This guide walks you through deploying a Dockerized Node.js application with Prisma migrations on Digital Ocean's App Platform. We'll cover database setup, app deployment, and automated migrations.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• A Docker image pushed to Docker Hub (public or private)
• A Digital Ocean account
• Basic knowledge of Docker and Prisma

1. Set up a Database Cluster

First, let's create a managed PostgreSQL database:

1. Navigate to Managed Databases in your Digital Ocean dashboard
2. Create a new database cluster:
   • Choose the lowest tier for cost optimization
   • Select PostgreSQL as the database type
3. Important: Do not add "Trusted Sources" yet, as this will prevent the API service from connecting during the initial deployment
4. Copy the connection string from the cluster settings - you'll need this later
5. Wait a few minutes for the cluster to become ready before proceeding

Note: We'll secure the database with trusted sources later in the process.

2. Deploy Your App via App Platform

Create the Application

1. Go to App Platform and click Create App
2. Choose Deploy from a container registry
3. Select Docker Hub as your registry
4. Configure your container:
   • Image name: your-docker-username/your-app-name:latest
   • Authentication: Only required for private repositories (use username and token)

Configure Environment Variables

Set up your environment variables:

• SERVER_URL: Use the dynamic variable ${APP_URL}
• DATABASE_URL: Paste the connection string from your database cluster
• Add any other required environment variables

Set the Correct Port

Change the default port to match your application's configuration (e.g., port 5001).

Click Save to deploy your application.

3. Handle Database Migrations

After deployment, your app will start successfully, but any Prisma-dependent endpoints will fail because the database tables don't exist yet. You have several options to handle migrations:

Option A: Manual Migrations ❌

Manually connecting to the database to run migrations is not recommended for production environments.

Option B: Auto-migrations on App Start ⚠️

While you could modify your Dockerfile to run migrations on startup, this approach has drawbacks:

• Race conditions: Multiple instances might try to run migrations simultaneously
• Scaling issues: Not suitable for horizontally scaled applications
• Production concerns: Even with Prisma's migration locks, this isn't ideal for production

Option C: Separate Migration Service ✅ Recommended

Create a dedicated migration job that runs before your app starts.

4. Create a Migration Job

Add the Migration Job

1. Go back to your App Platform application
2. Click Add Resources → Create resources from source code
3. Choose Container Image and select Jobs
4. Configure the job:
   • Image: Use the same Docker image as your main app
   • Tier: Choose the cheapest option (migrations are lightweight)
   • Environment Variables: Add DATABASE_URL with your database connection string

Configure Job Trigger

In the Job Trigger section:

• Select Before every deploy

• Build command: Override the default Dockerfile command with:

  npx prisma migrate deploy

This command tells Digital Ocean to run Prisma migrations instead of starting the application.

Click Save to create the job.

5. Final Deployment

Digital Ocean will now redeploy your application with the following sequence:

1. Migration job runs first: Applies any pending database migrations
2. Main app starts: Only after migrations complete successfully
3. Failure handling: If migrations fail, the deployment stops and the app won't start

Monitor the deployment logs to verify everything works correctly.

6. Test Your Application

Health Check

Test the basic functionality:

GET /api/health

Expected response: 200 OK with a success message.

Database Operations

Try creating a new user or performing other database operations to confirm Prisma is working correctly.

7. Secure Database Connection (Recommended)

Attach Database to App

1. In App Platform, go to your application
2. Click Add Resources → Create or attach Database
3. Select Attach existing DO database
4. Choose your running database cluster
5. Select the appropriate database name and user
6. Add the API app as a trusted source
7. Click Attach Database

Update Environment Variables

After the deployment completes:

1. Main App: Replace the hardcoded DATABASE_URL with the dynamic variable:

   ${db-postgresql-nyc3-25166.DATABASE_URL}

2. Migration Job: Update the DATABASE_URL environment variable with the same dynamic reference

This setup provides:

• ✅ Secure database connections
• ✅ Automated migrations
• ✅ Proper separation of concerns
• ✅ Production-ready deployment pipeline

Important Notes

• Environment Variables: Digital Ocean environment variables don't include trailing slashes
  • Example: CLIENT_URL = "https://your-app.pages.dev"
• Consistency: Apply the same URL format when setting VITE_SERVER_URL in other platforms like Cloudflare

Conclusion

You now have a fully functional Digital Ocean setup with:

• A running API service
• Managed PostgreSQL database with secure connections
• Automated migration capabilities
• Production-ready deployment pipeline

This architecture ensures your database schema stays synchronized with your application deployments while maintaining security and reliability.