No Docker Required: Installing NodeDR POS Natively on Windows and Debian

Introduction

NodeDR POS started as a Docker Compose stack — clone the repo, run ./install.sh, done. That's still the most-used path, and it still works unmodified on any VPS if you'd rather manage the register remotely. But a shop counter machine usually isn't run by someone comfortable with Docker, so NodeDR POS now also ships as a native installer for Windows and Debian/Ubuntu — no containers, no terminal, no Node.js to install by hand. All three paths run the same code and land at the same place: http://<machine>:1994.

Windows 10/11

The Windows installer is a standard .exe — download it, run it, and it installs the app under Program Files as two Windows services rather than a program you have to remember to open. One service runs the backend (API, database, printer access), the other runs the frontend web server, and both are set to start automatically at boot, before anyone logs in — which is the point on a till that needs to be ready the moment the shop opens.

The installer also configures Windows Firewall: it adds an allow rule for the web port (1994) so a counter tablet or phone on the shop's LAN can reach the register, and an explicit block rule for the internal API port — the browser only ever talks to the API through the web server's own proxy, never directly.

Because the installer isn't yet code-signed, Windows SmartScreen shows a "Windows protected your PC" warning the first time it runs. Clicking More info → Run anyway proceeds with the install; this is a one-time step tied to the installer's download reputation, not a sign anything is wrong.

Once installed, an nodedr-pos command-line tool is available for day-to-day operation:

nodedr-pos open       :: open the POS (starts services if stopped)
nodedr-pos doctor     :: check services, port, and database
nodedr-pos status
nodedr-pos backup     :: online, crash-safe copy of the database
nodedr-pos logs       :: open the log folder

Uninstalling removes the services but keeps the database by default — a silent uninstall never deletes shop data, and the uninstaller asks separately if you actually want it gone.

Debian and Ubuntu

The same idea applies to the .deb package: sudo apt install ./nodedr-pos-latest-amd64.deb sets the app up as a systemd service instead of a Docker container, with the matching nodedr-pos doctor|backup|restore|logs CLI. It's been built and tested on Debian 13 and Ubuntu 24.04.

What's shared across all three installs

Whichever path you pick — Windows service, Debian systemd unit, or Docker container — the app behaves identically: the same GST-inclusive pricing, loyalty, udhaar dues, and returns logic, and the same USB thermal-printer support out of the box on Linux via the kernel's usblp transport, with no separate driver install.

Full build-from-source steps, exactly what gets installed where, and troubleshooting for each platform are documented in the GitHub repository under packaging/ — .deb details in packaging/README.md, Windows details in packaging/windows/README.md.

FAQ

Do I still need Docker to run NodeDR POS?

No. Docker Compose is still supported and is the original, most-used deployment path, but Windows and Debian/Ubuntu now have native installers that need neither Docker nor Node.js.

Why does Windows show a warning when I run the installer?

The installer isn't code-signed yet, so SmartScreen shows a reputation warning on first download. Choose More info → Run anyway to proceed — the installer itself is unaffected by this.

Does uninstalling NodeDR POS delete my sales data?

No. A silent uninstall never deletes the database; the interactive uninstaller asks separately whether to remove shop data.

Can I still reach the register from a phone or tablet on the same network?

Yes, on all three install paths — the app runs on http://<machine>:1994, and on Windows the installer opens that port on the firewall specifically for LAN access.