Custom deployment

A Custom Deployment allows you to deploy your own Docker images, such as frontend applications, on the SettleMint platform. This feature provides flexibility for integrating custom solutions within your blockchain-based applications.

Create a custom deployment

# Create a custom deployment
settlemint platform create custom-deployment my-deployment \
  --application my-app \
  --image-repository registry.example.com \
  --image-name my-app \
  --image-tag latest \
  --port 3000 \
  --provider gcp \
  --region europe-west1

# With environment variables
settlemint platform create custom-deployment my-deployment \
  --application my-app \
  --image-repository registry.example.com \
  --image-name my-app \
  --image-tag latest \
  --env-vars NODE_ENV=production,DEBUG=false

import { createSettleMintClient } from '@settlemint/sdk-js';

const client = createSettleMintClient({
  accessToken: 'your_access_token',
  instance: 'https://console.settlemint.com'
});

const createDeployment = async () => {
  const result = await client.customDeployment.create({
    applicationId: "app-123",
    name: "my-deployment",
    imageRepository: "registry.example.com",
    imageName: "my-app",
    imageTag: "latest",
    port: 3000,
    provider: "gcp",
    region: "europe-west1",
    environmentVariables: {
      NODE_ENV: "production"
    }
  });
};

Dns configuration for custom domains

When using custom domains with your Custom Deployment, you'll need to configure your DNS settings correctly. Here's how to set it up:

1. Add Custom Domain to the SettleMint Platform:

   • Navigate to your Custom Deployment in the SettleMint platform.
   • In the manage custom deployment menu, click on the edit custom deployment action.
   • Locate the custom domains configuration section.
   • Enter your desired custom domain (e.g., example.com for top-level domain or app.example.com for subdomain).
   • Save the changes to update your Custom Deployment settings.

2. Obtain Your Application's Hostname: After adding your custom domain, the SettleMint platform will provide you with an ALIAS (for top-level domains) or CNAME (for subdomains) record. This can be found in the "Connect" tab of your Custom Deployment.

3. Access Your Domain's DNS Settings: Log in to your domain registrar or DNS provider's control panel.

4. Configure DNS Records:

   For Top-Level Domains (e.g., example.com):

   • Remove any existing A and AAAA records for the domain you're configuring.
   • Remove any existing A and AAAA records for the www domain (e.g., www.example.com) if you're using it.

   ALIAS example.com gke-europe.settlemint.com
   ALIAS www.example.com gke-europe.settlemint.com

   For Subdomains (e.g., app.example.com):

   CNAME app.example.com gke-europe.settlemint.com

5. Set TTL (Time to Live):

   • Set a lower TTL (e.g., 300 seconds) initially to allow for quicker propagation.
   • You can increase it later for better caching (e.g., 3600 seconds).

6. Verify DNS Propagation:

   • Use online DNS lookup tools to check if your DNS changes have propagated.
   • Note that DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours, although it's often much quicker.

7. SSL/TLS Configuration:

   • The SettleMint platform typically handles SSL/TLS certificates automatically for both top-level domains and subdomains.
   • If you need to use your own certificates, please contact us for assistance and further instructions.

Note: The configuration process is similar for both top-level domains and subdomains. The main difference lies in the type of DNS record you create (ALIAS for top-level domains, CNAME for subdomains) and whether you need to remove existing records.

Manage custom deployments

# List custom deployments
settlemint platform list custom-deployments --application my-app

# Get deployment details
settlemint platform read custom-deployment my-deployment

# Restart deployment
settlemint platform restart custom-deployment my-deployment

# Edit deployment
SettleMint platform edit custom-deployment my-deployment \
  --container-image registry.example.com/my-app:v2

// List deployments
const listDeployments = async () => {
  const deployments = await client.customDeployment.list("my-app");
};

// Get deployment details
const getDeployment = async () => {
  const deployment = await client.customDeployment.read("deployment-unique-name");
};

// Restart deployment
const restartDeployment = async () => {
  await client.customDeployment.restart("deployment-unique-name");
};

// Edit deployment
const editDeployment = async () => {
  await client.customDeployment.edit("deployment-unique-name", {
    imageTag: "v2"
  });
};

Limitations and considerations

When using Custom Deployment, keep the following limitations in mind:

1. No Root User Privileges: Your application will run without root user privileges for security reasons.

2. Read-Only Filesystem: The filesystem is read-only. For data persistence, consider using:

   • Hasura: A GraphQL engine that provides a scalable database solution. See Hasura.
   • Other External Services: Depending on your specific needs, you may use other cloud-based storage or database services

3. Stateless Applications: Your applications should be designed to be stateless. This ensures better scalability and reliability in a cloud environment.

4. Use AMD-based Images: Currently, our platform supports AMD-based container images. Ensure your Docker images are built for AMD architecture to guarantee smooth compatibility with our infrastructure.

Best practices

• Design your applications to be stateless and horizontally scalable
• Use environment variables for configuration to make your deployments more flexible
• Implement proper logging to facilitate debugging and monitoring
• Regularly update your container images to include the latest security patches

Custom Deployment offers a powerful way to extend the capabilities of your blockchain solutions on the SettleMint platform. By following these guidelines and best practices, you can seamlessly integrate your custom applications into your blockchain ecosystem.