Strapi gives you many possible deployment options for your project or application. Strapi can be deployed on traditional hosting servers or services such as Heroku, AWS, Azure and others. The following documentation covers how to develop locally with Strapi and deploy Strapi with various hosting options.
If you are passing a number of configuration item values via environment variables which is always encouraged for production environment to keep application stateless, checkout the section for [Dynamic Configuration](../configurations/configurations.md#dynamic-configurations). Here is a hint on how to do it for production, for the configuration mentioned above:
If you want to host the administration on another server than the API, [please take a look at this dedicated section](../advanced/customize-admin.md#deployment).
This is a step-by-step guide for deploying a Strapi project to [Digital Ocean](https://www.digitalocean.com/). Databases can be used locally on the server or hosted externally as a service. Prior to starting this guide, you should have created a [Strapi project for development](/3.x.x/getting-started/quick-start.html) that can be pushed to the Digital Ocean server.
Digital Ocean calls a virtual private server, a [Droplet](https://www.digitalocean.com/docs/droplets/). You need to create a new `Droplet` to host your Strapi project.
1. Log in to your [Digital Ocean account](https://cloud.digitalocean.com/login).
2.`Create a Droplet` by clicking on `New Droplet`. Choose these options:
- Ubuntu 18.04 x64
- STARTER `Standard`
- Pricing: \$5/mo _(Scroll to the left)_
- Choose a datacenter region nearest your audience, for example, `Frankfurt`.
- Select additional options:`[x] IPv6`
- Add your SSH key **NOTE:** We recommend adding your SSH key
- Copy to your clipboard, your existing SSH public key with `pbcopy < ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub`.
- Click on `New SSH Key` and paste in your `SSH Key`. Name this key and Save.
Additional instructions on creating and using SSH Keys can be found [here](https://www.digitalocean.com/docs/droplets/how-to/add-ssh-keys/create-with-openssh/).
Follow the official [Digital Ocean docs for initial server set-up using Ubuntu 18.04](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/initial-server-setup-with-ubuntu-18-04). These steps will have you complete the following actions:
6. You will install `Node.js` using the instructions in section `Install Node using a PPA`. Strapi works best on **Node.js v10+**. Follow the official [Digital Ocean docs for installing a production ready Node.js server](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-node-js-on-ubuntu-18-04).
After completing the steps to **install Node.js, NPM and the build-essential package**, you may continue to the next section.
### Install Git versioning on your server
A convenient way to maintain your Strapi application and update it during and after initial development is to use [Git Versioning](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-About-Version-Control). In order to use Git Versioning, you will need to have Git installed on your Droplet. Droplets should have Git installed by default, so you will check and if not installed, you will need to install it.
1. Check to see if `Git` is installed, if you see a `git version 2.x.x` then you have get installed. Check with the following command:
```bash
git --version
```
2. There are two parts to this step:
- Installing Git - **NOTE:** Only do if not installed, as above.
- [Setting up Git](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-git-on-ubuntu-18-04#setting-up-git)
Please follow these directions on [how to install Git on Ubuntu 18.04](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-git-on-ubuntu-18-04).
After installing and configuring Git on your Droplet. Please continue to the next step, [installing the database](#install-the-database-for-your-project).
Digital Ocean has excellent documentation regarding the installation and use of the major databases that work with Strapi. The previous steps above should all be completed prior to continuing. You can find links, and any further instructions, to each database guide below:
1. [Install PostgresSQL on Ubuntu 18.04](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-and-use-postgresql-on-ubuntu-18-04).
- In order to connect to a PostgreSQL database with Strapi, it needs either to have a password, or specifically to have stated there is no password by noting a empty string. Follow these commands from your terminal to `alter` the `user` you created and `add a password`:
**Note:** The `pg` package is automatically installed locally if you choose `PostgreSQL` as the initial database choice when you first set-up Strapi.
You will need the **database name**, **username** and **password** to continue to the next step of [configuring that database.json file](#local-development-configuration).
- You must have [Git installed and set-up locally](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-First-Time-Git-Setup).
- You must have created a repository for your Strapi Project and have your development project initilized to this repository.
In your code editor, you will need to edit a file called `database.json`. Replace the contents of the file with the following, but change the `username`, `password` and `database` to match your installation.
Next, navigate to the `my-project` folder, the root for Strapi. You will now need to run `sudo npm install` to install the packages for your project, and then `sudo npm run postinstall`. This last command runs scripts that build out your Strapi installation.
`Path: ./my-project/`
```bash
sudo npm install && sudo npm run postinstall
```
Strapi uses `Port: 1337` by default. You will need to configure your `ufw firewall` to allow access to this port:
```bash
sudo ufw allow 1337/tcp
```
Your Strapi project is now installed on your **Droplet**. You will next need to [install and configure PM2 Runtime](#install-and-configure-pm2-runtime).
