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Coolify on RepoCloud

Coolify is an open-source, self-hosted platform-as-a-service (PaaS) that turns any server into a Heroku-like deployment environment. On RepoCloud, Coolify runs on a dedicated VPS with full root access, SSH, a browser console, and all the management tools in the RepoCloud dashboard.

Git-Push Deploys

Connect GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, or Gitea and deploy on every push with automatic builds via Nixpacks, Dockerfile, or Docker Compose

280+ Templates

One-click deployment for WordPress, n8n, Grafana, Plausible, MinIO, Ghost, and hundreds more

Managed Databases

Provision PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MongoDB, and Redis in a few clicks with backups and monitoring

Automatic SSL

Traefik reverse proxy with Let’s Encrypt certificates, per-branch preview URLs, and wildcard domain support

Full Root Access

SSH into your server, use the browser console, and manage everything at the OS level

S3 Backups

Automated backups to any S3-compatible storage with one-click restore

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Prerequisites

  • A RepoCloud account with credit balance (VPS Apps work with free sign-up credit)
  • An email address for the Coolify admin account

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Deploying Coolify on RepoCloud

1

Find Coolify in the Marketplace

Go to the RepoCloud marketplace and search for “Coolify”. Click on the Coolify VPS listing.
2

Enter a Project Name

Choose a friendly name for your project (e.g., “my-coolify”). This is for your reference in the RepoCloud dashboard.
3

Enter Your Admin Email

Provide the email address you want to use for the Coolify admin account. It defaults to your RepoCloud account email.
4

Choose Resource Settings

Select a tier for your server. Tiers below 2 GB RAM are greyed out because Coolify requires at least 2 GB to install without running out of memory. Servers can be upgraded to a higher tier but not downsized.
5

Deploy

A dedicated IPv4 address is included with every VPS at no extra charge. Click Deploy Coolify and wait 5–10 minutes.
6

Check Your Email

Once deployment finishes, you receive an email with:
  • Dashboard URL — the HTTPS link to your Coolify dashboard
  • App Credentials — admin email and any generated passwords
  • SSH command — ssh root@<your-ip>
  • SSH Private Key — save it to a file, chmod 600, and use it to connect
Coolify requires a minimum of 2 GB RAM. If you select a tier with less, the deployment page disables it and shows “Below minimum system requirements for this app.”

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First-Time Setup

After deployment, open the dashboard URL from your email. Coolify walks you through an onboarding wizard:
1

Create Your Admin Account

On first visit, register with the admin email and a secure password. The first account created becomes the Coolify administrator.
2

Choose Server Type

Select Quick Start to use the current server (localhost) for deployments. This is the right choice for most users — the Coolify VPS is both the control plane and the deployment target. Advanced users can choose “Recommended” to connect a separate remote server later.
3

Configure SSH Authentication

Select Use Existing Key. Coolify automatically generated an SSH key during installation that it uses to manage the local Docker runtime. No manual key setup is needed.
4

Create Your First Project

Coolify organizes work into projects. Create one (e.g., “My First Project”) to group your applications, databases, and services.
After the wizard, go to Settings in the Coolify sidebar and set your Instance Domain (e.g., https://coolify.yourdomain.com) if you want to access the dashboard through your own domain with automatic SSL.

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Deploying Applications

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From a Git Repository

1

Create a New Resource

In the Coolify dashboard, click New Resource and select Application.
2

Connect Your Git Provider

Choose GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, or Gitea. For GitHub, authorize Coolify via the GitHub App integration. For other providers, add a deploy key or OAuth token.
3

Select Repository and Branch

Pick the repository and branch you want to deploy. Enable “Auto Deploy” to redeploy on every push.
4

Configure the Build

Coolify auto-detects your build system via Nixpacks (the default). You can also select a Dockerfile or Docker Compose build. Set environment variables, build arguments, and resource limits as needed.
5

Add a Domain

Under the Domains tab, add a domain or subdomain. Coolify provisions a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate automatically. If you do not have a domain yet, Coolify assigns a port-based URL on your server’s IP.
6

Deploy

Click Deploy. Watch the build log in real time. Once the build completes, your app is live at the configured domain.

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From a Template

Coolify ships with 280+ pre-configured service templates:
1

Browse Templates

In the Coolify dashboard, click New Resource and select Service. Browse or search the template catalog.
2

Select a Template

Choose a template (e.g., WordPress, Plausible Analytics, n8n, Uptime Kuma). Each template comes with sensible defaults.
3

Configure and Deploy

Adjust any settings (domain, environment variables, resource limits) and click Deploy. Coolify pulls the required images and starts the service.
Popular templates include:
  • CMS: WordPress, Ghost, Strapi, Directus
  • Analytics: Plausible, Umami, Matomo
  • Automation: n8n, Huginn, Activepieces
  • Monitoring: Uptime Kuma, Grafana, Prometheus
  • Storage: MinIO, Nextcloud, Seafile
  • Development: Gitea, Code Server, Coder

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Managing Databases

Coolify can provision and manage databases as first-class resources:
  • PostgreSQL — with pgAdmin or direct connection strings
  • MySQL / MariaDB — standalone or as part of a service stack
  • MongoDB — single node or replica set
  • Redis — caching, pub/sub, and session storage
For each database, Coolify provides:
  • Connection strings and credentials
  • Automated backups on a schedule (configure S3-compatible storage under Settings > Backup)
  • One-click restore from any backup point
  • Resource monitoring (CPU, memory, disk usage)

