The October Fly Changelog: Preview Disks and DNS and Better Builtins

Disks in Preview If your application needs to have persistent storage, then the currently in preview volumes feature is for you. The volumes command allows you to create persistent disks for your application. These persist between restarts, deployment

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Fly.io
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Dj Walker-Morgan
•3 min read•intermediate•
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Overview

The October Fly Changelog introduces persistent storage in preview for Fly applications, enhanced builtin configurations, and a new watch mode for app status updates. This update aims to improve the flexibility and usability of the Fly platform for developers.

What You'll Learn

1

How to create persistent disks for Fly applications using the volumes command

2

Why using environment variables in the fly.toml file can simplify configuration management

3

How to utilize the --watch flag for automatic app status updates

Key Questions Answered

What is the new persistent storage feature in Fly applications?
The new persistent storage feature allows Fly applications to utilize persistent disks that remain intact across restarts, deployments, and app suspensions. This feature is currently in preview and can be accessed using the volumes command.
How can environment variables be set in Fly applications?
Environment variables can now be set directly in the fly.toml file, allowing for better organization and avoiding the overuse of the secrets feature. This new section is documented in the Fly configuration reference.
What improvements have been made to builtins in Fly?
The latest updates to builtins include enhanced configurability, allowing developers to set permissions in the Deno builtin builder and enable HTTPS auto-upgrading and logging in the static web server.
How does the new status watching feature work in Fly?
The new --watch flag allows users to automatically poll the status of their applications every 5 seconds, providing regular updates without the need for manual status checks.

Technologies & Tools

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Backend
Deno
Used in the builtin builder for Fly applications, allowing for enhanced permission settings.
Platform
Fly
The platform where the new features and updates are implemented.

Key Actionable Insights

1
Leverage the new volumes command to implement persistent storage in your Fly applications, ensuring that your data remains intact across restarts and deployments.
This is particularly useful for applications that require data persistence, such as databases or stateful services, enhancing reliability and user experience.
2
Utilize the environment variables section in the fly.toml file to streamline your application configuration, making it easier to manage settings without cluttering the secrets feature.
This approach simplifies the configuration process and helps maintain a clean and organized codebase.
3
Adopt the --watch flag in your workflow to automate status checks of your applications, saving time and reducing the need for repetitive commands.
This feature is beneficial during development and monitoring phases, allowing for real-time updates on application health.

Common Pitfalls

1
Overloading the secrets feature in Fly can lead to confusion and mismanagement of sensitive data.
To avoid this, developers should utilize the new environment variables section in the fly.toml file for non-sensitive configurations.