Deploying Full Stack Applications
Your application works locally. Now you want others to use it. Deployment means putting your code on a server that's accessible from the internet. For full stack applications, this involves hosting your backend, frontend, and database.
What You Need to Deploy
A full stack application requires:
- Server runtime: Something to run your Python or Node.js code
- Database: A place to store your data persistently
- Environment variables: Configuration for production
- A URL: So users can access your application
Modern platforms bundle all of this together, making deployment much simpler than it used to be.
Platform Options
Several platforms specialize in making deployment easy:
Railway and Render detect your language automatically, provide databases with one click, and handle environment variables through a dashboard.
Fly.io offers more control and global distribution but requires slightly more configuration.
Heroku pioneered this space and remains popular, though it no longer has a free tier.
For learning projects, Railway and Render's free tiers are excellent starting points.
The Deployment Process
Most platforms follow a similar workflow:
- Connect your GitHub repository
- Platform detects your language and framework
- Add a database (usually one click)
- Set environment variables in the dashboard
- Platform builds and deploys your code
- You get a live URL
When you push new code to GitHub, the platform automatically rebuilds and redeploys.
What Your Project Needs
Platforms need hints about how to run your application. For Python, you typically need:
requirements.txt: Lists your dependencies so the platform can install them.
Procfile (sometimes): Tells the platform how to start your app: web: python app.py
Ask AI: "What files do I need to add to deploy my Flask app to Railway?" You'll get specific instructions for your setup.
Frontend Hosting Options
You have two choices for your frontend:
Same server: Your Flask or Express app serves the HTML/CSS/JS files. Simpler setup, one URL for everything.
Separate hosting: Frontend on Netlify or Vercel, backend on Railway. More complex but can be faster and cheaper for static files.
For learning projects, serving everything from your backend is simpler. As your application grows, separating them offers more flexibility.
After Deployment
Once deployed, monitor your application:
- Check logs for errors
- Test all features on the live URL
- Verify database operations work
- Make sure environment variables are set correctly
Your first deployment rarely works perfectly. Read the error messages, check the logs, and iterate.