Universal React on Azure

This an example for running an universal React app on Azure. The following stack is used:

• React @ 0.14.0-beta1 for improved server-side redering
• React Router @ 1.0.0-beta2 for better API on server-side
• Express
• Babel for transpiling JSX, ES6/7
• Webpack for bundling
• Webpack Dev Server for local development
• React Hot Loader
• Redux
• Material Design Lite CSS Framework

Installation

$ npm install

Ignore any errors about peer dependencies :see_no_evil:

Running Dev Server

$ npm run dev

Building and Running Production Server

$ npm run start:prod

Deploying on Azure

Set environment variables on Azure

• NODE_ENV = production
• NODE_PATH = ./src
• BABEL_DISABLE_CACHE = 1

Custom Deployment Script

To bundle the javascripts on Azure during deployment, a custom deployment script is needed that runs the required commands.

Scaffold a script using azure-cli

$ azure site deploymentscript --node

Add the bundle command (here: npm run build) after npm install, see deploy.sh.