How to server nodeJS / react app from base location? - node.js

Question

I am trying to configure a nodeJS express app which handles a react static build to run from a location inside my VPS (nginx).
So far I have managed to configure the location like this:
added path in webpack build:
output: {
path: path.join(__dirname, '/client/public/dist/'),
filename: 'main.js',
publicPath: "/location/",
},
added the path to the express server:
app.use("/location/", express.static(path.join(__dirname, './client/public/dist/')))
added the location to the react router, to each route
added the location to the nginx proxy_pass:
location /location{
proxy_pass http://localhost:5002/location;
}
The issue I am facing is that if I have a subpath (e.g. /location/page1), if I refresh the browswer I get the error cannot get /location/page1
I have tried to modify the express server as app.use("/location/*", ) or app.use("*"),
but the I get Uncaught SyntaxError: Unexpected token '<'
Is this an issue with index.html? Is there any simpler way to run the app from a location route?

Answer 1

location /location/ {
rewrite ^/location/(.*) /$1 break;
proxy_pass http://localhost:5008/yourPath/;
}
Do not add * path in express, but add the path like above as I have shown in your Nginx file, I have tried this in Nginx itself for my projects.
Here /location/ can be anything of your choice where users can see but in the proxy pass, it should be exactly where you are serving through your application, for example, the route facing the user i.e /location/ can be /test/ that's what users see but after that, the routes can be your /location from where your application is served.
Do let me know if you have ambiguity in understanding the solution I can show you a demo and explain. Thank you.