🚀 How to Deploy a Flask App on Google Cloud for Free (with SSL, CI/CD & Monitoring)

🔥 Why Deploy a Flask App on Google Cloud?

If you’re looking to deploy a Flask app on Google Cloud in a secure, scalable, and cost-efficient way — this guide is your one-stop resource.

Whether you’re building a startup MVP or launching a side project, you’ll learn how to:

• Deploy your Flask backend using Cloud Run
• Automate everything with CI/CD from GitHub
• Secure your site with HTTPS via Cloudflare
• Use Uptime checks and monitoring
• Stay within Google Cloud’s free tier limits

And yes — it costs you $0 if done right.

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🧰 Tools & Services Used

Tool/Service	Purpose
Google Cloud Run	Serverless hosting for Python web apps
GitHub + Cloud Build	CI/CD automation
Cloudflare (Free Tier)	DNS, SSL, HTTP headers, basic WAF
Flask (Python)	Lightweight backend framework

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🌐 Live Demo

👉 See the live demo of the deployed Flask application.

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🏗️ Project Structure

bashCopyEditflask-app/
├── main.py
├── requirements.txt
├── Dockerfile
├── cloudbuild.yaml
└── tests/
    └── test_app.py

Focus Keyphrase in Image Alt:

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✅ Step-by-Step: Deploy Flask App on Google Cloud

1. ⚙️ Initialize Flask Project

Create main.py:

pythonCopyEditfrom flask import Flask
import os

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route("/")
def home():
    return "Coming Soon"

if __name__ == "__main__":
    port = int(os.environ.get("PORT", 8080))
    app.run(host="0.0.0.0", port=port)

Set up requirements.txt:

txtCopyEditFlask==2.3.3

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2. 🐳 Add Dockerfile

dockerfileCopyEditFROM python:3.9-slim
WORKDIR /app
COPY requirements.txt .
RUN pip install -r requirements.txt
COPY main.py .
CMD ["python", "main.py"]
EXPOSE 8080

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3. 🛠️ Enable Google Cloud Services

• Create a GCP project
• Enable Cloud Run, Cloud Build, IAM, and Artifact Registry
• Push code to GitHub
• Link GitHub → Google Cloud → Cloud Build

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4. ⚡ Add CI/CD with Cloud Build

Here’s the cloudbuild.yaml:

yamlCopyEditsteps:
  - name: 'python:3.9'
    entrypoint: 'bash'
    args:
      - '-c'
      - |
        pip install -r requirements.txt
        pytest || echo "Tests failed"

  - name: 'gcr.io/google.com/cloudsdktool/cloud-sdk'
    entrypoint: 'bash'
    args:
      - '-c'
      - |
        gcloud run deploy flask-app \
          --source . \
          --region us-central1 \
          --platform managed \
          --allow-unauthenticated

options:
  logging: CLOUD_LOGGING_ONLY
timeout: 900s

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5. 🌍 Setup Cloudflare + Domain Mapping

Add to Cloudflare DNS:

Type	Name	Content
A	@	216.239.32.21, .34.21, .36.21, .38.21
AAAA	@	Google IPv6s
CNAME	www	ghs.googlehosted.com.

Then go to Cloud Run > Domain Mapping → Map your domain.

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6. 🔐 Add HTTPS and Security Headers

Use Cloudflare Transform Rules and Managed Transforms to add:

• Strict-Transport-Security
• Content-Security-Policy
• Permissions-Policy

Also enable:

• ✅ Bot Fight Mode
• ✅ SSL/TLS Full (Strict)

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7. 📊 Monitor Uptime + Logs

Set up:

• Uptime Check for https://www.example-flask-app.com
• Alert policy for uptime_check/check_passed == 0
• Review Audit Logs for IAM/service usage

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🧪 Testing

Use pytest and create a basic test in tests/test_app.py:

pythonCopyEditfrom main import app

def test_home():
    client = app.test_client()
    response = client.get('/')
    assert response.status_code == 200
    assert b"Coming Soon" in response.data

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🧾 Summary Checklist

✅ Task	Status
Deploy Flask App on Google Cloud	✅
CI/CD with GitHub	✅
Domain + SSL (Cloudflare)	✅
Uptime Monitoring	✅
Security Headers via Transform	✅
Free Tier Optimization	✅

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🔗 Related Resources

• Flask Documentation
• Cloud Run Docs
• Cloudflare Free Plan
• Cloud Build Triggers
• Other Cloud articles

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💬 Final Thoughts

This is a powerful starter stack for deploying a Flask app on Google Cloud securely and efficiently, without spending a dime.

Next steps:

• Add a frontend (e.g., React or HTML templates)
• Connect Firebase or Firestore
• Add user authentication