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Earlier today, I asked a question on the Programmers StackExchange: Is it bad practice to run Node.js and apache in parallel?

My end application can be considered a social network in which I want to have a chat feature and a normal status update feature.

For the chat feature, I'd like to use Node.js because I want to push data from the server to the client instead of polling the server frequently. For the status update, I want a normal apache and PHP installation, because I'm way more familiar with that and don't see why I'd use Node.js for that.

However, that would mean I'd have to run Node.js and apache in parallel. Whilst that is possible and not considered bad practice according to the answer on Programmers.SE, I do see a few technical problems:

  • I'd need two ports open - could give a problem with open networks that don't have all ports open

  • I can't use my shared-server because I'm not allowed to open a port there, so I'd have to buy a VPS

I don't care too much about the second one, more about the first one. So are there really no solutions to combine both features on one port?

Or is there some workaround for the ports? Could I, for example, redirect subdomain.domain.com:80 to domain.com:x where x is the port of Node.js? Would that be possible and solve my problem? This solution was given in this Programmers.SE answer, but how would I go about implementing it?

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You could proxy all requests to node.js through the Apache (using mod_proxy), so you won't have any troubles will multiple open ports. This also allows to remap everything to subfolders or subdomains.

This is performance-wise not the best solution, but if you are on a shared web-space it doesn't really matter. (Shared servers usually are pretty slow, and if you get a larger user base you need to move to a separate server either way sooner or later.)

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Thanks for your answer! I'm not allowed to open any ports on my shared server, not even intern, so it isn't possible (Node.js gives some error, don't remember which exactly). But I don't really bother buying a VPS. You say it's performance-wise not the best solution, then what would be better? :) or is there nothing better possible except different ports?
If you proxy through Apache you'll technically loose most of the benefits of node.js's event loop. If you buy an VPS could use nginx.
Okay! So that would be a better option; could you elaborate on how to do that (or a link would be fine too)?
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As @TheHippo said you can do this with Apache's mod_proxy.

nGinx however may act faster especially if you're running PHP >= 5.4 with FastCGI. nGinx is also a better forwarding proxy than apache and it's event based model is in line with Node's event based I/O. With the propper setup this could mean better overall performance.

If you're in a restricted environment (like shared server or no ability to change the webserver) then you should go with Apache and mod_proxy.

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How can we run php on nginx server then @Borslav Sabev?

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