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Deploy a Next.js App with Postgres

deploymentnextjsreactfullstackfrontendpostgres

Next.js is a React framework for building full-stack web applications. It handles server-side rendering, static generation, API routes, and routing.

This guide covers how to deploy a Next.js app to Railway and connect it to a Postgres database:

  1. One-click deploy from a template.
  2. From a GitHub repository.
  3. Using the CLI.
  4. Using a Dockerfile.
  5. Add a Postgres database.

Create a Next.js App

Note: If you already have a Next.js app locally or on GitHub, you can skip this step and go straight to Deploy the Next.js App to Railway.

To create a new Next.js app, ensure that you have Node installed on your machine.

Run the following command in your terminal to create a new Next.js app:

Follow the prompts to configure your app. The defaults work well for most projects.

Run the Next.js App locally

cd into the directory and start the development server:

Open your browser and go to http://localhost:3000 to see your app.

Deploy the Next.js App to Railway

Railway offers multiple ways to deploy your Next.js app, depending on your setup and preference.

One-Click Deploy from a Template

If you're looking for the fastest way to get started, the one-click deploy option is ideal.

Click the button below to begin:

Deploy on Railway

We highly recommend that you eject from the template after deployment to create a copy of the repo on your GitHub account.

Note: You can also choose from a variety of Next.js app templates created by the community.

Deploy from the CLI

  1. Install the Railway CLI:

  2. Initialize a Railway Project:

    • Run the command below in your Next.js app directory.
    • Follow the prompts to name your project.
    • After the project is created, click the provided link to view it in your browser.

  3. Configure for Standalone Output:

    Next.js needs to produce a standalone build for self-hosted deployment. Add the output option to your next.config.ts (or next.config.js) file:

    next.config.ts

    Then update the start script in package.json to serve the standalone server:

    package.json

    Note: Railway uses Railpack (or Nixpacks) to build and deploy your code with zero configuration. The Node provider will pick up the start script in package.json and use it to serve the app.

  4. Deploy the Application:

    • Use the command below to deploy your app:
    • This command will scan, compress and upload your app's files to Railway. You'll see real-time deployment logs in your terminal.
    • Once the deployment completes, go to View logs to check if the service is running successfully.

  5. Set Up a Public URL:

    • Navigate to the Networking section under the Settings tab of your new service.
    • Click Generate Domain to create a public URL for your app.

Deploy from a GitHub Repo

To deploy a Next.js app to Railway directly from GitHub, follow the steps below:

  1. Create a New Project on Railway:
    • Go to Railway to create a new project.
  2. Configure for Standalone Output:
  3. Deploy from GitHub:
    • Select Deploy from GitHub repo and choose your repository.
      • If your Railway account isn't linked to GitHub yet, you'll be prompted to do so.
  4. Deploy the App:
    • Click Deploy to start the deployment process.
    • Once deployed, a Railway service will be created for your app, but it won't be publicly accessible by default.
  5. Verify the Deployment:
    • Once the deployment completes, go to View logs to check if the server is running successfully.
  6. Set Up a Public URL:
    • Navigate to the Networking section under the Settings tab of your new service.
    • Click Generate Domain to create a public URL for your app.

Use a Dockerfile

  1. Create a Dockerfile in your Next.js app's root directory.

  2. Add the content below to the Dockerfile:

    Note: This Dockerfile requires output: "standalone" in your next.config.ts as described in step 3 of the CLI guide.

  3. Either deploy via the CLI or from GitHub.

Railway automatically detects the Dockerfile, and uses it to build and deploy the app.

Note: Railway also supports deployment from public and private Docker images.

Add a Postgres database

Next.js apps that use API routes or server actions often need a database. Railway lets you add Postgres to your project in a few clicks.

Provision the database

  1. Open your project on Railway.
  2. Click + New on the project canvas and select Database → PostgreSQL.
  3. Railway provisions the database and exposes connection variables (DATABASE_URL, PGHOST, PGPORT, PGUSER, PGPASSWORD, PGDATABASE) in the database service.

Connect your Next.js service to Postgres

  1. Click on your Next.js service in the project canvas.
  2. Go to the Variables tab.
  3. Click Add Reference Variable and select DATABASE_URL from the Postgres service.
    • This creates a reference variable that stays in sync if the database credentials change.
  4. Redeploy the service for the new variable to take effect.

Your app can now read DATABASE_URL from process.env to connect to Postgres. Most ORMs and query builders (Prisma, Drizzle, Knex) use this variable automatically.

Run migrations with a pre-deploy command

If your project uses an ORM that requires migrations (for example, Prisma or Drizzle), configure a pre-deploy command so migrations run before the new version starts serving traffic.

  1. In your Next.js service on Railway, go to Settings → Deploy → Pre-deploy Command.
  2. Set the command to your migration script. For example:
    • Prisma: npx prisma migrate deploy
    • Drizzle: npx drizzle-kit migrate
  3. Railway runs this command in a separate container with access to your service's environment variables, including DATABASE_URL.

Note: The pre-deploy container does not have access to volumes. If your migration process requires file system state beyond what is in the build image, handle that in the build step instead.

Next steps

Explore these resources to learn how you can maximize your experience with Railway: