Your Node.js API runs perfectly. npm start, and it's alive — routes respond, the database connects, everything checks out. Then you close your laptop. And your API closes with it.
That's the gap between "it works" and "it's online" — and for a lot of developers, that gap is where momentum dies. Not because the code is hard. Because the infrastructure around it is.
Qeda Cloud closes that gap without turning you into a part-time DevOps engineer. You connect your Git repository, you deploy, and your API keeps answering requests long after your laptop is closed — at a public URL such as https://my-api.qeda.app. And if you already have your own domain name, you can also use it for your application.
In this guide, we'll see how to go from "My project works on my computer" to "Here's the link, you can test it."
What you need
Before getting started, you need:
- a Qeda Cloud account verified by OTP
- a Qeda Wallet with a balance above 0 FCFA
- a working Node.js project
- your project available on GitHub or another compatible Git repository
That's it — you don't need to prepare a server or install Docker to deploy your project on Qeda.
Let's take an example
Imagine you created a small Node.js API — it could manage a to-do list, manage users or products, power a mobile application, provide data to a frontend, or simply serve as a personal project. On your computer, everything works: you start your project and you can test it. But it's still only available from your own machine, and now you want to send someone a link. That's where Qeda comes in.
Put your project on Git
If your project is already on GitHub, you can move to the next step — otherwise, simply place it in a Git repository, something like:
my-project/
├── package.json
├── server.js
└── ...You don't need to completely transform your project for Qeda. The goal is simply to have your code in a repository that Qeda can access.
Connect your project to Qeda
From your Qeda Dashboard, create a new application, then connect your Git repository — pick it from the repository picker, with an account switcher if you have both personal and organization GitHub installations. Qeda automatically detects your project and prepares its deployment environment: you don't need to explain how to install Node.js or how to build your application, Qeda Builder handles that for you. You select your project and start the deployment.
Click Deploy
This is the simplest part: once your repository is connected, click Deploy. Qeda fetches your code, prepares your application, and puts it online. You can follow the deployment from your Dashboard — live build logs stream in as they happen, and the status badge on your service moves from Building to Running. You don't need to become a DevOps expert just to publish your project.
Your application gets an HTTPS URL
Once the deployment is complete, Qeda provides a public URL — for example, https://my-project.qeda.app. Open it in your browser, or, if you have an API, test it directly:
$ curl https://my-project.qeda.appYour project is now accessible from the internet. You can share this URL with a client, teammate, teacher, or simply use it to test your application — and you didn't have to configure HTTPS yourself.
Already have your own domain name?
Even better: if you already own a domain, such as myproject.com, you don't have to communicate a qeda.app URL to your users. From your service's Settings tab, under Public Networking, you can add your own domain and use it for your application — https://api.myproject.com instead of https://my-project.qeda.app. This is especially useful for a client project, a SaaS application, a public API, a professional website, or any project that already has its own brand identity. You keep your domain name while letting Qeda manage the deployment and infrastructure behind your application.
Need a database?
Your application works, but now you want to store users, orders, or other data. Qeda provides ready-to-use services, available directly from the Marketplace, including:
- PostgreSQL
- PostgreSQL with pgvector
- Redis
- MongoDB
- MySQL
You simply choose the service your project needs. The goal stays the same: you focus on your application, Qeda handles the infrastructure.
Does your project use AI?
You can also connect your application to Qeda AI Hub, which is compatible with the OpenAI ecosystem, at the endpoint https://api.qeda.app/v1. This lets you build a chatbot, an assistant, a summarization app, a content generation tool, or an AI feature inside your SaaS — without having to build a full AI infrastructure around your project. You can simply use the service from your application.
Test your application
Once your application is deployed, start by opening its URL at https://my-project.qeda.app. If your API has a /health route, you can also test it with curl https://my-project.qeda.app/health, or simply test your application directly from your browser. The goal is simple: is my application online and reachable?
Conclusion
Deploying a Node.js API should not become a second project. If you've already built your application, you should be able to quickly go from "it works on my computer" to "here's the link, you can test it." With Qeda Cloud, you connect your Git repository, start the deployment, and get a public HTTPS URL — use the automatically provided *.qeda.app address, or connect your own domain if you already have one. No need to manage Docker or Kubernetes directly, and with the Prepaid Wallet and local payment methods, you can deploy without depending on an international bank card.