PATH =
/home/numberle/11numberleathershoes

CPANEL_NODEVENV =
/home/numberle/nodevenv/11numberleathershoes/20/bin/activate

ENV_DATABASE_URL =
mysql://numberle_11:PASSWORD@127.0.0.1:3306/numberle_11

ENV_AUTH_SECRET =
<random-secret>

ENV_NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL =
https://11numberleathershoes.com

For another app, change:

CPANEL_APP_PATH
CPANEL_NODEVENV
ENV_DATABASE_URL
ENV_AUTH_SECRET
ENV_NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL

---

5. Prisma

If Prisma's Rust engine crashes on the cPanel server, use the Node/MariaDB adapter.

prisma/schema.prisma:

generator client {
  provider   = "prisma-client-js"
  engineType = "client"
}

Install:

npm install @prisma/client@6 @prisma/adapter-mariadb@6
npm install -D prisma@6

Generate:

npx prisma generate

---

6. Shared Prisma Client

Create:

src/lib/prisma.js

Use PrismaMariaDb adapter and export one shared Prisma client.

Then search the project for:

new PrismaClient()

Replace all bare instances with the shared client.

---

7. Deployment

Push to GitHub:

git add .
git commit -m "deploy"
git push

Then:

GitHub
  ↓
GitHub Actions
  ↓
SSH → cPanel
  ↓
Build Next.js
  ↓
Start/restart Node.js app

Check the application at:

https://11numberleathershoes.com

---

Quick Checklist

✓ MySQL DB created
✓ Node.js App created
✓ Startup = server.js
✓ Node version = 20
✓ CPANEL_PORT = 22
✓ SSH key configured
✓ App path correct
✓ Nodevenv path correct
✓ DATABASE_URL uses 127.0.0.1:3306
✓ Prisma adapter configured
✓ npx prisma generate works
✓ GitHub Actions succeeds