How should we setup our database (MongoDB) and backend (Express) so that everyone can access the database remotely?

Question

The Problem

I am student assigned to a project to create a rudimentary social media app. We are planning to use Flutter to build the app and we are going to use MongoDB and Express for the database and API respectively. The goal is to be able to use continuous integration for our project through Fastlane and GitLab .

Initially, I thought to put the API and Flutter in separate Docker containers and to host the database on my desktop, but I realize that might not be the best solution.

The Question(s)

How should we setup the database and the server that we all have access to the same data in a database? Basically, how should we best set up our project environment to work as team, in terms of:

• hosting the database?
• setting up Express and Flutter for continuous integration?

Answer 1

If you are using MongoDB just set up a cluster on Atlas it's free as long as it's a relatively small application (up to 500MB). After you sign up, you will create a cluster, and then Atlas will give you instructions on how to connect to that cluster using node.js.

Basically all you do is throw in the link to your cluster with your configured password in your database connection link. This is all in the cloud so you can access it from anywhere after you whitelist the IP's that will be accessing it remotely. (alternatively you can whitelist all IP's which is the easier way of doing things it's just A LOT less secure.) but it's an okay option for a school project.

You can then use Heroku to host your app which allows for a custom server setup like you will have with Express.

You will need to use dotenv for heroku as well as securing your database link and password, so read up on that as well.