How to Deploy Java Spring Boot Application on Shared cPanel (Without Terminal Access)

Many developers want to deploy a Java Spring Boot project on shared cPanel hosting, but face a challenge:

• Shared hosting is optimized for PHP apps (WordPress, Laravel, etc.).
• Java apps require JVM, custom ports, and sometimes Tomcat, which is rarely supported in shared hosting.

This guide explains possible methods to run a Spring Boot application on shared cPanel without SSH/terminal access.

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✅ Step 1: Verify Java Support in Your Hosting

1. Log in to your cPanel account.
2. In the search bar, type “Java” or “Tomcat”.
   • If you see Tomcat Manager / Java Selector / Application Manager, then your hosting supports Java.
   • If not, you will have to use a workaround method (explained in Step 5).

⚠️ Note: Not all shared hosting providers allow Java. If your provider doesn’t support it at all, you will need VPS or specialized Java hosting.

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✅ Step 2: Build Your Spring Boot Application

On your local machine, package your Spring Boot project:

1. For Maven: mvn clean package
2. For Gradle: ./gradlew build

• If your project is configured with: <packaging>war</packaging> → You will get a WAR file inside target/yourapp.war.
• If packaging is default → You will get a JAR file inside target/yourapp.jar.

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✅ Step 3: Upload Application to cPanel

1. Go to cPanel → File Manager.
2. Navigate to a directory, e.g., /home/username/javaapp/.
3. Upload your WAR/JAR file here.

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✅ Step 4: Deploy via Tomcat (If Available in cPanel)

If your hosting supports Tomcat:

1. Open cPanel → Tomcat Applications / Java Applications.
2. Click Deploy WAR.
3. Select your uploaded yourapp.war.
4. After deployment, your app will be available at: https://yourdomain.com/yourapp/ (Or at root if mapped by your host.)

This is the cleanest way to run Spring Boot on shared hosting.

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✅ Step 5: Deploy JAR File Using Cron Jobs (No Tomcat Available)

If your host does not provide Tomcat, but allows Java execution:

1. Create a startup script
   On your local system, create a file named start.sh with the following content: #!/bin/bash cd /home/username/javaapp/ nohup java -jar yourapp.jar > app.log 2>&1 &
   • This will start your Spring Boot app in the background.
   • nohup ensures it runs even after the cron job finishes.
   • app.log will contain logs for debugging.
2. Upload the script
   Upload start.sh to your javaapp folder in cPanel File Manager.
3. Set file permissions
   In File Manager → right-click start.sh → Permissions → make it executable (usually 0755).
4. Run script via Cron Job
   • Go to cPanel → Cron Jobs.
   • Add a new cron job with command: sh /home/username/javaapp/start.sh
   • Set it to run once (or at reboot if available).
5. Access your app
   • By default, Spring Boot runs on port 8080.
   • Shared hosts often block custom ports, so you may need to ask your hosting provider to map your domain/subdomain to your app’s port (reverse proxy).
   • Example: yourdomain.com → maps to → serverIP:8080

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✅ Step 6: (Optional) Create Stop Script

To stop your app if needed, create a stop.sh:

#!/bin/bash
pkill -f 'yourapp.jar'

Upload it and run it via cron job when required.

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✅ Step 7: Limitations of Shared Hosting

1. Custom Ports Restricted → You may not get direct access without reverse proxy support.
2. No Root/Terminal Access → You cannot install or manage JVM versions yourself.
3. Resource Limits → Shared servers may kill heavy apps (Spring Boot apps use more memory than PHP).
4. Not Ideal for Production → For long-term stable hosting, use VPS/Cloud.

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✅ Step 8: Best Alternatives

If your provider doesn’t support Java:

• Or use a cheap VPS ($5/month) from Yash Host.
• Deploy with NGINX/Apache reverse proxy for production-grade setup.

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🎯 Conclusion

Yes, it is possible to deploy a Spring Boot app on shared cPanel without terminal access, but with limitations.

• Best Case: Use Tomcat in cPanel and deploy a WAR file.
• Workaround: Use cron jobs to run your Spring Boot JAR.
• Recommended for Production: Use VPS or Java-optimized hosting for full stability.