To secure a Bolt.new + Railway stack, you need to: (1) configure all environment variables in Railway dashboard using variable references for linked services, (2) use private networking for database connections so they are not exposed publicly, (3) separate services appropriately to limit blast radius, and (4) ensure internal URLs are used for service-to-service communication. This blueprint covers container-based deployment security on Railway.
TL;DR
Railway provides easy deployment with built-in databases. Key security tasks: configure environment variables in Railway dashboard (not in code), use private networking for database connections, separate services for different concerns, and never expose internal service URLs publicly.
Railway Security Features
| Feature | Security Benefit | Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Private networking | Internal-only communication | Use internal URLs |
| Environment variables | Secret management | Railway dashboard |
| Service isolation | Limit blast radius | Separate services |
| Database plugins | Managed security | One-click setup |
Part 1: Railway Environment Variables
# Database (auto-configured if using Railway database)
DATABASE_URL=${{Postgres.DATABASE_URL}}
# External services
SUPABASE_URL=https://xxx.supabase.co
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY=eyJ...
# Application
JWT_SECRET=your-secret
NODE_ENV=production
Use Railway's variable references: For Railway-hosted databases, use ${{ServiceName.VARIABLE}} syntax to automatically inject credentials.
Part 2: Railway Service Architecture
Railway Project
├── web (frontend)
│ └── Public domain
│ └── No sensitive env vars
├── api (backend)
│ └── Private or public domain
│ └── DATABASE_URL, secrets
├── postgres (database)
│ └── Private networking only
│ └── No public access
└── redis (cache, optional)
└── Private networking only
Part 3: Railway Private Networking
# Public URL (for external access)
https://api-production-xxxx.up.railway.app
# Internal URL (for service-to-service)
api.railway.internal:3000
# Database (always use internal)
postgres.railway.internal:5432
Security Checklist
Railway Deployment Checklist
Environment variables in Railway dashboard
No hardcoded secrets in code
Database uses private networking
Services appropriately isolated
Internal URLs for service communication
.env files in .gitignore
Healthcheck endpoints configured
Alternative Stacks to Consider
**Bolt.new + Vercel**
Serverless deployment alternative
**Bolt.new + Netlify**
JAMstack deployment
**Bolt.new + Supabase**
External database option
Should I use Railway's database or external?
Railway's databases are convenient and use private networking by default. External databases (Supabase, PlanetScale) offer more features but require secure connection string management.
How do I secure inter-service communication?
Use Railway's private networking with internal URLs. Services on the same project can communicate via servicename.railway.internal without exposing endpoints publicly.