The Start of My AWS AppRunner Deployment Nightmare
Have you ever faced a deployment problem so persistent that it seemed impossible to solve? That’s exactly what I encountered when I tried deploying my Ruby on Rails app to AWS AppRunner. Despite having some experience with Docker, I quickly realized that deploying to AWS AppRunner was a different challenge altogether.
Initially, I tried using a boilerplate created by my senior colleague, who was working on a Linux system.(i noticed about the system later) The app ran fine there, but when I tried deploying it on my MacOS machine, the deployment failed, and the health check didn’t pass.
Frustrated, I decided to build the deployment from scratch rather than relying on the pre-existing Docker build. The first step was to create my Dockerfile and deployment configuration. Locally, everything seemed to work fine, but when I pushed it to AWS ECR and tried deploying on AppRunner, the health check failed again.
Why Did the Health Check Fail on AWS AppRunner?
Have you ever been stuck on a deployment issue and felt like you were going in circles? That’s what I felt as I tried repeatedly to deploy my Ruby on Rails app on AWS AppRunner, only to have the health check fail each time.
I was determined to figure out what went wrong. So, I spent 2 days troubleshooting the Docker build and AWS AppRunner configurations. I tried deploying directly from the Git repository using Ruby 3.1 build time, so I could access the build logs, but encountered a PostgreSQL version incompatibility.
Still, the health check failure persisted, and the AWS AppRunner logs didn’t provide the insights I needed. This left me feeling stuck.
The Breakthrough: Platform Compatibility and Docker Buildx
As I continued to research, I realized there could be a platform compatibility issue. My senior’s boilerplate worked perfectly on Linux, but its me not on MacOS. I was working with MacOS, but the app was likely optimized for Linux.
That’s when I discovered the buildx command in Docker. Docker buildx is a powerful tool that allows Docker to build images for multiple platforms, such as linux/amd64. This was the key to resolving the platform compatibility issues I was facing with AWS AppRunner.
I wasn’t out of the woods yet, though. After solving this problem, I ran into another issue: a missing masterkey. After tweaking the configuration, the issue was resolved, but there were still more challenges ahead.
Final Hurdles: RDS Permissions and Git Workflow
After resolving the masterkey issue, I faced another roadblock: the RDS DB wasn’t accepting inbound and outbound permissions, which prevented my app from connecting to the database. After some adjustments, I got the RDS connection working.
But wait—there was still one more hurdle. I needed to run the Git workflow, and that’s when the Linux environments used in Git runners came into play. Finally, the app was ready for deployment.
The Solution: How I Fixed the Health Check and Deployed to AWS AppRunner
Finally, after many sleepless nights, I clicked the “Deploy” button, and to my amazement, the deployment succeeded! The health check passed, and my Ruby on Rails app was deployed on AWS AppRunner.
So, what was the final fix? It was surprisingly simple: I replaced a single line in my Docker build command.
Before:
docker build -t $APP_NAME -f Dockerfile.apprunner .
After (the fix):
docker buildx build --platform=linux/amd64
Yes, just a 6-line fix! Once I added the --platform=linux/amd64 option to my Docker build command, everything fell into place, and the app was deployed successfully on AWS AppRunner.
A Well-Deserved Sense of Accomplishment
After hours of troubleshooting and health check failures, I finally deployed my Ruby on Rails app on AWS AppRunner. The feeling of overcoming this challenge was incredible. I shared my success with the team and celebrated the victory. Sometimes, the solution to a complex problem is simpler than you think.
Have you ever had a health check failure or encountered platform-specific deployment issues like I did with AWS AppRunner? What was your breakthrough moment? Share your experiences in the comments—I’d love to hear your deployment stories!
Need Help with AWS AppRunner Deployment?
If you’re struggling with deploying your app to AWS AppRunner or dealing with health check failures, don’t worry—I’ve been there! Feel free to reach out to me through my socials, and I’ll help you troubleshoot the deployment challenges. Let’s work together and solve the problem!