Prompt file imported from TopGdaddy/cheese-and-dope (.windsurf/workflows/deploy-frontend.md). Copyright stays with the author.

Deploy Frontend to Netlify

This workflow deploys the React frontend to Netlify.

Prerequisites

1. Netlify CLI installed and authenticated, OR
2. Netlify dashboard access with site connected to Git repository

Deployment Steps

1. Verify Frontend Configuration

   • Ensure frontend/.nvmrc exists with 20 (alternative to netlify.toml for Node version)
   • Ensure frontend/netlify.toml exists with correct build settings
   • Ensure frontend/package.json has Node engine set to >=20.0.0
   • Ensure REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL is set in Netlify environment variables

2. Check Build Command

   • Verify netlify.toml has: command = "npm install --legacy-peer-deps && npm run build"
   • This handles React 19 peer dependency issues

3. Deploy to Netlify

   Option A: Deploy via Netlify CLI (if installed)

   cd frontend
   netlify login
   netlify link
   netlify deploy --prod

   Option B: Auto-deploy via Git (recommended)

   • Push to your connected Git repository (GitHub/GitLab)
   • Netlify automatically builds and deploys
   • Check deploy logs in Netlify dashboard

   Option C: Manual deploy via Netlify Dashboard

   • Go to https://app.netlify.com
   • Select your site
   • Click "Deploys" → "Trigger deploy"

4. Verify Deployment

   • Check that build completes without errors
   • Verify site loads at your Netlify URL
   • Test API calls to Railway backend
   • Confirm CORS is working (no browser console errors)

5. Environment Variables Ensure these are set in Netlify dashboard:

   • REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL = your Railway backend URL
   • NODE_VERSION = 20 (or set in netlify.toml)

Troubleshooting

• If build fails with React version errors: Check --legacy-peer-deps flag is in build command
• If API calls fail: Verify REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL points to correct Railway URL
• If CORS errors: Check backend CORS origins include your Netlify domain
• If auth fails: Verify cookies are configured with secure=true, samesite=none in backend

Post-Deployment

• Test login/logout flow
• Verify real-time tracking (Socket.IO) connects
• Check all dashboard features work correctly