Setting Up Continuous Deployment for a NestJS Application on Azure

In the ever-evolving world of software development, continuous deployment (CD) has emerged as a key practice that helps teams deliver high-quality code swiftly and efficiently. If you're working with a NestJS application and looking to deploy it on Microsoft Azure, this guide will walk you through the entire process. We'll cover everything from the basics of continuous deployment to detailed, actionable steps you can follow to set up your NestJS application on Azure.

What is Continuous Deployment?

Continuous deployment is a software development practice where code changes are automatically deployed to production after passing automated tests. This approach minimizes manual intervention, reduces errors, and accelerates the delivery of features and fixes to users.

Why Use Continuous Deployment?

• Faster Release Cycles: Automating the deployment process allows teams to release updates more frequently.
• Reduced Risk: Smaller, incremental changes are easier to test and rollback if issues arise.
• Increased Collaboration: Developers can focus on writing code instead of worrying about deployment logistics.

Use Cases for NestJS Applications on Azure

NestJS is a progressive Node.js framework for building efficient, reliable, and scalable server-side applications. Its modular structure makes it particularly well-suited for microservices architecture. Here are some specific scenarios where deploying a NestJS application on Azure with continuous deployment is beneficial:

• Microservices Architecture: When building microservices, you can deploy each service independently.
• Real-Time Applications: Applications like chat services or notifications can benefit from quick and reliable updates.
• API-Driven Development: Continuous deployment is ideal for developing and maintaining APIs that require frequent updates.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the setup process, ensure you have the following:

• An Azure account (you can sign up for a free account).
• Node.js and NestJS installed on your local machine.
• A version control system like Git.
• Familiarity with basic Azure services, particularly Azure App Services.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Continuous Deployment for a NestJS Application on Azure

Step 1: Create Your NestJS Application

If you haven’t already created a NestJS application, you can do so by running the following command:

npm i -g @nestjs/cli
nest new my-nest-app
cd my-nest-app

This command will scaffold a new NestJS application in a folder named my-nest-app.

Step 2: Push Your Code to a Git Repository

Next, initialize a Git repository and push your code to a remote repository like GitHub or Azure Repos.

git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git remote add origin <your-repo-url>
git push -u origin master

Step 3: Set Up Azure App Service

1. Create an App Service:
2. Log in to the Azure portal.
3. Click on "Create a resource" and select "Web App".

4. Fill in the details such as Subscription, Resource Group, and App Name. Choose a runtime stack that supports Node.js.

5. Configure Deployment:

6. In the "Deployment" section, select "GitHub" as your deployment source.
7. Authorize Azure to access your GitHub account and select the repository you created earlier.

Step 4: Configure Continuous Deployment

1. Set Up GitHub Actions: Azure App Service supports GitHub Actions for CI/CD. In your repository, create a .github/workflows/azure-deploy.yml file.

name: Azure Node.js App Service CI/CD

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - master

jobs:
  build-and-deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest

    steps:
    - name: Checkout code
      uses: actions/checkout@v2

    - name: Set up Node.js
      uses: actions/setup-node@v2
      with:
        node-version: '14'

    - name: Install dependencies
      run: npm install

    - name: Build the application
      run: npm run build

    - name: Deploy to Azure Web App
      uses: Azure/webapps-deploy@v2
      with:
        app-name: <your-app-name>
        publish-profile: ${{ secrets.AZURE_WEBAPP_PUBLISH_PROFILE }}

1. Add Azure Publish Profile:
2. In the Azure portal, navigate to your App Service.
3. Under "Deployment Center", select "Get publish profile" and download the file.
4. In your GitHub repository settings, go to "Secrets" and create a new secret named AZURE_WEBAPP_PUBLISH_PROFILE, pasting the content of the publish profile.

Step 5: Test the Deployment

Push a new commit to your master branch to trigger the deployment:

git commit --allow-empty -m "Trigger deployment"
git push origin master

After a few moments, your NestJS application should be live on Azure! You can access it via <your-app-name>.azurewebsites.net.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Build Failures: Check the GitHub Actions logs for any build errors. Ensure that the Node.js version in your workflow file matches the version you are using locally.
• Environment Variables: If your application relies on specific environment variables, make sure to configure them in the Azure portal under "Configuration".
• Database Connections: If your application connects to a database, verify that the connection string is correct and that the database is accessible.

Conclusion

Setting up continuous deployment for a NestJS application on Azure can significantly enhance your development workflow. By automating the deployment process, you can focus more on coding and less on the logistics of deployment. With the steps outlined in this guide, you should be well on your way to implementing a robust CI/CD pipeline that fits your needs. Happy coding!