Anyone interested in creating a course or sharing advice for website development with ottodev and bolt.new

General
1

As a former Wordpress developer I wonder how to deploy the app and install a payment gateway as Stripe, an Email server and webhooks for make.com? Can anyone help? I asked ChatGPT but you know how that is :slight_smile:

2

Hey you will probably require atleast a little to some expertise with coding itself but most things can be figured out easily using your picked services (strpe, make and etc…) documentations and some youtube searches / or chatgpt convos to help and further enhance your understanding of upcoming issues and how to resolve them… anyway i wrote this little action-plan that might help you atleast get some kind of outline with some tips and things to look out for…

1. Deploy Your Web App

Action Steps:

  1. Pick a Hosting Platform:
    Use Vercel or Netlify for free and beginner-friendly hosting. These platforms handle most of the hard stuff for you (like servers and configuration).

    • Go to Vercel or Netlify and sign up.
    • Connect your GitHub project to deploy your app in a few clicks.

  2. Test Locally Before Deploying:
    Run your app locally to ensure it works:

    npm run dev  # or similar command

    Fix any bugs before deploying.

Why This Is Important:
You need to host your app online so users can access it. Hosting platforms like Vercel make deployment quick and easy, especially for beginners.

Watch Out For:

  • Use .env files for sensitive data (e.g., API keys). Never hard-code these in your app!
  • Check your app works in production (deployed) the same as locally.

2. Add Stripe for Payments

Action Steps:

  1. Sign Up for Stripe:
    Go to Stripe and create an account. Get your API keys from the dashboard.

  2. Add Stripe to Your App:

    • Install Stripe in your backend:
      npm install stripe
    • Set up a simple payment endpoint:
      const stripe = require('stripe')('your-secret-key');

app.post('/create-payment', async (req, res) => {
    const session = await stripe.checkout.sessions.create({
        payment_method_types: ['card'],
        line_items: [{
            price_data: { currency: 'usd', product_data: { name: 'Your Product' }, unit_amount: 1000 },
            quantity: 1,
        }],
        mode: 'payment',
        success_url: 'https://yourdomain.com/success',
        cancel_url: 'https://yourdomain.com/cancel',
    });
    res.json({ id: session.id });
});

  3. Test Payments:
    Use Stripe’s test mode with fake card numbers (e.g., 4242 4242 4242 4242).

Why This Is Important:
Stripe handles payments securely and provides tools for easy setup. It’s beginner-friendly but powerful enough for advanced use later.

Watch Out For:

  • Use Stripe’s Test Mode to avoid real charges while developing.
  • Store API keys securely using .env files.

3. Set Up Email

Action Steps:

  1. Choose an Email Service:
    Sign up for SendGrid or Mailgun (both free for small usage). These services send emails reliably.

  2. Install an Email Library:
    For Node.js, use nodemailer:

    npm install nodemailer

  3. Send an Email:
    Use this example to send emails:

    const nodemailer = require('nodemailer');

const transporter = nodemailer.createTransport({
    service: 'gmail',
    auth: { user: 'your-email@gmail.com', pass: 'your-email-password' },
});

const mailOptions = {
    from: 'your-email@gmail.com',
    to: 'recipient@example.com',
    subject: 'Welcome!',
    text: 'Thanks for signing up!',
};

transporter.sendMail(mailOptions, (err, info) => {
    if (err) return console.error(err);
    console.log('Email sent:', info.response);
});

Why This Is Important:
You’ll need emails for things like receipts, user signups, or notifications. Services like SendGrid are easier and more reliable than setting up your own mail server.

Watch Out For:

  • Use secure App Passwords if using Gmail.
  • Test emails with tools like Mailtrap.io.

4. Add Webhooks for Automation (Make.com)

Action Steps:

  1. Understand Webhooks:
    Webhooks send or receive data automatically when something happens (e.g., Stripe sends a webhook when a payment is successful).

  2. Set Up a Webhook Endpoint:
    Add a route to your backend:

    app.post('/webhook', (req, res) => {
    console.log('Webhook received:', req.body);
    res.sendStatus(200);
});

  3. Connect to Make.com:

    • In Make.com, create a webhook.
    • Use a tool like ngrok to expose your local server to the internet:
      ngrok http 3000
    • Provide the ngrok URL to Make.com as your webhook URL.

  4. Test the Webhook:
    Trigger the webhook and check if your app receives data.

Why This Is Important:
Webhooks let you automate actions like updating records or notifying users when something happens.

Watch Out For:

  • Use HTTPS for production webhooks (ngrok handles this for testing).
  • Verify incoming webhooks to ensure they’re legitimate.

5. Test Everything Together

Action Steps:

  1. Test Each Component Individually:

    • Is the app loading correctly online?
    • Do payments work in test mode?
    • Are emails being sent?
    • Do webhooks trigger as expected?

  2. Combine Components:

    • Try making a payment and ensure the webhook triggers and sends an email confirmation.

  3. Deploy to Production:

    • Use live credentials (e.g., Stripe Live Keys) and ensure HTTPS is enabled.

Why This Is Important:
Testing ensures everything works together before your users interact with the app.

Watch Out For:

  • Don’t forget to switch API keys and endpoints from test to live mode before launching.

Final Tips for Beginners:

  • Start Small: Focus on one feature at a time (e.g., just payments) before adding complexity.
  • Use Documentation: Refer to official docs for tools like Stripe, SendGrid, and Make.com.

Good Luck and have fun!
-Kxnny

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