# Websites & APIs

## 🌐 What is a "Site" on Discloud?

On **Discloud**, any application that uses a **network port** and requires **external access** is considered a **Site**. This includes:

* 🖥️ **Websites** (Static or Dynamic)
* 🔌 **APIs** (REST, GraphQL, etc.)
* 📊 **Dashboards** (for Bots or standalone)
* 🤖 **Bots with Web Interfaces**

To allow external access, Discloud routes traffic through a proxy to **port 8080** and **host 0.0.0.0** of your application using a **subdomain** (e.g., `myapp.discloud.app`).

***

## ✅ Requirements

To host a website or API, you must meet these criteria:

{% hint style="success" %}
**Platinum Plan or Higher** – Required for all `TYPE=site` applications.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %}
**Port 8080 & Host 0.0.0.0** – Your application **must** listen on port `8080` and host `0.0.0.0` to be accessible externally.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %}
[**Subdomain**](/en/faq/general-questions/how-to-create-a-subdomain.md) – You must register a unique subdomain on Discloud.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %}
[**`discloud.config`**](/en/configurations/discloud.config.md) – Required for most deployment methods. If using the Discord Bot's [**Quick Setup**](/en/how-to-host-using/discord-bot.md#quick-setup-step-by-step-guide), the bot will guide you through the configuration.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %}
**RAM** – A minimum of **512MB** is recommended for web applications.
{% endhint %}

***

## 🚀 Step-by-Step Hosting Guide

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### 📡 Register a Subdomain

Before deploying, you need to reserve your unique address on the `.discloud.app` domain.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### 📝 Configure `discloud.config`

Your [`discloud.config`](/en/configurations/discloud.config.md) file tells Discloud how to handle your site. You must set `TYPE=site` and include your `ID`.

{% hint style="info" %}
If you are using the Discord Bot's **Quick Setup**, you don't need to create this file manually, the bot will ask for the subdomain and other details during the process.
{% endhint %}

```ini
NAME=MyAwesomeAPI
TYPE=site
ID=my-unique-subdomain
MAIN=src/index.js
RAM=512
VERSION=latest
```

* **`TYPE=site`**: Identifies the app as a web service.
* **`ID`**: Your registered subdomain name. **Do not** include `.discloud.app` (e.g., use `my-app`, not `my-app.discloud.app`).
* **`MAIN`**: The entry point of your application.
* **`RAM`**: Allocated memory (min. 512MB for sites).
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### 🏗️ Handling Build Processes

If your application requires a build step (like React, Next.js, or TypeScript), you have two options:

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Discloud Build (Recommended)" %}

Let Discloud handle the build process during deployment. Add the `BUILD` command to your `discloud.config`.

```ini
BUILD=npm run build
START=npm run start
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Local Build" %}
Build your project locally and upload the resulting files.

{% hint style="danger" %}
**Do not use a folder named `dist`** for your local build output. Discloud reserves the `dist` directory for its internal build process. Use a different name like `build`, `out`, or `output`.
{% endhint %}

In this case, ensure your `MAIN` or `START` points to the correct entry point within your build folder.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

{% hint style="info" %}
For Java applications, you **must** build locally and upload the `.jar` file. [See the Java build guide](/en/faq/general-questions/how-to-build-and-package-a-java-application.md).
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### 🚀 Upload and Deploy

You can upload your project using any of our supported methods:

* 🖥️ [**Dashboard**](/en/how-to-host-using/dashboard.md)
* ⌨️ [**CLI**](/en/how-to-host-using/cli.md)
* 🟦 [**VS Code Extension**](/en/how-to-host-using/visual-studio-code.md)
* 🤖 [**Discord Bot**](/en/how-to-host-using/discord-bot.md)
* 🐙 [**GitHub Integration**](/en/api-and-integrations/github-integration.md)

{% hint style="info" %}
Before uploading, make sure to [compress your project correctly](/en/faq/general-questions/wip-how-to-compress.md) and exclude unnecessary files using a [`.discloudignore`](/en/configurations/.discloudignore.md) file.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.discloud.com/en/how-to-host/websites-and-apis.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.