A few months have passed since the retirement announcement of Parse dedicated service. If you are unfamiliar with Parse, it was a Mobile Backend as a Service which allowed you to run your backend API seamlessly and hosted in the cloud. The good news is that the replacement open source version, Parse Server, is becoming increasingly popular. Parse Server can be self-hosted on an infrastructure running Node.js and is powered by the Express web application framework.

Today, I am happy to announce the availability of a Parse Server quickstart for OpenShift Online (Next Gen). Follow along and you'll be hosting your Parse Server instance in less than 5 minutes!

Getting Started With OpenShift Online (Next Gen)

If you still don't have an account on OpenShift Online (Next Gen), then follow these easy steps:

1. Register for a free OpenShift Online (Next Gen) account
2. Create a project in the OpenShift Online Console.
3. Install the OpenShift CLI.

Creating a Parse Server Project

To create a Parse Server project on your account, firstly add the Parse Server default template to your project:

$ oc create -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParsePlatform/parse-server-example/master/openshift.json

Then, deploy Parse Server from the web console just like you would with any other app:

1. Open your project in the OpenShift Online Console
2. Click Add to Project from the top navigation
3. Scroll down (or search) and select NodeJS > Parse Server
   

4. (Optionally) Update the Parse Server settings (parameters), such as git repository URL
   

5. Click Create

And that's it, after your application is built and deployed you should be able to test under a default /test route!

If you'd like to find out more about about Parse Server, be sure to check the official GitHub repository and the Parse Platform Documentation.

Note: If you are a shell fan, you can simply create a new Parse Server project by specifying the template file directly:

$ oc new-app -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParsePlatform/parse-server-example/master/openshift.json

If you are looking for an enterprise solution which runs natively on OpenShift (Next Gen), go ahead and try Red Hat Mobile Application Platform.