Migrating a Drupal Node.js website from localhost to web server Due to specific website feature requirements, which do not seem to be possible in Drupal 7 without Node.js integration, I am strongly considering to integrate Drupal 7 with Node.js modules offering real time interactivity. I understand the basic concepts however I have never actually used Node.js on a website before. I have installed Node.js on my computer under Program Files (Windows) and begun testing the integration with a test website on localhost (WAMP).

My concern is for when I later will need to migrate a client's website to an actual web server. I would like to ask those who have had some experience with such Drupal/Node.js integration, what is a streamlined workflow for migration. For example, I am wondering if Node.js should be installed into the same folder as the website directory instead of Program Files, so that when testing is finished I will be able to ftp the entire website directory with the Node.js installation without needing to reinstall Node.js and reconfigure everything. I am not sure if copying everything over would work or if Node.js needs to be installed again separately on the web server?

I would like to get a clearer understanding of this process before I make the leap into Node.js integration with future client websites. I believe Node.js integration introduces some great new features however it could potentially be a giant can of worms if not handled properly.
The typical NodeJS setup usually involves a Linux server and a nginx web server/proxy that delegates the requests to the application running on a specific/semi-random unprivileged port. In other words, nginx will have a site declaration (vhost) for your Drupal and a another site declaration for your NodeJS application. Your NodeJS application runs in the backgrounds and listens for requests from nginx.

NodeJS itself is usually installed through the Linux distribution's packaging system, similarly to PHP.

On the filesystem, I would treat the two applications as separate projects, in two separate directories on the server. It's pretty rare to find developers who have a good understanding both Drupal/PHP and NodeJS, so keeping it separate will make it easier for other people eventually working on that project to familiarize themselves with the environment.