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Deploying Services

Elestio supports two deployment modes:
  • Catalog Deployment (400+ pre-built open-source templates) 
  • CI/CD Deployment (your own custom code from GitHub or GitLab).

Catalog Deployment

Use this when you need a standard open-source service (database, monitoring tool, CMS, etc.).

Find a template
# Search by name
elestio templates search postgresql
elestio templates search redis
elestio templates search wordpress

# Browse all templates
elestio templates

# Get template details (ID, versions, supported providers)
elestio templates info postgresql
Deploy a template
# Minimal deploy (uses defaults: netcup / nbg / MEDIUM-2C-4G)
elestio deploy postgresql --project 112 --name my-db

# Full options
elestio deploy postgresql \
  --project 112 \
  --name prod-postgres \
  --provider hetzner \
  --region fsn1 \
  --size LARGE-4C-8G \
  --support level2
Wait for the deployment to complete
elestio wait <vmID>
# Polls until deploymentStatus = "Deployed"
Get your service credentials
elestio credentials <vmID>
# Returns: URL, admin username, admin password
Common catalog examples
# Databases
elestio deploy postgresql --project 112 --name prod-pg
elestio deploy mysql --project 112 --name prod-mysql
elestio deploy redis --project 112 --name cache
elestio deploy mongodb --project 112 --name docs-db

# Analytics & monitoring
elestio deploy grafana --project 112 --name metrics
elestio deploy metabase --project 112 --name bi

# Automation
elestio deploy n8n --project 112 --name automation
elestio deploy temporal --project 112 --name workflows

# CMS & web
elestio deploy wordpress --project 112 --name blog
elestio deploy ghost --project 112 --name newsletter

CI/CD Deployment (Custom Code)

Use this when you want to deploy your own application from a GitHub or GitLab repository.

Decision tree
Is your app in a GitHub/GitLab repo?
├── YES → Automated CI/CD (recommended)
│         Step 1: elestio deploy cicd --project 112 --name my-cicd
│         Step 2: elestio cicd create --auto --target <vmID> --name my-app --repo owner/repo --mode github
│
└── NO (custom Docker) → Manual CI/CD
          Step 1: elestio deploy cicd --project 112 --name my-cicd
          Step 2: elestio ssh-keys add <vmID> --name "agent-key" --key "ssh-ed25519 ..."
          Step 3: elestio cicd template docker > pipeline.json  (edit this file)
          Step 4: elestio cicd create pipeline.json
          Step 5: SSH in and configure docker-compose.yml
Automated GitHub/GitLab deploy
# 1. Deploy a CI/CD target VM
elestio deploy cicd --project 112 --name my-cicd-target

# 2. Auto-create the pipeline (CLI handles SSH, Dockerfile, build, start)
elestio cicd create --auto \
  --target <vmID> \
  --name my-app \
  --repo owner/repo \
  --mode github \
  --auth-id <githubAuthID>

# Site is live at: https://my-app-u<userID>.vm.elestio.app/

Modes available: github, github-fullstack, gitlab, gitlab-fullstack, docker

Optional flags:

--branch main            # Git branch (default: main)
--build-cmd "npm run build"
--run-cmd "npm start"
--install-cmd "npm install"
--build-dir dist/
--framework react
--node-version 20

What does auto-create do automatically

  1. Discovers the Git account linked to the auth ID
  2. Finds the repository and selects the correct branch
  3. Creates the pipeline via the Elestio API
  4. Adds an SSH key to the CI/CD target VM
  5. Writes a correct multi-stage Dockerfile (Node build + Nginx serve)
  6. Builds the Docker image
  7. Starts the container
  8. Verifies HTTP 200 on the service URL

Total time from cicd create --auto to live URL: ~2 minutes after the CI/CD target is deployed.

Available Providers & Sizes
# See all available provider/region/size combinations with pricing
elestio sizes

# Filter by provider
elestio sizes --provider netcup
elestio sizes --provider hetzner
elestio sizes --provider aws
Common sizes 
Size CPU RAM ~Price/mo
MEDIUM-2C-4G 2 cores 4 GB ~$14
LARGE-4C-8G 4 cores 8 GB ~$26
XL-8C-16G 8 cores 16 GB ~$49

You can find more at https://elest.io/pricing#pricing.

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