coolify
Coolify is an open-source, self-hosted platform for managing servers and deploying applications, databases, and services without vendor lock-in. It provides a PaaS-like experience similar to Heroku or Vercel but runs on your own infrastructure via SSH, supporting VPS, bare metal, and single-board computers.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | coollabsio/coolify |
| Owner | coollabsio |
| Primary language | PHP |
| License | Apache-2.0 — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 58.1k |
| Forks | 5k |
| Open issues | 802 |
| Latest release | v4.1.2 (2026-06-04) |
| Last updated | 2026-07-07 |
| Source | https://github.com/coollabsio/coolify |
What coolify is
Built in PHP with Laravel/Inertia, Coolify orchestrates Docker and Docker Compose deployments across multiple server targets. It manages 280+ one-click services including databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Redis) and full-stack frameworks (Next.js, Node.js, Svelte), storing all configurations on the target server to avoid lock-in.
Get the coolify source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/coollabsio/coolify.gitcd coolify# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Requires at least one dedicated or VPS server to run Coolify itself; target application servers need SSH connectivity and Docker/Docker Compose support.
- Installation via curl script; refer to official docs for network configuration, firewall rules, reverse proxy setup, and SSL/TLS termination.
- All application/database configs persisted on target servers—if Coolify is uninstalled, running resources remain functional but lose automation and monitoring.
- Supports heterogeneous infrastructure (Raspberry Pi, bare metal, VPS) but standardizes on Docker Compose; non-Docker workloads require custom integration.
- No built-in high availability for the Coolify controller itself in self-hosted mode; cloud version offers HA but incurs subscription cost.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Kubernetes or Enterprise Container Orchestration Required — Coolify uses Docker/Docker Compose, not Kubernetes. If you need Kubernetes' clustering, auto-scaling, or multi-zone orchestration, consider dedicated container platforms.
- Hands-Off Cloud Hosting Preference — Self-hosting requires managing underlying servers, network, SSH keys, and infrastructure updates. If you want no infrastructure management, use the cloud version or traditional PaaS.
- Strict Compliance or High Availability SLAs — Self-hosted architecture depends on your server management discipline. Cloud version offers HA, but self-hosted requires you to architect redundancy and handle disaster recovery.
- Extremely Large Scale (1000+ concurrent deployments) — Not designed for massive multi-tenant SaaS. Better suited for teams/companies managing dozens to hundreds of services per organizational deployment.
License & commercial use
Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (Apache-2.0), a permissive OSI-approved license allowing commercial use, modification, and distribution with attribution and liability disclaimers.
Apache-2.0 permits commercial deployment and closed-source extensions. However, any distributed modifications must include the original license. For commercial deployment, retain attribution and review patent/liability clauses. A paid cloud version (app.coolify.io) is available as an alternative.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Adequate |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Moderate |
| DEV.co fit | Good |
| Assessment confidence | High |
Self-hosted security posture depends on server hardening, SSH key management, network isolation, and credential handling (database passwords, API keys). No security audit, penetration test results, or vulnerability disclosure policy mentioned in provided data. Review Coolify's own security practices (secret storage, TLS defaults, RBAC) before production use. Ensure servers are patched and firewalls configured; Coolify does not replace infrastructure security responsibility.
Alternatives to consider
Dokku
Lightweight PaaS on a single server; simpler for small teams but less multi-server orchestration than Coolify.
Caprover
Self-hosted Docker-based PaaS with CLI and web UI; comparable feature set; established community.
Kubernetes + Helm
Industry-standard container orchestration with extensive tooling; steeper learning curve but scales to enterprise size and offers advanced HA/multi-zone.
Build on coolify with DEV.co software developers
Coolify is ideal for teams wanting Heroku-like ease without cloud vendor dependency. Start with self-hosted or try the managed cloud version at app.coolify.io.
Talk to DEV.coRelated open-source tools
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coolify FAQ
Do I need to run Coolify on the same server as my applications?
What happens if I uninstall Coolify?
Does Coolify lock me into its platform?
Is there a managed/cloud version?
Custom software development services
Adopting coolify is usually one piece of a larger software development effort. As a software development agency, DEV.co provides software development services and web development expertise — pairing senior software developers and web developers with your team to design, build, and operate open-source devops software in production.
Ready to Deploy on Your Infrastructure?
Coolify is ideal for teams wanting Heroku-like ease without cloud vendor dependency. Start with self-hosted or try the managed cloud version at app.coolify.io.