How to Host a Web Application Using DigitalOcean Apps

When it comes to hosting a web application, DigitalOcean Apps provides a convenient and hassle-free solution. In this tutorial, I will guide you through the process of hosting your app using DigitalOcean Apps.

DigitalOcean is a well-known player in the VPS space, and you can check out my tutorial on how to create your first VPS on DigitalOcean for more information.

While Heroku is often a popular choice for hosting web applications, DigitalOcean Apps presents an alternative option. With DigitalOcean Apps, you can simply push your app to a GitHub repository and let the DigitalOcean team handle everything else, including server management, security, updates, and maintenance.

Although hosting your app on DigitalOcean Apps may come at a slightly higher cost compared to running your own server, it saves you precious time and allows you to focus solely on your app. Depending on your situation, you can decide which resource is more valuable to you.

Before making a decision, you can always test out DigitalOcean Apps. Let’s walk through the DigitalOcean Apps workflow together.

1. Visit the DigitalOcean Apps page at https://cloud.digitalocean.com/apps/.

2. Click the “Launch Your App” button.

3. At this point, you have two options: deploy an app from a GitHub repository or launch a demo app. For the purpose of this tutorial, we will choose the “Launch a Demo App” option.

4. Select your desired language or framework. In this example, we will go with Ruby on Rails, but the process is the same for other tools and frameworks.

5. Choose a name for your app, select a deployment region, and specify the branch you want to use (the default is usually “main”).

6. Next, you will be presented with the app configuration page. This page allows you to define various settings such as the type of app (typically “Web Service”), the HTTP request path, environment variables, build commands, and the HTTP port to run on.

7. If your app requires a database, you can add one starting at an additional $7 per month.

8. Once you have configured all the necessary settings, click “Next” and choose the plan that suits your needs. DigitalOcean Apps offers different plans, starting with the free option for hosting static sites. For server-rendered applications, the Basic plan at $5 per month or the Pro plan at $12 per month are available.

9. Review the final price and make sure it aligns with your selection. If everything looks good, click the “Launch Basic App” (or applicable) button.

10. The interface will switch to the app dashboard, and the build process will commence.

11. After the build is complete, you will receive a “Deployed successfully!” message.

12. Click on the “Live App” link to see your app in action.

The app dashboard provides access to various useful screens, allowing you to monitor CPU and memory consumption, view deployment logs, and even access the app server through a console. Additionally, you can modify app configurations, scale your app, and perform other management tasks.

If you decide to stop running the app and cease paying for it on DigitalOcean, simply click the “Destroy” button.

Hosting your web application on DigitalOcean Apps offers a straightforward and hassle-free experience. Give it a try today and see how it simplifies the process of deploying and managing your apps.

Tags: DigitalOcean, Web Application Hosting, DigitalOcean Apps, Deployment, Server Management