How to integrate online editors into your own website on Node.js

Overview

This example will help you integrate ONLYOFFICE Docs into your web application on Node.js.

The integration examples are used to demonstrate document editors functions and the ways to connect Document Server to your own application. DO NOT USE these examples on your own server without PROPER CODE MODIFICATIONS! If you enabled any of the test examples, disable it before going for production.

Important security info

Please keep in mind the following security aspects when you are using test examples:

  • There is no protection of the storage from unauthorized access since there is no need for authorization.
  • There are no checks against parameter substitution in links, since the parameters are generated by the code according to the pre-arranged scripts.
  • There are no data checks in requests of saving the file after editing, since each test example is intended for requests only from ONLYOFFICE Document Server.
  • There are no prohibitions on using test examples from other sites, since they are intended to interact with ONLYOFFICE Document Server from another domain.

For Windows

Step 1. Install ONLYOFFICE Docs

Download and install ONLYOFFICE Docs (packaged as Document Server).

See the detailed guide to learn how to install Document Server for Windows.

Step 2. Download the Node.js code for the editors integration

Download the Node.js example from our site.

To connect the editors to your website, specify the path to the editors installation and the path to the storage folder in the config/default.json file:

  1. "storageFolder": "./files"
  2. "storagePath": "/files"
  3. "siteUrl": "https://documentserver/"

where the documentserver is the name of the server with the ONLYOFFICE Document Server installed, the storageFolder and storagePath are the paths where files will be created and stored. You can set an absolute path. For example, D:\\folder. Please note that on Windows OS the double backslash must be used as a separator.

If you want to experiment with the editor configuration, modify the parameters in the \views\editor.ejs file.

Step 3. Install Node.js environment

Install the node.js environment which is going to be used to run the Node.js project. Please follow the link at the official website choosing the correct version for your Windows OS (32-bit or 64-bit).

Step 4. Run the Node.js code

We will run the code in Node.js runtime environment and will interact with it using the command line interface (cmd).

  1. Launch the Command Prompt and switch to the folder with the Node.js project code, for example:

    cd /d “C:\Node.js Example”

  2. Node.js comes with a package manager, node package manager (npm), which is automatically installed along with Node.js. To run the Node.js code, install the project modules using the following npm command:

    npm install

    A new node_modules folder will be created in the project folder.

  3. Run the project using the Command Prompt:

    node bin/www

  4. See the result in your browser using the address:

    http://localhost:3000

Step 5. Check accessibility

In case the example and Document Server are installed on different computers, make sure that your server with the example installed has access to the Document Server with the address which you specify instead of documentserver in the configuration files. Make sure that the Document Server in its turn has access to the server with the example installed with the address which you specify instead of example.com in the configuration files.

If you integrated the editors successfully the result should look like the demo preview on our site.

For Linux

Step 1. Install ONLYOFFICE Docs

Download and install ONLYOFFICE Docs (packaged as Document Server).

See the detailed guide to learn how to install Document Server for Linux.

Step 2. Install the prerequisites and run the website with the editors

  1. Install Node.js:

    curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup\_14.x | sudo -E bash -

    sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

  2. Download the archive with the Node.js example and unpack the archive:

    wget https://api.onlyoffice.com/app\_data/editor/Node.js%20Example.zip

    unzip Node.js\ Example.zip

  3. Change the current directory for the project directory:

    cd Node.js\ Example/

  4. Install the dependencies:

    npm install

  5. Edit the default.json configuration file. Specify the name of your local server with the ONLYOFFICE Document Server installed.

    nano config/default.json

    Edit the following lines:

    1. "storageFolder": "./files"
    2. "storagePath": "/files"
    3. "siteUrl": "https://documentserver/"

    where the documentserver is the name of the server with the ONLYOFFICE Document Server installed, the storageFolder and storagePath are the paths where files will be created and stored. Please note that you must have read and write permissions to the folder. If you do not have them, please use the next command:

    1. sudo chmod -R ugo+rw /{path}
  6. Run the project with Node.js:

    node bin/www

  7. See the result in your browser using the address:

    http://localhost:3000

Step 3. Check accessibility

In case the example and Document Server are installed on different computers, make sure that your server with the example installed has access to the Document Server with the address which you specify instead of documentserver in the configuration files. Make sure that the Document Server in its turn has access to the server with the example installed with the address which you specify instead of example.com in the configuration files.

If you integrated the editors successfully the result should look like the demo preview on our site.