Hello, I’m looking to run some Kotlin code on a re...

# server

[Brian Odisho]

Hello, I’m looking to run some Kotlin code on a remote server that makes an api POST request every 24 hours and saves the result to a remote database. Im comfortable with the Kotlin code portion of what I’m trying to do but I have no experience with deploying code to a server to run continuously. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Are Google cloud functions a good solution for this?

[Landry Norris]

If you’re looking to go the google route, look into AppEngine. Kotlin can compile to JVM bytecode, so use the method of uploading a jar instead of java code.

[Landry Norris]

The free tier of AppEngine allows up over 24 hours/day of CPU time if it hasn’t changed, so if you’re only using one CPU, you don’t even have to worry about efficient sleep.

[Brian Odisho]

Thank you @Landry Norris, I’m not opposed to using services other than Google. Is there a different service or approach you’d recommend or is the Google route a good choice for something like this?

[Brian Odisho]

Also sorry I’m not too versed on the differences but why app engine as opposed to just a cloud function?

[Landry Norris]

Google AppEngine is a pretty good route. I’ve used it before with Ktor just fine.

[Landry Norris]

You could also do a cloud function instead if you are just doing a POST request. Same idea, compile as JAR and upload that.

[Landry Norris]

I remember cloud functions having a decent start time with JVM, though. It was at least a second if I remember correctly.

[Brian Odisho]

Ok that’s very helpful thank you. I’m not overly concerned with performance since it’s just a single post request that would be made once daily. My thoughts are I’d save the response to a remote data base which mobile apps would then read from.

[Landry Norris]

Clound function ought to be fine then.