Server App (Parse runtime)

A Server App is your backend code running on DPS’s shared Parse runtime (Parse Server 9). You ship only your app layer; DPS builds a thin image — the runtime plus your code — and runs it. There is no server to boot in your repo.

When you connect a repository, DPS can scaffold it for you (“make compatible”). The layout:


src/
  cloud/index.ts   entry; auto-loads every other file in cloud/
  cloud/*.ts       your Parse.Cloud.define / triggers / jobs
  routes/*.ts      optional Express routers (auto-mounted)
  schema/*.json    optional Parse classes (applied on boot)
  seed.ts          optional idempotent seed (runs after the schema)
  dps.app.ts       declares LiveQuery classes and wires the seed

.dps/server-app.json is the deploy contract (it names the source root). Repo-root files — package.json, tsconfig, .dps/, .github/ — are configuration and don’t ship.

Conventions

Cloud function → add src/cloud/<name>.ts.
Route → add src/routes/<name>.ts exporting a Router.
Class → add src/schema/<Class>.json.
Webhooks → a cloud function named handle<Provider>Webhook; DPS serves POST /webhooks/:provider and calls it.
LiveQuery → list classes in dps.app.ts and/or switch them on in the dashboard.
seed() runs on every deploy — keep it idempotent.
package.json lists only your extra dependencies; the runtime already provides parse, express, mongodb and friends.
Environment variables are set in the dashboard, not committed.

Classes are closed by default

On boot (and every few minutes after), the runtime closes any class still on Parse’s wide-open default so it needs the master key; _Role loses client writes. A class you give explicit class-level permissions, declare in your schema, or list in your manifest’s publicClasses is left alone.

In the dashboard

A Server App has Overview, Data (database, schema and records, storage, services), API Studio (functions and routes, jobs), Connect (keys, URLs and environment variables for your frontend), Integrations, Deployments, Logs & Metrics, Domain, Plan and Settings. Backups can be made, downloaded and restored from Data.

The database is MongoDB or Postgres — one DPS manages for you, or your own connection string.