Fullstack Python: Using Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for Flask App Deployment

 Google Cloud Platform (GCP) provides a reliable, scalable, and developer-friendly environment to deploy fullstack applications. For Python developers building Flask-based web apps or APIs, GCP offers several deployment options including App Engine, Compute Engine, and Cloud Run. This blog focuses on how to deploy a Flask application using GCP’s App Engine, the most beginner-friendly and scalable service for web apps.


Why GCP for Flask Deployment?

GCP's strength lies in its seamless integration with popular tools, built-in monitoring, automatic scaling, and pay-as-you-go pricing. With services like App Engine, developers can deploy applications without managing infrastructure. For fullstack apps, GCP supports backends (Flask, Django) and frontends (React, Angular) through its Static Hosting or Firebase platform.


Preparing Your Flask App

To deploy on GCP, ensure your Flask app is well-organized and production-ready:

Use a WSGI server like Gunicorn.

Organize the project with folders like app/, static/, and templates/.

Create a requirements.txt using pip freeze.

Add an app.yaml configuration file required by GCP App Engine.

Example app.yaml:

yaml

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runtime: python310

entrypoint: gunicorn -b :$PORT app:app

handlers:

- url: /.*

script: auto


Steps to Deploy Flask on GCP App Engine

1. Set Up GCP Project

Go to https://console.cloud.google.com.

Create a new project.

Enable billing and enable the App Engine API.


2. Install Google Cloud SDK

Download and install the gcloud CLI.

Authenticate with:

bash

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gcloud auth login

Set your project:

bash

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gcloud config set project YOUR_PROJECT_ID


3. Deploy Your Application

Navigate to your Flask app directory.

Deploy using:

bash

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gcloud app deploy

GCP will package and deploy your app. Once deployed, you can visit the live URL provided by GCP.

Frontend + Backend (Fullstack Setup)

If you are building a fullstack app:

Deploy your frontend (React, Vue, Angular) separately using Firebase Hosting or GCP Cloud Storage.

Use Flask as the backend REST API and connect them via HTTP calls.

Use flask-cors to enable CORS if frontend and backend are hosted on different domains.

Optional Deployment Alternatives

Cloud Run: For containerized Flask apps.

Compute Engine: VM-based deployment if you need full control over the environment.

Cloud Functions: For serverless API endpoints.

Monitoring and Scaling

Use Cloud Logging and Error Reporting for debugging.

Enable Auto-scaling and load balancing with App Engine.

Track app performance using Cloud Monitoring dashboards.


Conclusion

Deploying Flask applications on Google Cloud Platform allows developers to focus on code while GCP handles the infrastructure. App Engine, in particular, is a powerful tool that simplifies deployment with high availability and scalability. Whether you're hosting a backend API or a fullstack application, GCP offers all the tools needed for a smooth deployment and operations experience.

Learn FullStack Python Training Course

Read More : Flask Deployment on Azure: Setting Up Fullstack Python Applications

Read More : Fullstack Python: Containerizing Flask Apps and Deploying on AWS ECS

Read More : Fullstack Flask: Deploying Flask Apps on AWS EC2

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