How Services work

Coolify combines a Service definition in the control plane with a Docker Compose project on one connected server.

The Service definition stores the raw Compose YAML, generated environment values, selected destination, component settings, and operational configuration. Docker stores the images, networks, containers, and persistent volumes used by the running stack.

From creation to a running Service

1. You select a one-click template or Docker Compose Empty in a project and environment.
2. Coolify stores the selected template or pasted Compose definition on the new Service resource.
3. Coolify parses each Compose service, identifies common database images, creates component records, and generates referenced values such as domains and credentials.
4. You review the stack, required variables, domains, and storage under Configuration.
5. When you select Deploy, Coolify saves a generated .env file and deployable docker-compose.yml in the Service configuration directory on the selected server.
6. Coolify pulls the configured images, creates the resource network when required, and runs docker compose up with the saved project name and configuration.
7. Docker starts the component containers and runs health checks defined by the images or Compose definition.
8. The Coolify proxy routes configured domains to the appropriate application components.

Raw and deployable Compose

The Source Compose is the definition stored on the Service. It is the copy you edit.

The Deployable Compose is the generated definition Coolify sends to Docker Compose. It can include normalized volume names, container names, labels, networks, environment references, and proxy configuration.

Do not copy generated names back into the source definition unless the stack genuinely requires them. Review both views from Configuration > General > Edit Compose File.

Components belong to one stack

Coolify shows each parsed Compose service as a component card under Configuration > General:

• application components can have domains and proxy behavior
• database components can have public proxy settings and supported backup controls
• every component can show its image and container status

The Service status aggregates its non-excluded components. An optional or one-time component can be excluded from the aggregate status from its Advanced settings.

A component can be restarted separately, but Deploy, Restart, Stop, and Pull Latest Images & Restart act on the Service stack.

Networking

Coolify creates a resource-specific Docker network for the Service. Components in the same Compose definition communicate by Compose service name and internal port.

Coolify creates a shared Docker network named coolify on each connected server. Enable Connect To Predefined Network when the stack must privately communicate with resources on its predefined network, which is coolify for the default destination. Other Docker networks remain isolated, and the coolify network does not extend across servers.

Use a domain for public HTTP traffic. Publish a host port only when an external client requires direct TCP or UDP access.

Read Service networking for same-stack connections, the coolify network, other Docker networks, cross-server paths, domains, and published ports.

Configuration changes and redeployment

Saving a value updates the Service definition. Changes that affect container configuration do not necessarily change a running container immediately.

Deploy or restart the Service after changing:

• the Compose definition or an image reference
• environment variables
• domains, ports, proxy behavior, or networks
• persistent storage
• component logging or status settings

Restart recreates the stack without first pulling newer images. Pull Latest Images & Restart pulls the image tags stored in the current Compose definition, then recreates the stack.

Persistent data

Containers are replaceable. Store required data in volumes, directories, file mounts, or external services declared by the Compose definition.

Parsed mounts appear under Configuration > Persistent Storages for the component that uses them. For a Service, change Compose-owned mount definitions in Edit Compose File, not in the read-only storage view.

Control plane and Service server

The Coolify instance stores configuration and coordinates operations. The connected server stores the Service configuration directory and runs its Docker resources.

Already-running containers can continue operating while the Coolify control plane is unavailable, as long as Docker, the server, its networks, the proxy, and the containers remain healthy. New Coolify operations require the control plane to be available.

Continue learning

Docker Compose

Edit the source definition and understand generated values.

Configure a Service

Find every stack and component configuration page.

Operate Services

Use lifecycle actions, logs, terminal access, and maintenance controls.