> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.repocloud.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Managing Instances

> Learn how to monitor, maintain, and manage your deployed applications

## Instance Management

Once you've deployed an application on RepoCloud, you'll need to monitor, maintain, and manage it effectively. This guide covers all the essential management tasks available through the RepoCloud dashboard.

<Note>
  The RepoCloud dashboard provides a comprehensive interface for managing all aspects of your deployed applications.
</Note>

## Dashboard Overview

Your dashboard lists all of your projects under the **Projects** tab, alongside **Settings** (profile and two-factor authentication), **Referrals** (affiliate program), and **Billing** (credit balance, auto recharge, and usage history). Clicking "Manage" on any project opens its management page, which provides these tools:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Status & Usage" icon="chart-simple">
    See the instance status (e.g., "Online") and, on autoscaling instances, view the usage chart showing which resource tier your app has used over time
  </Card>

  <Card title="Environment Variables" icon="gear">
    Edit your application's environment variables with the "Edit Env Vars" button
  </Card>

  <Card title="Updates" icon="arrows-rotate">
    Update to the latest version with "Rebuild / Update", or pin a specific version with "Edit Docker Image"
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom Domains" icon="globe">
    Connect your own domain with the "Add Custom Domain" button
  </Card>

  <Card title="Logs" icon="file-lines">
    View application logs for troubleshooting with the "View Logs" button
  </Card>

  <Card title="Lifecycle Controls" icon="power-off">
    Rename your project, pause the server, or delete it entirely
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Common Management Tasks

### Monitoring Your Instance

RepoCloud provides several monitoring capabilities:

1. **Resource Tier Tracking**: On autoscaling instances, click "View Usage Chart" to see which resource tier your application has used hour by hour
2. **Status Checks**: The management page and dashboard show whether your instance is online
3. **Application Logs**: Click "View Logs" to inspect your application's output, with a "Refresh Logs" button to pull the latest entries
4. **Platform Status**: Check [status.repocloud.io](https://status.repocloud.io) for the health of all RepoCloud server clusters

<Note>
  Resource tier tracking is particularly useful when using autoscaling, as it helps you understand how resources are being allocated and billed on an hourly basis.
</Note>

### Pausing and Deleting Instances

You can control the state of your instance from the dashboard:

* **Pause Server**: Temporarily halt all operations (billing continues at 25% of the normal rate)
* **Resume**: Resume a paused instance to full functionality
* **Rebuild / Update**: Recreate the service from scratch by pulling the latest image and discarding cached data, while preserving your persistent data

<Warning>
  Pausing an instance reduces billing to 25% of the normal rate, as some resources remain allocated. To stop billing completely, you would need to delete the instance.
</Warning>

### Data Management

We recommend the following practices for managing your application data:

1. Use the application's built-in backup features if available
2. Regularly export important data from your application
3. Store backups externally or download them for safekeeping
4. Use version control systems for code and configurations
5. Document your setup for easy recreation if needed

For example:

* **n8n**: Export your workflows as JSON files from the n8n editor
* **WordPress**: Use a migration or backup plugin to download your entire site, or migrate it to another instance

<Warning>
  RepoCloud does not offer instance-level backups. Backups are only available through the application's own built-in features, so you are responsible for exporting and safeguarding your own data.
</Warning>

### Deleting Instances

When you no longer need an instance:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Backup Important Data">
    Ensure you've backed up any important data from the application
  </Step>

  <Step title="Navigate to Instance Management">
    Go to the instance management page for the application you want to delete
  </Step>

  <Step title="Delete Instance">
    Click the "Delete Server" button and confirm the deletion. If you're deleting because of a problem with the application, you can optionally report the error details in the confirmation dialog to help us improve the template.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Instance deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. All data associated with the instance will be permanently deleted.
</Warning>

## Application Management

Different applications offer different management interfaces within the application itself. You can access these through the application's web interface:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Content Management Systems">
    Most CMS platforms like WordPress provide admin dashboards for managing content, users, themes, and plugins.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Project Management Tools">
    Tools like Jira and Trello offer configuration options through their web interface for workflow customization.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="E-commerce Platforms">
    Platforms like WooCommerce and Magento include store management, product catalog, and order processing interfaces.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with your instance:

1. Check the application logs ("View Logs") for error messages
2. On autoscaling instances, check the usage chart to see whether your instance is hitting its resource limits
3. Use "Rebuild / Update" to recreate the instance if it's unresponsive (your persistent data is preserved)
4. Check for recent changes or updates that might have caused the issue
5. Consult the [troubleshooting guide](/user-guide/troubleshooting) for common solutions

## Next Steps

<CardGroup>
  <Card title="Custom Domains" icon="globe" href="/user-guide/custom-domains">
    Learn how to set up custom domains for your applications
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scaling Resources" icon="chart-line" href="/user-guide/scaling">
    Discover how to scale your application resources
  </Card>

  <Card title="Application Updates" icon="arrows-rotate" href="/user-guide/updates">
    Keep your applications secure and up-to-date
  </Card>

  <Card title="Environment Variables" icon="gear" href="/user-guide/environment-variables">
    Configure your applications with environment variables
  </Card>
</CardGroup>