Deploy applications with Coolify: self-hosted PaaS guide

A self-hosted Heroku alternative

Coolify is an open-source PaaS that transforms your VPS into a deployment platform. Push code to Git, and Coolify builds and deploys automatically. It replicates the convenience of Heroku, Netlify, or Vercel while running entirely on infrastructure you control.

Core capabilities:

• Git-based deployment - Connect GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket for push-to-deploy workflows
• Docker application support - Deploy pre-built images or custom Dockerfiles
• Database provisioning - One-click PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis, and others
• Automatic SSL - Let’s Encrypt certificates configured automatically
• Multi-server management - Deploy across multiple VPS instances from one dashboard

Coolify is completely free and open-source without paid tiers or feature restrictions.

How Coolify differs from server panels

Coolify differs from panels like RunCloud or ServerAvatar:

Feature	Traditional Panels	Coolify
Focus	PHP/WordPress hosting	Containerized applications
Deployment	Manual or FTP	Git push or Docker
Pricing	Monthly subscription	Free (open-source)
Databases	MySQL/MariaDB emphasis	Postgres, MySQL, Mongo, Redis, more
Applications	Primarily PHP	Node.js, Python, Go, Rust, PHP, static sites

Coolify suits modern applications built with frameworks like Next.js, Laravel, Django, Rails, or Docker-based stacks.

VPS specifications

Resource	Minimum	Recommended
RAM	2 GB	4 GB+
CPU	1 core	2 cores+
Disk	30 GB SSD	50 GB+ SSD
OS	Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12+	Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

Resource needs scale with deployed applications. Multiple applications and databases benefit from 4 GB RAM or more.

Getting Coolify running

Step 1: VPS preparation

Ensure your VPS is online and accessible. Deploy a VPS from the ColossusCloud control panel:

1. Select your preferred data center location
2. Choose Ubuntu 24.04 LTS as operating system
3. Select at least 2 GB RAM (4 GB recommended for multiple apps)
4. VPS deployment completes within a minute

Note the IP address and credentials from your dashboard.

Step 2: SSH connection

Connect to your VPS:

ssh root@your-vps-ip

Step 3: Coolify installation

Run the official installation script:

curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | bash

The installer handles:

• Docker installation if absent
• Docker Compose setup
• Coolify container image retrieval
• Web interface configuration
• Service initialization

Installation requires 5-10 minutes depending on connection speed.

Step 4: Dashboard access

After installation, open:

http://your-vps-ip:8000

Create your admin account with a strong password for full deployment control.

Step 5: Domain configuration (recommended)

For production deployments, point a domain to your VPS:

1. Create an A record pointing your domain to the VPS IP
2. In Coolify, navigate to Settings → Configuration
3. Enter your instance domain
4. Coolify provisions an SSL certificate automatically

Application deployment options

Git repository deployment

1. Click “New Resource” → “Application”
2. Select Git provider (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket)
3. Authorize Coolify for repository access
4. Choose repository and branch
5. Coolify auto-detects framework and suggests build settings
6. Click “Deploy”

Automatic deployments trigger on branch pushes.

Docker image deployment

1. Click “New Resource” → “Application”
2. Select “Docker Image”
3. Enter image name (e.g., nginx:latest or private registry images)
4. Configure ports and environment variables
5. Click “Deploy”

Docker Compose deployment

1. Click “New Resource” → “Docker Compose”
2. Paste docker-compose.yml or link repository containing one
3. Set environment variables
4. Click “Deploy”

Adding databases

Coolify simplifies database creation:

1. Click “New Resource” → “Database”
2. Select database type:
   • PostgreSQL
   • MySQL / MariaDB
   • MongoDB
   • Redis
   • Additional options available
3. Configure settings or accept defaults
4. Click “Create”

Connection strings generate automatically. Applications within Coolify can reference databases via internal networking.

