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Deployment

Deployment in the tech world is akin to preparing for a grand evening out. Much like selecting the perfect attire and accessories for a special occasion, your application requires the finest deployment practices to stand out in the vast digital realm.

As part of your assessment, you're expected to deploy your application for usability.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Deployment Platforms: Understand the various deployment platforms and the unique advantages each provides.

  2. Environment Configuration: Master techniques for securely handling environment variables to protect your application's sensitive data.

  3. Continuous Deployment: Grasp the principles of continuous deployment to simplify the update process for your application.

  4. Domain Management: Comprehend the procedure to procure a custom domain and recognise the significance of safeguarding it with HTTPS.

  5. Error Handling: Efficiently tackle unexpected errors and challenges, ensuring your application's consistent functionality.

  6. Scaling: Prepare for potential surges in user traffic by learning how to optimally scale your application.

  7. Rollbacks: Familiarise yourself with methods of reverting to a prior version of your application if post-update complications arise.

Deploying as a Monolith

By default, this codebase is structured as a monorepo. However, if you opt for a monolithic deployment, follow these steps:

  1. Serve Frontend via Backend: Adjust your backend to serve your React frontend. After finalising your React frontend, execute the npm run build command from the frontend directory to create a static build, which can then be served by Express.

    app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, "../frontend/build")));

app.get("*", (req, res) => {
  res.sendFile(path.join(__dirname, "../frontend/build", "index.html"));
});

  2. Unified Build Script: Incorporate a single command to activate both your frontend and backend. Integrate this into the package.json located at the root of this codebase.

    "scripts": {
    "build": "npm run build --prefix packages/frontend && npm run build --prefix packages/backend"
}

Upon adding this to the package.json, execute npm run build from the codebase root.

Useful Tools & Resources

  • Monolithic vs. Microservices: Grasp the distinctions before initiating deployment. This article offers a comprehensive overview.
  • Deployment Checklists: Always beneficial! Here's one for Heroku and DigitalOcean.

Additional Steps

  • Testing Before Deployment: Prior to deployment, conduct a complete set of unit tests to confirm everything is in order.
npm test

  • Monitoring and Logging: Utilise tools such as Loggly or Datadog to supervise the app's performance and detect potential issues promptly.

  • Backup: Always back up your database and application before deploying, especially major updates. Most cloud platforms provide uncomplicated backup solutions.

Deployment Tips

  1. Environment Configuration: Safeguard your environment variables. Platforms like Heroku are ideal for securely setting and managing them.

  2. Deployment Platforms: Acquaint yourself with platforms such as Heroku, DigitalOcean App Platform, and AWS Elastic Beanstalk for application deployment.

  3. Database Management: Maintain your association with MongoDB Atlas, and ensure your IP whitelist settings are configured to permit connections from your app's hosting platform.

  4. Post-Deployment Checks: Following deployment, meticulously test your application and ensure HTTPS is enabled for heightened security.

Practical Tips

  • "Works on My Machine" Syndrome: It's a common phenomenon where things operate flawlessly on a local setup but malfunction in production. Everyone faces this at times, and refining debugging skills can be invaluable.

  • Feedback Loop: Advocate for a robust feedback mechanism for the deployed app. User insights can reveal unforeseen issues.

  • Version Control: For every deployment, tag your codebase in your version control system (like git). This aids in easier rollbacks and troubleshooting.

  • Traffic Management: Should your application witness increased popularity, consider delving into Load Balancers and CDNs for an enhanced user experience.

Final Thoughts

Though deployment marks a crucial milestone, it isn't the journey's end. The path ahead involves continuous learning, improvements, and iterations. View challenges as avenues for growth.

You're equipped and ready! Elevate your application's potential. 🚀🎉