Deploy your first app

Deploying your first app in Coolify is the quickest way to confirm your setup is working end-to-end.

In this guide, you will deploy an Nginx app using the Docker Image option.

The short version

You will create a project, create a Docker Image resource, use nginx:alpine, expose port 80, deploy it, and open the generated application URL.

This path is ideal for a first deployment because you do not need a Git repository or build configuration.

Before you start

Make sure these things are ready before you deploy the app.

Dashboard access

You can sign in to Coolify and see the main dashboard.

You can access Coolify in your browser
Dashboard loads without errors

Server is connected

Coolify has at least one server listed on the Servers page.

Open Servers from the sidebar
For self-hosted installs, localhost is fine

Proxy is running

Open the server page in Coolify and check the proxy status.

Status says Proxy is running
If it is stopped, click Start Proxy

If Coolify is not ready yet, first follow Start with Self-hosted or Start with Coolify Cloud.

Deployment overview

First app deployment flow

This first deployment uses a pre-built Docker image, so you can check that Coolify can create an app, start it, and give you a URL without adding Git or build settings.

Create or open a project

Choose Docker Image

Enter nginx:alpine

Set port 80

Deploy and open the URL

Create or open the project where the app will live.
Use the Docker Image resource type so no repository or build setup is required.
Deploy nginx:alpine and expose port 80.
Use the generated sslip.io domain for the first test.
Open the generated URL and confirm the Nginx welcome page loads.

You should end with a running nginx container, a generated application URL, and a visible Nginx welcome page.

Apps run as containers

Coolify deploys applications as containers. A container packages the app with what it needs to run, so Coolify can start it, stop it, restart it, and route traffic to it.

In this guide, nginx:alpine is the container image Coolify will run.

Deploy your first nginx app

Choose the deployment method you want to use. Each tab reaches the same first-deployment outcome.

Create your first project

On the Coolify dashboard:

click New Project
enter a project name, for example my-first-project
click Continue

Tip

If you already have a project, skip this step and continue to Step 2.

Create a new resource

Open your project and click Create New Resource.

A resource is something Coolify will run for you, such as an app, database, or service. In this guide, the resource will be a small Nginx app.

Choose deployment type

From the deployment options, choose Docker Image.

Choose this option because the app already exists as a ready-to-run container image. Coolify only needs to pull the image and start it.

Enter the image reference

In the image field, enter:

nginx:alpine

Then continue to the configuration screen.

This image starts a simple web server that shows the default Nginx welcome page. That makes it a safe first deployment test.

Configure network settings

Set:

Ports Exposes: 80

Nginx listens on port 80, so Coolify needs to know that it should send web traffic to port 80 inside the app.

By default, Coolify generates a testing domain like http://<uuid>.<server-ip>.sslip.io.

Generated URL or your own domain

Fastest first test

http://<uuid>.<server-ip>.sslip.io

Keep the generated sslip.io URL.
Deploy immediately without DNS setup.
Use this only to confirm routing works.

Production-style test

https://shadowarcanist.com

Point DNS to your server IP address.
Replace the generated domain in Coolify.
Use https:// so TLS certificates can be issued.

Note

For your first deployment test, using the generated sslip.io domain is the fastest path.

Deploy

Click the Deploy button.

During deployment, Coolify will:

pull nginx:alpine
create and start the container
connect it to the proxy so the generated URL can reach it

Wait until the deployment finishes before opening the app link.

Visit application link

After deployment completes:

open the application URL shown in Coolify
confirm that the default Nginx welcome page loads

What success looks like

If you can see the default Nginx welcome page in your browser, your first Coolify application deployment worked.

Common first-deploy issues

Use these checks when the deployment finishes but the application link does not behave as expected.

Usually caused by wrong port settings.

Check:

Ports Exposes is set to 80
the image is nginx:alpine

What to do next

Your first app confirms that Coolify can create and run an application. From here, you can deploy a database, deploy a service, or learn how Git-based app builds work.

Deploy a database

Deploy a database when your app needs persistent data.

Deploy a service

Deploy a ready-made service from the Coolify catalog.

Learn build packs

Move from pre-built images to Git-based application deployments.