coolify, docker-compose quick start

1. Provision a VPS

Spin up a hetzner CAX11 (4GB RAM, 40GB disk) for $4.13/mo. Any provider with comparable specs works.

2. Install Docker

curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
sudo systemctl enable --now docker

3. Save the docker-compose.yml

This is a starter template. Required environment variables, secrets, and external dependencies (Postgres, Redis, etc.) vary per project, read the upstream README and adjust before running in production.

# docker-compose.yml, best-guess starter for coolify
# Verify against upstream README at https://github.com/coollabsio/coolify
# Detected requirements: 4GB RAM, 40GB disk
services:
  coolify:
    image: coollabsio/coolify:latest
    container_name: coolify
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/data
    environment:
      - TZ=America/New_York
    deploy:
      resources:
        limits:
          memory: 4096M
          cpus: '2'

4. Run

docker compose up -d
docker compose logs -f

The service will be reachable on port 3000. Add a reverse proxy (Caddy or Traefik) and a domain when you're ready for HTTPS.