Useful links¶
Setting up a test environment for your web applications¶
You can test your AppGini-generated web applications on a local machine before deploying them online. To do so, you need to install a web server , MySQL , and PHP . Of course, installing and configuring all of these programs is a lot of headache. Fortunately, there is an easier way: download and install Xampp , a single download that takes care of all the necessary work in one shot.
Note: All of the above tools are free and open source software.
Uploading the generated code to your server¶
Uploading using an FTP client (NOT recommended)¶
To upload the generated code to your server, you could use an FTP client, for example FileZilla. However, this could cause problems if you're not super careful. For example, you might accidentally overwrite your server-side configuration files, or you might upload files to the wrong directory structure. In addition, AppGini creates many files and directories. But many of them are unchanged from one generation to another. So, you might end up unnecessarily uploading many files that are already on the server.
Uploading using AppGini upload feature (RECOMMENDED)¶
As of AppGini 23.10, you can use the built-in upload feature to upload
your generated code to your server. This feature is much safer and more
efficient than using an FTP client. It only uploads the files that have
changed since the last generation, and it doesn't overwrite your
server-side configuration files. All you need to do to upload your code
is to click the Upload
button, and AppGini will take care of the rest.
Our online course on customizing AppGini applications¶
We prepared a course for power users of AppGini, who'd like to add more functionality to their applications by writing custom code. Through 4.5 hours of video, you'll finish 30 practical examples, featuring more than 500 lines of code, that cover the most common hook questions we receive from users. Preview the course.
Hosting providers¶
Most hosting providers support hosting the applications generated by AppGini out-of-the-box, since AppGini generates PHP applications that connect to MySQL databases. PHP and MySQL are very widely available through almost any hosting provider.
If you're looking for a very easy to use and highly reliable cloud hosting service , we've been using Digital Ocean for many years and are quite content with their simplicity and reliability. This special link provides you with \$100 credit to try their service.
Digital Ocean however requires some experience managing your server updates and software installations (they have many detailed guides for that though). If you're looking for managed hosting (where the provider takes care of installing, securing and upgrading your server software, as well as resolving the majority of technical issues), Bluehost is a very good option.
A good source of information regarding hosting providers is the webhostingtalk forum .
Running AppGini apps inside a Docker container¶
Docker is a great way to run your AppGini applications in a containerized environment. This way, you can easily move your applications between different servers, and you can run multiple applications on the same server without worrying about conflicts between them. Check out our guide template for running AppGini apps in Docker.
Code management¶
If you plan to manually edit the generated code, you should be careful to avoid overwriting your modifications in case you regenerate the code later. CVS software helps greatly with organizing and versioning your code. It makes it very easy to undo (revert) harmful changes, and merge your modifications into newly generated code. One such great, easy and free program is TortoiseGit . We have a tutorial on how to use it with AppGini code.