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Deploy a React App

deploymentreactfrontend

React, also known as React.js or ReactJS, is a popular JavaScript library developed by Meta for building user interfaces, especially for web and native applications.

React simplifies the process of creating interactive and dynamic UIs by breaking them down into reusable components.

This guide covers how to deploy a React app to Railway in four ways:

  1. One-click deploy from a template.
  2. From a GitHub repository.
  3. Using the CLI.
  4. Using a Dockerfile.

Now, let's create a React app!

Create a React app

Note: If you already have a React app locally or on GitHub, you can skip this step and go straight to the Deploy React App on Railway.

To create a new React app, ensure that you have Node installed on your machine.

Run the following command in your terminal to create a new React app using Vite:

A new React app will be provisioned for you in the helloworld directory.

Run the React app locally

Next, cd into the directory and install the dependencies.

Start the Vite development server by running the following command:

Open your browser and go to http://localhost:5173 to see your app.

Deploy the React app to Railway

Railway offers multiple ways to deploy your React app, depending on your setup and preference.

One-click deploy from a template

If you’re looking for the fastest way to get started, the one-click deploy option is ideal. It sets up a React app with Caddy to serve the dist folder.

Click the button below to begin:

Deploy on Railway

It is highly recommended that you eject from the template after deployment to create a copy of the repo on your GitHub account.

Note: You can also choose from a variety of React app templates created by the community.

Deploy from the CLI

  1. Install the Railway CLI:
  2. Initialize a Railway Project:
    • Run the command below in your React app directory.
    • Follow the prompts to name your project.
    • After the project is created, click the provided link to view it in your browser.
  3. Deploy the Application:
    • Use the command below to deploy your app:
    • This command will scan, compress and upload your app's files to Railway. You’ll see real-time deployment logs in your terminal.
    • Once the deployment completes, go to View logs to check if the service is running successfully.
  4. Set Up a Public URL:
    • Navigate to the Networking section under the Settings tab of your new service.
    • Click Generate Domain to create a public URL for your app.
screenshot of the deployed React service

Deploy from a GitHub repo

To deploy a React app to Railway directly from GitHub, follow the steps below:

  1. Create a New Project on Railway:
    • Go to Railway to create a new project.
  2. Deploy from GitHub:
    • Select Deploy from GitHub repo and choose your repository.
      • If your Railway account isn’t linked to GitHub yet, you’ll be prompted to do so.
  3. Deploy the App:
    • Click Deploy to start the deployment process.
    • Once the deployed, a Railway service will be created for your app, but it won’t be publicly accessible by default.
  4. Verify the Deployment:
    • Once the deployment completes, go to View logs to check if the server is running successfully.
  5. Set Up a Public URL:
    • Navigate to the Networking section under the Settings tab of your new service.
    • Click Generate Domain to create a public URL for your app.

Use a Dockerfile

  1. Create a Dockerfile in the helloworld or React app's root directory.

  2. Add the content below to the Dockerfile:

    The Dockerfile will use Caddy to serve the React app.

  3. Add a Caddyfile to the app's root directory:

  4. Either deploy via the CLI or from GitHub.

Railway automatically detects the Dockerfile, and uses it to build and deploy the app.

Note: Railway supports also deployment from public and private Docker images.

This guide covers the main deployment options on Railway. Choose the approach that suits your setup, and start deploying your React apps seamlessly!

Next steps

Explore these resources to learn how you can maximize your experience with Railway: