I'm just starting out on my first website, which is currently running on localhost. It features a **Next.js** frontend and a **Python Flask** backend. Now, I'm eager to deploy it but am feeling a bit lost regarding the steps involved.
1. **Do I have to buy a domain?** If yes, what's the best process to do so?
2. **How do my frontend and backend communicate once they're deployed?** I've heard that they'll be running separately and I'm unsure how they'll interact through a domain.
Are there any **free resources** for deploying both the frontend and backend? Also, any tips on setting up domain communication between the two would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance for the help!
5 Answers
Just pick a web hosting company that supports Python and Next.js. After signing up, you can FTP your code to the server's public HTML directory, and it should work just like it did on localhost.
No need to buy a domain right away! You can use an IP address, or most budget web hosting services offer a free subdomain, like `example.mybudgethost.com`.
As for frontend and backend communication, they'll keep talking just like they do on localhost. You'll simply replace 'localhost' with the IP address or hostname of your deployed service.
For free deployment resources, check out [free-for.dev](https://free-for.dev) for some great options.
There's definitely more to consider, especially regarding user data. Are you planning on handling sensitive information? If not, it's simpler. If your current setup only takes inputs and displays outputs, that's a good start!
Your frontend and backend can share the same domain but use different ports to distinguish them. Just make sure your server is set up to handle that.
You might want to look into Google Cloud's free e2-micro instance. It's a good option for deploying your app without immediate costs.
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