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Custom Domains and SSL

Coolify manages its own domains and SSL certificates through its built-in Traefik reverse proxy. This is separate from the RepoCloud custom domain feature. For applications deployed inside Coolify:
  1. Go to the application’s Domains tab in the Coolify dashboard
  2. Add your domain (e.g., app.yourdomain.com)
  3. Create a DNS A record pointing to your VPS IPv4 address
  4. Coolify automatically provisions a Let’s Encrypt certificate
For the Coolify dashboard itself:
  1. Go to Settings in the Coolify sidebar
  2. Set the Instance Domain (e.g., https://coolify.yourdomain.com)
  3. Create a DNS A record pointing to your VPS IPv4 address
  4. Save — Coolify reconfigures Traefik to serve the dashboard on that domain with SSL
Do not use the RepoCloud “Custom Domain” feature in the manage page for domains intended for applications running inside Coolify. Use Coolify’s own domain management instead, as it controls the Traefik routing rules and certificate issuance.

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RepoCloud Manage Page

Your Coolify VPS has a dedicated manage page in the RepoCloud dashboard with these sections:
View your server’s default domain (HTTPS link to Coolify dashboard), dedicated IPv4 address, SSH connection command (ssh root@<ip>), and app credentials (admin email and generated passwords).
Power Off stops the server (data is preserved). Power On starts it again. Reboot performs a graceful restart. Use these for maintenance or to stop billing on a fixed-tier server.
Opens a browser-based serial console (xterm.js) for emergency access. Useful if SSH is unreachable — for example, after a firewall misconfiguration or a failed system update.
Lists all registered SSH public keys. RepoCloud auto-generates an Ed25519 key pair at deployment and sends the private key in your email. You can add more keys (e.g., from other machines or team members) and remove old ones.
Switch between tiers. Upsizing is always available; disk cannot be shrunk after an upgrade (if you need a smaller disk, create a new instance). Changes take effect within a few minutes.
Create up to 5 point-in-time snapshots. Take one before upgrading Coolify or making risky changes so you can roll back. To restore, click Restore next to the target snapshot. If newer snapshots exist, a warning lists which ones will be permanently destroyed. The server restarts during restore (~10–25 seconds) and the page refreshes automatically when complete.
Point your own domain to the VPS itself by creating an A record to your IPv4 and registering it here. This sets the top-level domain for the server — individual app domains are managed inside Coolify.
Permanently delete the server, all data, snapshots, and the IPv4 reservation. Requires typing the project name to confirm.

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Upgrading Coolify

Coolify manages its own updates. When a new version is available, a notification appears in the Coolify dashboard sidebar.
1

Check for Updates

In the Coolify dashboard, look for the update notification in the sidebar or go to Settings > About.
2

Create a Snapshot

Before upgrading, create a snapshot from the RepoCloud manage page so you can roll back if something goes wrong.
3

Run the Upgrade

Click the update button in the Coolify dashboard. Coolify pulls the new images and restarts its own containers. Your deployed applications are not affected.
4

Verify

After the upgrade, confirm the new version number in Settings > About and verify your applications are still running.
You can also upgrade via SSH by running the official Coolify upgrade command: curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | bash. This is the same script used for initial installation and handles upgrades in-place.

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Troubleshooting

The Coolify dashboard runs on port 8000 behind the VPS’s default domain. If the URL from your email does not load, wait a few more minutes — the installation script needs time to pull Docker images and start all services. If it still does not load after 15 minutes, open the browser console from the RepoCloud manage page and check docker ps for running containers.
Coolify requires at least 2 GB RAM. If you deployed on a tier with less memory (which should not be possible through the UI — tiers below 2 GB are disabled), the install script may fail during apt-get install or Docker image pulls. Resize to a 2 GB or larger tier from the manage page.
Ensure your DNS A record points to the correct IPv4 address (shown in the manage page Access section). Let’s Encrypt uses the HTTP-01 challenge on port 80 — the Traefik container must be running and port 80 must not be blocked. Check Coolify’s Traefik logs: in the sidebar, go to Settings > Traefik and check the log output.
Verify you are using the correct IP address and that your SSH key file has chmod 600 permissions. If SSH hangs or is refused, use the browser console from the RepoCloud manage page to diagnose — check systemctl status sshd and ufw status from the console.
Check the build log in the Coolify dashboard for specific errors. Common causes: missing Dockerfile or unsupported Node.js/Python version for Nixpacks. Ensure your repository has a supported build configuration. You can always switch the build method between Nixpacks, Dockerfile, and Docker Compose.

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Use Cases

Coolify is ideal for:
  • Indie developers and startups who want Heroku-like convenience without vendor lock-in or per-app pricing
  • Agencies deploying multiple client sites from Git with automatic SSL and preview environments
  • Teams that need managed databases alongside their applications with centralized monitoring
  • Self-hosters migrating from other PaaS providers who want to keep their deployment workflow

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Next Steps

Deploy Coolify

Launch your Coolify VPS from the RepoCloud marketplace

Coolify Documentation

Read the official Coolify documentation for advanced features

Dokploy

Explore Dokploy as an alternative Docker-focused deployment platform

VPS Apps Overview

Learn about all VPS Apps and the RepoCloud manage page