Frontend Apps

Frontend Apps#

Choose Frontend App for a public UI that must run a Node.js server after the build. It is the correct service for Next.js server rendering, Nuxt server output, Remix, and similar frontend frameworks that cannot be deployed as plain static files.

How it differs from a Static Site#

A Static Site publishes generated files such as dist, out, or build; no application server is started. A Frontend App builds your project, then supervises its production start command. The runtime verifies the configured HTTP health path before the release is ready.

If your Next.js project uses output: "export", it can be a Static Site. If it uses API routes, server components that need runtime data, middleware, image optimization, or other server features, choose Frontend App.

Configure a Node frontend#

For a typical Next.js project, the stack proposes:

Build command: npm run build
Start command: npm run start
Health path: /

Ensure the application’s start script accepts the runtime port. For example, a Next.js script can be written as next start -p $PORT. Do not use npm run build as the start command; the runtime needs a long-running server after the build completes.

Health checks#

The default health path is /. You may choose another application route that returns a successful response after startup. Keep it lightweight and ensure it does not require a user session. If the health check times out, inspect the start command and build log first, then confirm the path and PORT handling.

Deploy#

Choose the Frontend App service in New Project, connect a supported source, review the commands, and deploy. The generated public URL and deployment detail page are shown after a successful release.