Coolify is an open-source, self-hostable platform as a service (PaaS). Connect a Git repository, and Coolify builds and deploys your app (Node.js, Python, PHP, Go, static sites, Dockerfiles or Docker Compose), issues SSL certificates, and redeploys on every push. It works like Heroku, Netlify or Vercel, but on your own VPS. It also runs databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis) with scheduled backups, and offers hundreds of one-click services.

Lighter alternatives: Dokploy and CapRover.

Requirements

  • A fresh Ubuntu or Debian VPS is recommended. Coolify installs Docker and manages ports 80/443 itself.
  • At least 2 vCPU and 2 GB RAM for Coolify itself. Add what your apps and builds need: builds are CPU and RAM-heavy, so 4 GB+ is comfortable. See how much RAM a VPS needs.
  • 30 GB+ disk (images and build caches grow).
  • Root SSH access.

Coolify can also manage additional servers over SSH. A common setup is one small server running Coolify, deploying to bigger app servers.

Install

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

The script installs Docker, sets up Coolify in /data/coolify, and starts it. Then open http://<server-ip>:8000, and create the admin account immediately: the first registration becomes the owner.

Initial setup

  1. Instance domain: in Settings, set a domain for the dashboard (for example coolify.example.com, with a DNS A record) so it gets HTTPS. Then close port 8000. See DNS records.
  2. Wildcard domain (optional): point *.apps.example.com at the server, and Coolify can generate subdomains for each app.
  3. Git source: connect GitHub (via a GitHub App) or GitLab, or use public repositories and deploy keys.
  4. Notifications: email, Discord or Telegram for deployment status and backup results.

Deploy an application

  1. New resource → choose the repository and branch.
  2. Pick a build pack:
    • Nixpacks auto-detects the language and builds an image (no Dockerfile needed);
    • Dockerfile;
    • Docker Compose for multi-container apps;
    • Static for built sites.
  3. Set the domain, the port the app listens on, and environment variables (secrets are stored encrypted).
  4. Deploy. Coolify builds the image, starts the container behind its proxy (Traefik or Caddy), and gets a Let’s Encrypt certificate.

Automatic deploys: with the GitHub App, or a webhook, every push triggers a redeploy. Preview deployments for pull requests are supported too. See CI/CD explained.

Databases and backups

Create PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, MongoDB, Redis and others as resources. Coolify can schedule backups to local storage or S3-compatible storage. Configure an S3 destination and test a restore. See MinIO.

Keep databases on the internal Docker network unless an outside app needs them. If you make one public, restrict it by IP.

One-click services

The service catalogue includes WordPress, Ghost, Plausible, Umami, n8n, Uptime Kuma, MinIO, Supabase, Appwrite and many more. That’s a fast way to try apps, but you still own updates and backups for each one.

Security

  • Keep the dashboard behind HTTPS, use a strong password, and enable 2FA.
  • Close port 8000 after setting the instance domain. Coolify needs 22 (SSH), 80 and 443.
  • Coolify manages servers as root over SSH. Protect the SSH keys it generates, and restrict SSH by IP if you can. See SSH hardening.
  • Apps you deploy are only as secure as their code and images. Update base images regularly.

Maintenance

  • Coolify updates itself (auto-update can be enabled or done manually from the dashboard). Read the changelog for breaking changes.
  • Clean up old images and build cache: there’s a built-in cleanup, or run docker system prune carefully. See Docker disk cleanup.
  • Back up /data/coolify (it holds the Coolify database and SSH keys) along with your app data.

Quick reference

Item Value
Install curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | sudo bash
Initial dashboard http://<ip>:8000 (close after setting a domain)
Data /data/coolify
Build packs Nixpacks, Dockerfile, Docker Compose, Static
Minimum 2 vCPU / 2 GB RAM (+ apps and builds)

Related: Dokploy, GitHub Actions deploy to VPS, and Docker VPS hosting.

  • DevOps
  • Docker
  • Self-Hosting