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Deployment Architecture

WhatsApp Team Inbox consists of three main components that need to be deployed:

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Components

Frontend

Next.js 14 application served via Vercel, Netlify, or self-hosted

Backend

Express.js API server on Railway, Heroku, or VPS

Database

PostgreSQL database on Railway, AWS RDS, or managed service

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Deployment Options

1

Frontend on Vercel

  • Zero configuration deployment
  • Automatic HTTPS
  • Global CDN
  • Cost: Free tier available
2

Backend on Railway

  • Easy deployment from GitHub
  • Automatic scaling
  • Built-in PostgreSQL
  • Cost: ~$5-25/month
3

Database on Railway

  • Managed PostgreSQL
  • Automatic backups
  • Connection pooling
  • Included with backend

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Option 2: Cloud Provider (AWS/GCP/Azure)

1

Frontend

  • AWS Amplify / Google Cloud Run / Azure Static Web Apps
  • Full control over configuration
  • Cost: Pay-as-you-go
2

Backend

  • AWS ECS / Google Cloud Run / Azure Container Apps
  • Container-based deployment
  • Cost: ~$20-100/month
3

Database

  • AWS RDS / Cloud SQL / Azure Database
  • Fully managed
  • Cost: ~$15-50/month

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Option 3: Self-Hosted (VPS)

1

VPS Provider

DigitalOcean, Linode, or Vultr
  • Full control
  • Cost: ~$10-40/month
2

Setup

  • Install Node.js, PostgreSQL, Nginx
  • Configure reverse proxy
  • Setup SSL with Let’s Encrypt

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Pre-Deployment Checklist

Database created and accessible
Environment variables configured
WhatsApp Business API account created
Email service (Resend) account created
Domain name registered
SSL certificate obtained
DNS configured
Webhook URLs ready

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External Services Required

WhatsApp Business API

  • Free test mode (5 conversations/day)
  • Production: Pay per conversation
  • Setup time: ~1 hour

Email Service (Resend)

  • 3,000 emails/month free
  • Domain verification required
  • Setup time: ~30 minutes

Database (PostgreSQL)

  • Railway: $5/month
  • AWS RDS: ~$15/month
  • Setup time: ~15 minutes

Push Notifications

  • Free (using Web Push API)
  • VAPID keys required
  • Setup time: ~5 minutes

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Environment Variables

You’ll need to configure these for production: 
# Application
NODE_ENV=production
PORT=4000
FRONTEND_URL=https://your-domain.com

# Database
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://...

# Authentication
JWT_SECRET=...
SESSION_SECRET=...

# WhatsApp
WHATSAPP_ACCESS_TOKEN=...
WHATSAPP_PHONE_NUMBER_ID=...
WHATSAPP_VERIFY_TOKEN=...

# Push Notifications
VAPID_PUBLIC_KEY=...
VAPID_PRIVATE_KEY=...
VAPID_SUBJECT=mailto:support@...

# Email
RESEND_API_KEY=...
EMAIL_FROM=noreply@...
See Environment Variables Guide for complete list
# API Endpoints
NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=https://api.your-domain.com
NEXT_PUBLIC_WS_URL=wss://api.your-domain.com

# App Configuration
NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=https://your-domain.com
NEXT_PUBLIC_ENV=production

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Security Considerations

Never commit .env files to version control. Use your hosting provider’s secret management.

HTTPS Only

All traffic must use HTTPS in production

Secure Cookies

Set COOKIE_SECURE=true in production

CORS Configuration

Whitelist only your frontend domain

Rate Limiting

Configure appropriate limits for your use case

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Deployment Steps

1

Setup External Services

  • Configure WhatsApp Business API
  • Setup Resend for emails
  • Create PostgreSQL database
2

Configure Environment Variables

  • Add all required env vars to hosting provider
  • Generate secrets (JWT, VAPID keys)
  • Test database connection
3

Deploy Backend

  • Push to GitHub/GitLab
  • Connect to Railway/Heroku
  • Run database migrations
  • Verify API health endpoint
4

Deploy Frontend

  • Configure env vars in Vercel
  • Connect GitHub repository
  • Deploy and verify build
5

Configure Webhooks

  • Set WhatsApp webhook URL
  • Verify webhook connection
  • Test message reception
6

Testing

  • Send test WhatsApp message
  • Test push notifications
  • Verify email sending
  • Check all features work

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Post-Deployment

Monitoring

Setup monitoring and alerting

Backups

Configure automated database backups

SSL Renewal

Ensure auto-renewal is configured

Scaling

Plan for horizontal scaling if needed

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Cost Estimates

Monthly costs for a small team (100 conversations/day):
ServiceProviderCost
FrontendVercel$0 (free tier)
BackendRailway$5-20
DatabaseRailwayIncluded
WhatsApp APIMeta$50-200
EmailResend$0 (free tier)
DomainNamecheap$10/year
SSLLet’s EncryptFree
Total~$60-230/month

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Next Steps

WhatsApp Setup

Configure WhatsApp Business API

Email Setup

Setup Resend for email notifications

Security

Implement security best practices

Monitoring

Setup monitoring and alerts