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Detailed Guide: Run Gunbot on a Linux VPS with PM2

· 3 min read
@boekenbox

This guide explains how to set up Gunbot—a cryptocurrency trading automation tool—on a Linux Virtual Private Server (VPS) using PM2. Running Gunbot on a VPS ensures your trading bot stays online 24/7, independent of your personal computer, minimizing the risk of downtime.

Symbol image of setting up a gunbot server

This guide explores how to run Gunbot on a budget-friendly VPS using PM2.

Benefits of PM2​

PM2 is a process manager for Node.js applications that simplifies managing Gunbot:

  • Process Management: Easily start, stop, and restart Gunbot.
  • Logging and Monitoring: Automatically handles logs and simplifies log management.
  • Startup Scripts: Ensures Gunbot automatically restarts after a server reboot.

Setting Up Your VPS​

Before proceeding, set up your Linux VPS following your provider's guidelines. Ubuntu is recommended for its simplicity and broad support. For a broader walkthrough beyond this PM2-focused flow, see the official Linux installation guide.

Connect to your server via SSH using a tool compatible with your operating system:

Installing Gunbot and PM2​

Download the latest stable Gunbot release (gunthy-linux.zip) and upload it to your VPS using your SSH client. Then, unzip it:

unzip gunthy_linux.zip

Next, install Node.js, npm, and PM2:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nodejs npm -y
npm install pm2@latest -g

Start Gunbot using PM2 (replace myGunbotProcess with your chosen name):

pm2 start gunthy-linux --name myGunbotProcess

Configuring Firewall​

Allow access to Gunbot's default port (5000) using Ubuntu's firewall (UFW):

sudo ufw allow 5000

Check your VPS provider's firewall settings if issues persist.

Managing Logs with PM2​

Use PM2 commands to manage logs easily:

# View all process logs
pm2 logs

# View logs for a specific process
pm2 logs myGunbotProcess

# Clear all logs
pm2 flush

Set up automatic log rotation to prevent logs from growing too large:

pm2 install pm2-logrotate

Automatically Restarting Gunbot on System Reboot​

Configure PM2 to automatically restart Gunbot after reboot:

pm2 startup
pm2 save

Updating Gunbot​

To update Gunbot, follow these steps:

  1. Stop Gunbot:
pm2 stop your-process-name
  1. Upload and replace the existing gunthy-linux file.
  2. Restart Gunbot:
pm2 restart your-process-name

Always review Gunbot’s official upgrade instructions when updates are available.

Running Multiple Gunbot Instances​

To run multiple Gunbot instances on a single server:

  1. Duplicate your Gunbot folder for each instance.
  2. Modify config.js in each folder to have unique settings (instructions for multiple instances):
nano config.js
  1. Start each Gunbot instance with a unique name:
pm2 start gunthy-linux --name "another-process-name"

Save your configuration for automatic restarts:

pm2 startup
pm2 save

Using Gunbot with PM2 on a Linux VPS provides a reliable, always-on environment suitable for automated cryptocurrency trading. Remember, it doesn't have to break your bank! Affordable options like Hetzner Cloud or Contabo are perfect examples of that.