### Install and configure PM2 Runtime
[PM2 Runtime](https://pm2.io/doc/en/runtime/overview/?utm_source=pm2&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=rebranding) allows you to keep your Strapi project alive and to reload it without downtime. You will want to install it globally:
```bash
sudo npm install pm2@latest -g
```
Use the following command to set the environment variable to production and start `pm2`:
```bash
sudo NODE_ENV=production pm2 start --name="strapi" server.js -i max
```
Your `Strapi` project is now accessible at: `your-ip-address:1337/admin`, in the sections to follow, are a few recommended additional actions to make developing your project more effecient and to set-up a few additional aspects of your server.
This is a step-by-step guide for deploying a Strapi project to [Heroku](https://www.heroku.com/). Databases that work well with Strapi and Heroku are provided instructions on how to get started.
If you plan to use **MongoDB** with your project, [refer to the create a Strapi project with MongoDB section of the documentation](/3.x.x/guides/databases.html#install-mongodb-locally) then, jump to step 4.
**Note:** When you use `--quickstart` to create a Strapi project locally, a **SQLite database** is used which is not compatible with Heroku. Therefore, another database option [must be chosen](#_6-heroku-database-set-up).
(You can use `heroku create custom-project-name`, to have Heroku create a `custom-project-name.heroku.com` URL. Otherwise, Heroku will automatically generating a random project name (and URL) for you.)
Your local development environment is now set-up and configured to work with Heroku. You have a new Strapi project and a new Heroku app ready to be configured to work with a database and with each other.
Below you will find database options when working with Heroku. Please choose the correct database (e.g. PostgreSQL, MongoDB, etc.) and follow those instructions.
Follow these steps to deploy your Strapi app to Heroku using **PostgreSQL**:
##### 1. Install the [Heroku Postgres addon](https://elements.heroku.com/addons/heroku-postgresql) for using Postgres.
To make things even easier, Heroku provides a powerful addon system. In this section, you are going to use the Heroku Postgres addon, which provides a free "Hobby Dev" plan. If you plan to deploy your app in production, it is highly recommended to switch to a paid plan.
`Path: ./my-project/`
```bash
heroku addons:create heroku-postgresql:hobby-dev
```
##### 2. Retrieve database credentials
The add-on automatically exposes the database credentials into a single environment variable accessible by your app. To retrieve it, type:
This should print something like this: `DATABASE_URL: postgres://ebitxebvixeeqd:dc59b16dedb3a1eef84d4999sb4baf@ec2-50-37-231-192.compute-2.amazonaws.com: 5432/d516fp1u21ph7b`.
Strapi expects a variable for each database connection configuration (host, username, etc.). So, from the url above, you have to set several environment variables in the Heroku config:
(Using Strapi and MongoDB requires different set-up and different configuration steps. You cannot use `--quickstart` to develop a `MongoDB` Strapi project.)
Please follow these steps the **deploy a Strapi app with MongoDB on Heroku**.
When you [set-up your MongoDB Atlas database](/3.x.x/guides/databases.html#install-on-atlas-mongodb-atlas) you created and noted the five key/value pairs that correspond to your **MongoDB Atlas** database. These five keys are: `DATABASE_NAME`, `DATABASE_USERNAME`, `DATABASE_PASSWORD`, `DATABASE PORT`, and `DATABASE_HOST`.
Strapi expects a variable for each database connection detail (host, username, etc.). So, from **MongoDB Atlas**, you have to set the environment variables in the Heroku config (for **DATABASE_HOST** you need to surround the URL with **""**, and set **DATABASE_PORT** to nothing):
The deployment may take a few minutes. At the end, logs will display the url of your project (e.g. `https://mighty-taiga-80884.herokuapp.com`). You can also open your project using the command line:
`Path: ./my-project/`
```bash
heroku open
```
If you see the Strapi Welcome page, you have correctly set-up, configured and deployed your Strapi project on Heroku. You will now need to set-up your `admin user` as the production database is brand-new (and empty).
You can now continue with the [Tutorial - Creating an Admin User](/3.x.x/getting-started/quick-start-tutorial.html#_3-create-an-admin-user), if you have any questions on how to proceed.
::: warning NOTE
For security reasons, the Content Type Builder plugin is disabled in production. To update content structure, please make your changes locally and deploy again.
When Strapi is deployed to Heroku, Heroku sets the environment variable to `NODE_ENV=production`. In `production mode` Strapi disables the content-type builder (for security reasons). Additionally, if you wanted to change the default production mode in Heroku, it wouldn't work as the file system is temporary. Strapi writes files to the server when you update the content-types and these updates would disappear when Heroku restarts the server.
Therefore, modifications that require writing to model creation or other json files, e.g. creating or changing content-types, require that you make those changes on your dev environment and then push the changes to Heroku.
As you continue developing your application with Strapi, you may want to use [version control](https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/github-integration), or you can continue to use `Git push heroku master` to commit and push changes to Heroku directly.
