Cloud deployment & authentication · June 2026
FanPrompt
I evaluated an existing AI sports application, deployed it to DigitalOcean, and implemented password authentication with email verification. I documented the environment and remaining work for a handoff to another developer, then continued providing hosting.
My role: Technical evaluation, cloud deployment, authentication development, validation, and handoff
The application and my scope
FanPrompt is a sports-themed AI application for creating personalized fan images and cards. The client supplied the existing product and codebase. My engagement focused on evaluating that application, preparing its hosted environment, improving authentication, and supporting a documented transition to the next developer.
The challenge
Take a client-supplied Python application from a development setup to a working hosted environment, improve account access, and give the next developer a clear technical starting point.
My approach
I reviewed the application and deployment requirements, configured the VPS and HTTPS, adapted runtime configuration, and developed the new authentication flow. I validated key flows and prepared deployment tooling and handoff documentation.
What I delivered
- Technical evaluation
- Reviewed the Flask application, dependencies, SQLite storage, and external services. Compared client deliveries, identified deployment requirements, and prepared infrastructure recommendations and a prioritized findings report.
- Cloud deployment
- Provisioned a DigitalOcean VPS with Ubuntu, configured Nginx and Gunicorn, and set up systemd for service startup and restart. Coordinated domains and DNS, enabled HTTPS, and configured temporary private access for validation.
- Runtime preparation
- Moved sensitive configuration into environment variables, prepared a dependency manifest, and removed runtime package installation from the production startup path. Adjusted proxy limits and timeouts for the application's image-generation requests.
- Authentication development
- Implemented password registration and login, password hashing, email verification and resend flows, session management, and protected dashboard routes. Added failed-login controls and migrated the database while retaining existing user records.
- Transactional email and validation
- Configured Resend for verification email and resolved a delivery issue in the VPS environment. Registration, email verification, and login were validated on the deployed application, alongside checks of access and image generation.
- Deployment tooling and documentation
- Prepared an operator-run update script with preflight checks, database and configuration backups, migration steps, service restart, and health checks. Documented the environment, update procedure, and remaining application work for the handoff.
Handoff and hosting
Delivered a hosted application with improved authentication and a documented operating environment. Application development continued with another developer; my responsibility after handoff was limited to hosting.
The handoff gave the next developer a reference for the deployed code, service configuration, authentication changes, and outstanding product work. It established a clear transition between the initial deployment engagement and continued application development.
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