Containers Update: Metrics, Custom Domain, WebSockets, and more.

We are excited to share some significant updates to our Containers platform that aim to improve your user experience, streamline your work, and boost the performance of your applications.

Metrics Tracking

We’ve expanded the capabilities of Back4App Containers to allow for a more comprehensive tracking of usage metrics. You can now monitor CPU, RAM, process counts, network traffic (both incoming and outgoing), and disk usage in total and at the container level. This enhanced level of detail empowers you to identify areas for performance improvement, bug tracking and potential bottlenecks within your application. It also provides insights into whether you might benefit from upgrading your container to better suit the needs of your Back4App-based applications.

The metrics we provide now include:

• CPU Usage
• Memory Usage
• Number of Processes
• Disk Usage
• Network Traffic

Our platform maintains a continuous time-series for all deployments within an App, not just the latest one. Each successful deployment results in a new container and a new graphical series, allowing you to identify which container deployment might have led to a spike in resource usage.

Custom Domain Support

All Container applications on Back4App are automatically provided with a b4a.run URL, facilitating easy sharing of deployments with your team for collaborative purposes. But to offer you more customization and flexibility for your projects, we’ve introduced the option to use a custom domain with your Back4App Containers.

By opting for Back4App’s custom domain support, you gain the freedom to utilize your own domains while also reaping the advantages of a secure web address facilitated by us. As part of this service, we issue an SSL certificate for your custom domain through Let’s Encrypt, ensuring the encryption and protection of your website or application. This SSL certificate guarantees a secure and trusted connection for your users when accessing your custom domain on Back4App Containers.

Domain settings related to a Container App can be managed in the Domains section of the App Settings, irrespective of whether you’re using apex domains or subdomains for your project. Additionally, you can create custom redirect rules for your registered domains on Back4App Containers, adding another layer of customization to your user experience. For more information read the custom domain guide.

Full Support for WebSockets

Back4App Containers now fully supports WebSockets, enabling real-time data communication for your applications. WebSockets are instrumental in creating a bidirectional communication channel using HTTP over a TCP connection. They’re commonly used in applications like financial tickers, live sports score updates, location-based apps, and collaborative text editors, where real-time client-server communication is essential.

You can easily deploy projects using WebSockets on Back4App Containers by connecting your repository and deploying it (Dockerfile required). The provided URL can then be used by real-time clients to connect.

User Interface and User Experience Enhancements

We’ve made significant improvements to the Containers dashboard. You can now view more details about your projects, such as status, URLs, and Plan, right from the Container’s dashboard. You also have the option to flag favorites and search for them. 

We’ve revamped the App Overview page to utilize a widget-style layout, bringing new widgets that allow you to monitor your app’s key parameters from a single page. These include CPU, RAM, Plan, Deployment Logs, and Running logs. We’ve also entirely redesigned the App Settings to make it easier for you to locate and change the settings you need.

New Detailed Guides for Diverse Languages and Web Frameworks

We’re excited to announce the release of a comprehensive set of guides designed to assist you in preparing, deploying, and monitoring your applications on Back4App Containers. These guides cover a wide array of languages and web frameworks, making it easier than ever to get your projects up and running.

Whether you’re working with Python, Django, Flask, NodeJS, ReactJS, NextJS, PHP, Laravel, Elixir Phoenix, Remix, Ruby on Rails, ASP .NET, Deno, Go, Rust, Nuxt, Redwood, Meteor, or Java, we’ve got you covered. Our detailed guides provide step-by-step instructions, best practices, and troubleshooting tips specific to each of these languages and frameworks.

These guides will not only help you efficiently deploy your applications but also ensure optimal performance by helping you effectively monitor your apps on Back4App Containers. So, get started and make the most out of your development experience with our new guides.

Release Notes Page

Introducing the Release Notes page for Back4App Containers! Stay informed about the latest product updates, enhancements, bug fixes, and performance optimizations all in one place. This centralized hub of information allows you to track the evolution of our platform, ensuring you never miss out on the latest advancements and improvements. Visit the Release Notes page regularly to stay up to date and provide valuable feedback as we continue to innovate and deliver exceptional experiences for your application development.

Bug Fixes and Performance Optimizations

In our continuous effort to provide a high-performance and secure platform, we’ve implemented numerous performance optimizations and bug fixes. These changes aim to ensure smoother and more reliable operation of your applications on Back4App Containers​.

Final words

In our mission to empower developers and provide a robust, versatile platform for app development, these updates mark another step forward. We believe that these enhancements to Back4App Containers will significantly improve your app development process, making it even more seamless and efficient. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we continue to innovate and evolve our platform. As always, we are committed to helping you build better, faster, and more powerful applications. Thank you for choosing Back4App, and we look forward to continuing this journey with you.