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Deploying a Photon App

Introduction

Photon is an open-source web experience platform for fast, interactive sites and APIs. Deploying Photon with a Dockerfile on Klutch.sh provides reproducible builds, managed secrets, and persistent storage for uploads and logs—all configured from klutch.sh/app. This guide covers installation, repository prep, a production-ready Dockerfile, deployment steps, Nixpacks overrides, sample API usage, and production tips.

Prerequisites

  • A Klutch.sh account (sign up)
  • A GitHub repository containing your Photon Dockerfile (GitHub is the only supported git source)
  • Optional database (PostgreSQL/MySQL) deployed as a Klutch.sh TCP app on port 8000
  • Domain and TLS for secure access

For onboarding, see the Quick Start.

Architecture and ports

  • Photon serves HTTP on internal port 3000; choose HTTP traffic.
  • Persistent storage is recommended for uploads and logs.

Repository layout

photon/
├── Dockerfile              # Must be at repo root for auto-detection
├── package.json
├── pnpm-lock.yaml          # or yarn.lock / package-lock.json
├── .env.example            # Template only; no secrets
└── src/                    # Application source

Keep secrets out of Git; store them in Klutch.sh environment variables.

Installation (local) and starter commands

Validate locally before pushing to GitHub:

Terminal window
pnpm install
pnpm build
pnpm start -- --port 3000

Optional helper start.sh:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail
exec pnpm start -- --port "${PORT:-3000}"

Make it executable with chmod +x start.sh.

Dockerfile for Photon (production-ready)

Place this Dockerfile at the repo root; Klutch.sh auto-detects it (no Docker selection in the UI):

FROM node:18-alpine AS build
WORKDIR /app


COPY package.json pnpm-lock.yaml* yarn.lock* package-lock.json* ./
RUN corepack enable
RUN pnpm install --frozen-lockfile


COPY . .
RUN pnpm build


FROM node:18-alpine
WORKDIR /app
ENV NODE_ENV=production PORT=3000


COPY --from=build /app /app
RUN corepack enable && pnpm install --prod --frozen-lockfile


EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["pnpm", "start", "--", "--port", "3000"]

Notes:

  • Add build tools (apk add --no-cache python3 make g++) if native modules are required.
  • Keep upload and log directories writable and mount them as volumes.

Environment variables (Klutch.sh)

Set these in Klutch.sh before deploying:

  • NODE_ENV=production
  • PORT=3000
  • APP_URL=https://example-app.klutch.sh
  • Optional DB: DATABASE_URL=postgres://<user>:<password>@<host>:5432/<db> or MySQL equivalent
  • Optional storage paths: UPLOAD_DIR=/app/uploads, LOG_DIR=/app/logs
  • Any provider/API keys your Photon setup requires

If you deploy without the Dockerfile and need Nixpacks overrides:

  • NIXPACKS_BUILD_CMD=pnpm install --frozen-lockfile && pnpm build
  • NIXPACKS_START_CMD=pnpm start -- --port 3000
  • NIXPACKS_NODE_VERSION=18

Attach persistent volumes

In Klutch.sh storage settings, add mount paths and sizes (no names required):

  • /app/uploads — user-uploaded assets.
  • /app/logs — optional logs if stored on disk.

Ensure these paths are writable inside the container.

Deploy Photon on Klutch.sh (Dockerfile workflow)

  1. Push your repository—with the Dockerfile at the root—to GitHub.
  2. Open klutch.sh/app, create a project, and add an app.
  3. Select HTTP traffic and set the internal port to 3000.
  4. Add the environment variables above, including DB (optional), storage paths, and any API keys.
  5. Attach persistent volumes for /app/uploads (and /app/logs if used) sized for your content and retention needs.
  6. Deploy. Your Photon instance will be reachable at https://example-app.klutch.sh; attach a custom domain if desired.

Sample API usage

Health check:

Terminal window
curl -X GET "https://example-app.klutch.sh/api/health"

Create a resource (example):

Terminal window
curl -X POST "https://example-app.klutch.sh/api/resources" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"title":"Hello from Photon on Klutch.sh"}'

Health checks and production tips

  • Add an HTTP probe to /api/health or / for readiness.
  • Enforce HTTPS at the edge; forward internally to port 3000.
  • Keep database credentials and API keys in Klutch.sh secrets; rotate them regularly.
  • Monitor storage usage on /app/uploads; resize before it fills.
  • Pin image versions and test upgrades in staging; back up DB and uploads before updates.

Photon on Klutch.sh combines reproducible Docker builds with managed secrets, persistent storage, and flexible HTTP/TCP routing. With the Dockerfile at the repo root, port 3000 configured, and optional database connected, you can deliver fast, secure web experiences without extra YAML or workflow overhead.