Supported frameworks

Coolify auto-detects and builds many frameworks:

JavaScript/TypeScript:

• Next.js, Nuxt.js, Remix
• Node.js (Express, Fastify, etc.)
• Static sites (React, Vue, Svelte)

PHP:

• Laravel
• Standard PHP

Python:

• Django, Flask, FastAPI

Other:

• Go, Rust, Ruby on Rails
• Custom Dockerfiles
• Docker Compose stacks

Unrecognized frameworks accept custom Dockerfile or Nixpacks configurations.

Managing secrets and config

For each application:

1. Access application settings
2. Select “Environment Variables”
3. Add variables (supports .env file paste)
4. Redeploy to apply

Coolify encrypts sensitive variables and distinguishes build-time from runtime variables.

SSL certificate automation

Coolify handles SSL via Let’s Encrypt:

1. Set domain in application settings
2. Enable “Generate SSL Certificate”
3. Certificates provision and renew automatically

Wildcard and custom certificates support manual configuration.

Scaling across multiple VPS

Coolify manages multiple VPS instances from single dashboards:

1. Navigate to “Servers”
2. Click “Add Server”
3. Enter additional VPS details
4. Execute provided SSH command on new server

Multi-server use cases:

• Separate production and staging environments
• Geographic distribution across data centers
• Project resource isolation

Comparing self-hosted PaaS options

Feature	Coolify	Dokku	CapRover
Web UI	Full dashboard	CLI only	Dashboard
Git deployment	Yes	Yes	Yes
Multi-server	Yes	No	Yes
Database management	Built-in	Manual	Built-in
Development activity	Very active	Moderate	Moderate
Learning curve	Low	Medium	Low

Coolify distinguishes itself through modern UI, active development, and comprehensive features.

Data protection

Application data

Coolify stores deployment configurations. For application data:

• Use Coolify’s built-in database backup features
• Configure volume backups for persistent data
• Export configurations for version control

Database backups

1. Select database resource
2. Access “Backups”
3. Configure scheduled backups
4. Optionally configure S3-compatible storage for offsite copies

Complete VPS backup

For full disaster recovery, enable VPS snapshot backups through ColossusCloud. Complete server state captures include Coolify configuration, all containers, and data.

Firewall security

ColossusCloud’s Cloud Firewall operates at network level, blocking attacks before reaching your server.

Configure through the ColossusCloud control panel:

1. Navigate to VPS → Firewall
2. Allow required ports:
   • 22 (SSH) - Restrict to your IP when possible
   • 80 (HTTP) - Required for SSL certificate validation
   • 443 (HTTPS) - Application traffic
   • 8000 - Coolify dashboard (restrict after initial setup or use domain with SSL)
3. Default deny all other incoming traffic

Network-level security includes with every ColossusCloud VPS.

Keeping Coolify current

Dashboard-based updates:

1. Navigate to Settings → Configuration
2. Click “Update” when available
3. Coolify retrieves latest version and restarts

Alternatively via SSH:

curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | bash

The installer detects existing installations and performs upgrades.

Troubleshooting

Build failures

Check build logs in the dashboard. Common issues:

• Missing environment variables
• Incorrect build commands
• Resource limits (increase RAM for failing builds)

Dashboard inaccessible

Verify:

• Firewall allows port 8000
• Coolify containers running: docker ps
• Logs: docker logs coolify

SSL certificate issues

Confirm:

• DNS points to VPS IP
• Port 80 open for Let’s Encrypt validation
• Domain configured correctly in Coolify

When Coolify isn’t the right fit

Consider other options if:

• WordPress-only hosting needed - RunCloud or ServerAvatar focus there
• Managed infrastructure preferred - Heroku, Railway, or Render
• Enterprise support required - Coolify relies on community support
• CLI workflows preferred - Dokku suits command-line users

Official Coolify resources

• Coolify website - Features overview
• Documentation - Installation and configuration reference
• GitHub repository - Source code and issues
• Discord community - Support and discussions

Quick start checklist

1. Deploy a VPS with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (2+ GB RAM)
2. Run Coolify installation script
3. Create admin account via dashboard
4. Connect Git repositories
5. Deploy first application
6. Enable VPS snapshot backups for disaster recovery

Scaling requires just a few clicks through the ColossusCloud control panel for additional RAM, CPU cores, or storage without migration.

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