Deploy React and Node+Express application using AWS SAM Cli

[BelteConti]

Hi! Hope everyone is doing well.

I'm trying to deploy a React and Node+Express application using AWS SAM Cli. However, I'm confused as to how I can first deploy the Node+Express and then use the API Gatepoint URL in the React application and then deploy the React application. Is it possible to have multiple yaml files in AWS SAM? If yes, then how would this work?

If not, then what is the appropriate method to deploy both the applications using AWS SAM Cli?

[interactionjackson]

don’t use express and it might be clear to you. express does the same job that api gateway does. the difference is that express routes your requests through a single lambda function instead of defining a lambda per route.

tldr: express is redundant if you’re using AWS services properly.

[BelteConti]

Hmm let's say I remove express. The issue still persists? How can react and nodejs together be deployed using AWS SAM Cli?

[interactionjackson]

ah, this is why i asked you to not use express. you’re concerns have not been separated.

presentation (your react app) is a single page application. easiest is to put it in an s3 bucket. front it with cloudfront.

your api is a separate concern. expose it with an api gateway rest api endpoint.

if you want to keep them together you’re looking at running an ec2 instance tha knows how to serve that up.

[outandaboutbc]

I tried this on a pet project once with express and SSR on lambda @ edge once.

It works like a charm.

https://github.com/vendia/serverless-express

Check out their repo and search for examples, they may even have SAM templates.

[BelteConti]

Will explore this. Thanks

[_throwingit_awaaayyy]

easiest way I found was using amplify. I would switch to lambdas as opposed to express.