How I Automated My First Node.js App Deployment Using AWS App Runner

Source: Dev.to

Introduction

As someone just starting out in DevOps and cloud deployment, I wanted to challenge myself: could I automate the deployment of a Node.js app in a way that’s repeatable, efficient, and doesn’t require managing servers?

After some experimentation, I built a small project that demonstrates exactly that, and I’m sharing my journey, the tools I used, and the lessons I learned along the way.

🎯 The Goal

My goal was simple:

• Build a Node.js application
• Package it in a container
• Push it to a registry
• Deploy it automatically using a serverless service

Sounds straightforward in theory—but as a beginner, I had to learn a lot about containers, registries, and deployment services along the way.

🛠️ Tools I Used and Why

1. Node.js

Since I was already familiar with JavaScript, Node.js was an obvious choice for my application. It’s lightweight, easy to set up, and widely supported by cloud platforms.

Why: Fast to develop, easy to containerize, and perfect for small web apps.

2. Docker

Docker allowed me to package my app and its dependencies into a container, ensuring it would run the same way anywhere.

Why: Consistency across environments and seamless integration with AWS App Runner.

3. AWS Elastic Container Registry (ECR)

ECR is AWS’s container registry, similar to Docker Hub but integrated with AWS. I used it to store my Docker images before deploying.

Why: It integrates seamlessly with AWS App Runner and simplifies authentication.

4. AWS App Runner

This was my first real experience with a serverless deployment service. App Runner lets you deploy containerized apps without worrying about servers. It handles scaling, HTTPS, and load balancing automatically.

Why: Removes operational overhead and is perfect for beginners who want to focus on the app rather than infrastructure.

5. Shell Scripting (deploy.sh)

To automate the deployment, I wrote a small script that builds the Docker image, pushes it to ECR, and triggers App Runner to deploy.

Why: Automates repetitive tasks and reduces the chance of human error.

Tip: Even as a beginner, scripting these steps helped me understand the workflow better.

⚙️ How It Works

Here’s a simplified overview of the deployment pipeline I built:

1. Develop the Node.js app locally
2. Containerize the app using Docker
3. Push the Docker image to AWS ECR
4. Trigger AWS App Runner to deploy the new image
5. App Runner automatically hosts and scales the app

Even though I’m new to deployment pipelines, having this workflow in place made updating my app as simple as running a single script.

🚧 Challenges I Faced as a Beginner

• Docker authentication issues – Learning how AWS ECR login works took some trial and error.
• Understanding App Runner concepts – At first, I wasn’t sure how services, images, and deployments connect.
• Automation scripting – Writing a script that could handle errors and run in one go was tricky.

Despite these challenges, I learned a lot about containerization, cloud hosting, and deployment pipelines.

📚 What I Learned

• Automation saves time: Writing scripts for deployment is much faster than doing everything manually.
• Serverless hosting is beginner‑friendly: App Runner abstracts complex server management.
• Step‑by‑step learning works best: I started with a small Node.js app and gradually added Docker, ECR, and App Runner.

🚀 Next Steps

Now that I have a working deployment pipeline, my plans for improvement include:

• Explore CI/CD integration with GitHub Actions – Automate builds and deployments whenever code is pushed to the repository.
• Add environment variables and secrets management – Make the pipeline more secure and flexible for different environments.
• **Deploy more complex appl

Recommendations

Test the workflow with larger, multi‑service apps to gain deeper experience.

💡 Final Thoughts

Even as a beginner, building this project has given me confidence in cloud deployment and DevOps workflows.

If you’re starting out too, I highly recommend experimenting with:

• Containerized apps – Learn how to package and run applications consistently across environments.
• Serverless deployment – Focus on your app rather than managing infrastructure.

It’s both educational and rewarding, and it gives you a solid foundation to grow in DevOps and cloud engineering.