Deploying an AdonisJS Backend on Render

Introduction

Render is a cloud platform that makes it easy to deploy and manage web applications. In this blog post, we'll walk you through the steps to deploy an AdonisJS backend application to Render. AdonisJS is a Node.js framework inspired by Laravel, designed to provide a robust and scalable foundation for building web applications.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have the following:

  • A working AdonisJS application: Ensure you have an AdonisJS application ready to deploy.
  • A Render account: Sign up for a Render account if you don't have one already.
  • A Git repository: Ensure your AdonisJS application is version-controlled in a Git repository (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).

Step 1: Prepare Your AdonisJS Application

  1. Install Dependencies:
    • Ensure all dependencies are installed and up-to-date.
    • Run the following command in your project directory:
      • npm install
  2. Environment Variables:
    • Create a .env file in the root of your project if it doesn't already exist.
    • Add necessary environment variables, such as database credentials and other configurations.
    • Example .env file:
      • HOST=0.0.0.0
            PORT=8080
            APP_KEY=your_app_key
            DATABASE_CLIENT=mysql
            DATABASE_CONNECTION=mysql
            DATABASE_HOST=db
            DATABASE_PORT=3306
            DATABASE_USER=root
            DATABASE_PASSWORD=your_password
            DATABASE_NAME=your_database
  3. Database Setup:
    • If your application uses a database, ensure it is set up and accessible.
    • You can use Render's managed databases or an external database service.

Step 2: Create a Dockerfile

  1. Create a Dockerfile:
    • Create a Dockerfile in the root of your project to containerize your AdonisJS application.
    • Example Dockerfile:
      • # Use the official Node.js image from the Docker Hub
            FROM node:14

            # Set the working directory
            WORKDIR /app

            # Copy the package.json and package-lock.json files
            COPY package*.json ./

            # Install the dependencies
            RUN npm install

            # Copy the rest of the application code
            COPY . .

            # Expose the port the app runs on
            EXPOSE 8080

            # Start the application
            CMD ["node", "ace", "serve", "--watch"]

Step 3: Set Up Render

  1. Create a New Web Service:
    • Log in to your Render account.
    • Click on the "New" button and select "Web Service".
    • Choose "Docker" as the environment.
    • Connect your Git repository (GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket).
    • Select the branch you want to deploy (usually main or master).
  2. Configure the Environment:
    • Set the environment variables in the Render dashboard.
    • Add the same environment variables you defined in your .env file.
    • Example environment variables:
      • HOST: 0.0.0.0
      • PORT: 8080
      • APP_KEY: your_app_key
      • DATABASE_CLIENT: mysql
      • DATABASE_CONNECTION: mysql
      • DATABASE_HOST: db
      • DATABASE_PORT: 3306
      • DATABASE_USER: root
      • DATABASE_PASSWORD: your_password
      • DATABASE_NAME: your_database
  3. Set the Build Command:
    • In the "Build Command" field, enter:
      • npm install
    • In the "Start Command" field, enter:
      • node ace serve --watch
  4. Add a Managed Database (Optional):
    • If your application uses a database, you can add a managed database in Render.
    • Click on "New" and select "Managed Database".
    • Choose the database type (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL).
    • Follow the prompts to set up the database.
    • Once the database is set up, update the environment variables in your web service to use the database connection details provided by Render.

Step 4: Deploy the Application

  1. Deploy the Application:
    • After configuring the web service, click the "Create Web Service" button.
    • Render will build and deploy your application.
    • You will receive a URL where your application is live.
  2. Verify the Deployment:
    • Open the URL provided by Render in your web browser to verify that your AdonisJS application is running.
    • Test the endpoints to ensure everything is working as expected.

Step 5: Continuous Deployment (Optional)

  1. Set Up Continuous Deployment:
    • In the Render dashboard, go to the "Branches" tab of your web service.
    • Enable automatic deploys for the branch you want to monitor (e.g., main).
    • This will automatically deploy your application whenever you push changes to the specified branch.

Conclusion

Deploying an AdonisJS backend application to Render is a straightforward process that can significantly simplify your deployment workflow. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can easily set up and deploy your AdonisJS application to Render, ensuring it is accessible and performant.

Feel free to explore more features and dive deeper into Render and AdonisJS to optimize your deployment and application performance. Happy coding!