Deno on Fly

We’ve been working with Deno for Fly for a while and its great blend of TypeScript, V8, Rust and simplicity makes for a great app experience. And great apps deserve a great deployment. We enjoy Deno so much that when we brought out our first cloud na

Dj Walker-Morgan
6 min readintermediate
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Overview

The article discusses deploying Deno applications on Fly, highlighting the advantages of using Dockerfiles over buildpacks for better control and performance. It provides a step-by-step guide on building and deploying a Deno application using Docker, along with practical insights and best practices.

What You'll Learn

1

How to deploy Deno applications using Dockerfiles

2

Why using Dockerfiles can lead to smaller image sizes and faster build times

3

How to test Docker images locally before deployment

Prerequisites & Requirements

  • Basic understanding of Docker and containerization concepts
  • Docker installed on your local machine
  • Familiarity with Deno and TypeScript(optional)

Key Questions Answered

What are the benefits of using a Dockerfile for Deno applications?
Using a Dockerfile provides complete control over the packaging of applications, allowing for optimized image sizes and faster build times compared to buildpacks, which make various assumptions that can lead to larger images.
How can I test my Docker image locally before deploying it?
To test your Docker image locally, run the commands 'docker build -t deno-test .' followed by 'docker run -p 8080:8080 deno-test'. This allows you to verify the application functionality at 'http://localhost:8080'.
What is the process to deploy a Deno application on Fly?
To deploy a Deno application on Fly, first create a new app using 'flyctl init', which sets up the necessary configuration. Then, use 'flyctl deploy' to build and push the Docker image to Fly's platform, where it will be deployed to a datacenter.

Technologies & Tools

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Key Actionable Insights

1
Utilizing Dockerfiles for Deno applications can significantly enhance deployment efficiency.
By having control over the Dockerfile, developers can customize their build process, leading to smaller and faster images, which is crucial for performance-sensitive applications.
2
Testing your Docker image locally is essential before deployment.
This step ensures that any issues can be identified and resolved early, preventing deployment failures and enhancing the reliability of your application.
3
Using the 'deps.ts' file in Deno helps manage dependencies effectively.
This file allows developers to pin specific versions of dependencies, ensuring consistency across different environments and reducing potential issues during deployment.

Common Pitfalls

1
Neglecting to include a .dockerignore file can lead to bloated Docker images.
Including unnecessary files in the Docker image increases its size and can expose sensitive information. Always specify files and directories to ignore to keep the image lean.

Related Concepts

Docker Best Practices
Deno Application Architecture
Containerization Techniques