Server Deployment

Server-mode Astro sites need a runtime to handle requests. The adapter (chapter 6 lesson) targets a specific runtime. Deployment varies per host.

With Vercel / Netlify / Cloudflare

If you used npx astro add vercel|netlify|cloudflare, deployment is the same as static — push to GitHub, host detects Astro, deploys.

The build:

• Generates static assets (prerendered pages, images, CSS)
• Generates the server function(s) for dynamic routes

Each host’s UI lets you set environment variables per environment.

Node Standalone

@astrojs/node with mode: "standalone" builds a Node server you run directly:

npm run build
node ./dist/server/entry.mjs

Behind a reverse proxy (nginx, Caddy), this works fine on any VPS. You’re responsible for process management (PM2, systemd) and SSL.

Docker

Astro plays well with Docker. A simple Dockerfile:

FROM node:20-slim AS build
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci
COPY . .
RUN npm run build

FROM node:20-slim
WORKDIR /app
COPY --from=build /app/dist ./dist
COPY --from=build /app/node_modules ./node_modules
COPY --from=build /app/package.json ./package.json
ENV HOST=0.0.0.0 PORT=8080
EXPOSE 8080
CMD ["node", "./dist/server/entry.mjs"]

Environment Variables

Set them in the host’s UI (Vercel/Netlify) or your container runtime. Don’t commit them.

For typed env, the astro:env schema (chapter 6) gives you build-time validation — missing required vars fail the build, not runtime.

Edge Considerations

Cloudflare Workers and Vercel Edge are restricted runtimes:

• No fs
• Limited Node compat
• 10–30 MB bundle limits
• Some packages (image processing, native modules) won’t work

If you need full Node, pick a Node target rather than edge.

Up Next

Where to go after the fundamentals.