Coolify

Coolify is a self-hosted platform-as-a-service (PaaS) for deploying and managing applications, databases, and other services on your own servers using Docker. It focuses on a Git-based workflow with an admin UI to configure builds, networking, environment variables, and domains.

Key Features

• Deploy applications from Git providers with automated build & deploy pipelines
• Supports Dockerfile and Docker Compose-based deployments
• One-click/self-managed databases and services (commonly PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, Redis, etc.)
• Automatic reverse proxy configuration and HTTPS certificate provisioning/renewal
• Environment variables and secrets management per application
• Multi-server/remote server management (connect and deploy to additional hosts)
• Application logs, deployment history, and basic observability/management from the UI
• Rollback/redeploy workflows and configuration-driven service management

Use Cases

• Replace Heroku/Render-style app deployments on your own VM(s)
• Host multiple internal services (APIs, web apps, workers) with consistent deploy processes
• Run self-managed databases alongside applications with simplified provisioning

Limitations and Considerations

• Feature depth and operational tooling may be less comprehensive than Kubernetes-based platforms for complex multi-cluster/enterprise needs
• Functionality depends on Docker/Compose patterns; non-container workloads are not the primary target

Coolify is well-suited for teams and individuals who want a Git-first deployment platform with a web UI, automated HTTPS, and server/app lifecycle management. It provides a pragmatic middle ground between manual Docker administration and more complex orchestration stacks.