Config Vars

Anything that you don’t want to appear in your source code (like API keys or database login credentials), as well as anything that varies between environments (like usernames, or URL’s) should be stored inenvironment variables. Heroku’s environment variables are calledconfig vars. To set a config var, navigate to theSettingstab of your app’s dashboard, and clickReveal Config Vars.

Heroku Config Vars

You can also set Config Vars through the CLI. For example:

heroku config:set API_KEY=2RXvacdFdcNWVpLDoaaU8

Here, theconfig:setargumentsets the specified config var.

Custom Domain

Every app created on Heroku uses the Heroku domain (your-app-name.herokuapp.com). Changing the name of the app will change the URL, while still keeping it at the “herokuapp.com” domain. But if you already have a domain that you’d like to use instead, you can still deploy your site on Heroku with acustom domain. First, go to theSettingstab in the app’s dashboard.

Heroku Domains section that shows what domain is currently hosting your site and an option to filter through your collection of domains

Click theAdd domainbutton and enter your domain in the panel that slides out, then click theNextbutton. You’ll then be given aDNS target, a term for the Heroku domain to give to a DNS provider to be the destination for a custom domain name.

You can also add a custom domain through the CLI by typing:

heroku domains:add www.example.com

The argument,domains:add, adds a domain, and will return a DNS target.

Once you have a DNS target, configure theCNAMEorALIAS/ANAMEin your domain provider’s control panel to point to the Heroku-supplied DNS target. Once the change takes effect, you can visit your heroku app at your own domain!

Adding a Database

Heroku offers a freeHerokuPostgresdata service as an add-on for all customers. Adding a Postgres database to your app can be done in the “Add-ons” section of theResourcestab of your app’s dashboard:

Heroku Add-ons

But it might be more convenient to set up Postgres in the CLI, since you can also interact with the database in your terminal. To provision Heroku Postgres type:

heroku addons:create heroku-postgresql:hobby-dev

This command uses theaddons:createargument to create an add-on. Then, theheroku-postgresql:hobby-devargument specifies theadd-on and plan.

Configuring the database is beyond the scope of this article, but each language in theHeroku Getting Started Guidehas a section detailing how to create a table and access the data using the code specific to the chosen language.

Fullstack Application

You’ve learned how to deploy a back-end app with Heroku, but you can also deploy a fully-operational full-stack app on Heroku’s platform. Check outDeploying a Full-Stack App with Herokuto for a guide usingNode.js, or see the theHeroku Getting Started Guidelanguage of your choice.

Premium Features

If your app starts getting an increase in traffic, or you decide on using a custom domain, upgrading to thehobby dynomight be a good idea. With the hobby dyno, you gain a few additional features. For instance, apps on the hobby dyno:

• won’tgo to sleepafter 30 minutes of inactivity.
• can useHeroku SSLto encrypt traffic to and from your site, provided you upload and manage the SSL certificates. (gives you the ability to use HTTPS instead of HTTP in your URL).
• or even better,Automated Certificate Management, which uses TLS certificates, managed and renewed by Heroku. (same as SSL, but no need to worry about uploading and managing certificates).

Beyond the hobby dyno plan, there are professional plans aimed at providing businesses with additional features to fit their needs. Visit theplan estimator pageto see which plan is best suited to your project!

Wrap Up

Way to go! Now you’re aware of some more of the features Heroku to offer, as well as a few commands to get started using the Heroku CLI. There is so much more to learn, as this platform serves everyone from new developers just getting started, to large companies with teams of experienced developers. Try taking your knowledge further by adding some of these features to your own app, or create a new app to test them out and see where they take you!

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