Securing VueJS App and MariaDB Database on Droplet

Securing your Vue.js application and MariaDB database on a Digital Ocean droplet involves several steps, balancing security, manageability, and cost. Here are some strategies that align with your priorities:

Simplified Deployment

1. Docker Compose: Use Docker Compose to manage your Vue.js and MariaDB services. Docker will help encapsulate your environment and dependencies, making it easier to move from development to production without significant changes.

2. Managed Database: Consider using Digital Ocean’s Managed Databases for MariaDB when you move to beta/production. This takes away much of the overhead of managing the database server.

Security

1. HTTPS: Use Let’s Encrypt to obtain a free SSL certificate and ensure all communication is over HTTPS.

2. Firewall: Utilize Digital Ocean’s cloud firewalls to restrict access to your droplet. Only allow SSH (port 22), HTTP (port 80), and HTTPS (port 443).

3. SSH Keys: Use SSH keys instead of passwords for server login to reduce the risk of brute-force attacks.

4. Database Security: Ensure MariaDB is not accessible from outside your droplet. Use strong passwords and consider using database user privileges wisely.

5. Regular Updates: Keep your server’s software updated with the latest security patches. Enable unattended-upgrades for automatic security updates.

6. Backups: Use Digital Ocean’s backup service to regularly back up your droplet.

Performance

1. Nginx: Use Nginx as a reverse proxy for your Vue.js app. Nginx is efficient and can help with load balancing if you scale up later.

2. Caching: Implement caching strategies within your app to reduce database load.

Cost-Effective Strategies

1. Scale with Demand: Start with a small droplet and scale up as your needs grow. Monitor your usage and only scale when necessary.

2. Monitoring: Use Digital Ocean’s built-in monitoring tools to keep track of your droplet’s performance and adjust resources accordingly.

3. Deals & Credits: Look out for any promotions, credits, or referral programs Digital Ocean might offer to reduce costs.

Learning DevOps

1. Community & Tutorials: Utilize Digital Ocean’s extensive community tutorials to learn about deployment and DevOps.

2. Version Control: Use Git for version control and integrate your repository with CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and deployment.

3. Infrastructure as Code: Familiarize yourself with tools like Terraform to manage your infrastructure as code, which is beneficial for maintaining and scaling your application’s infrastructure.

Remember, security and performance are ongoing tasks. As you learn and your application grows, you’ll find more ways to improve and streamline your deployment process. Digital Ocean has an active community and plenty of resources, so make use of those as you progress through your development phases.