An ode to coolify

As a passionate developer, I wonna write code of course. I was always developing and then crashing my head about how to deploy my application. Like 5-6 years ago, what I had was a linux node setup somewhere then starting docker containers with it via ssh. I once even wrote a bash deploy script that was deploying right after my code was updated on github. But it was messy tbh.

After I spend ways too much time thinking about my linux node, I discovered those fancy apps like firebase and aws amplify (Later on vercel). I tried out both of them and it was so easy. But of course I thaught all my apps would go though the so-called roof and sooner or later I need to give money to those platforms, which I disliked. Also, I think it is just crazy to charge me for every request on a database. I simply didn't have enough trust in my skills to not have a bug that just penetrates that database and leaves me back giving all my money to aws.

That's why I used heroku. It had free tiers back then. Now it doesn't anymore and since I have not made one single dollar with any of my apps I didn't want to pay something. That's when I discovered coolify in the end. It was a simple setup on a plain old linux server and everything just worked. I can create databases, services, deploy my dockerized github apps in less than 1 minute. Everytime I do it I am just amazed by its ease. I sometimes just create and kill services for fun. When my 5-yrs-ago me would see me now, it would be so proud.

Coolify is an open source platform to basically host and manage docker containers and networks. There are database templates like psql, mongodb, mysql which really are just a one-click-deploy. There are complete application templates as well for cms, wikis, chats and so on. One day if I have time, I will setup my whole open source wold with it and it is gonna take me like one afternoon. I connected my github account as well and I can deploy from a branch of my code. It as to be dockerized then everything is set for deployment.

What makes it so nice for me is the UI to be honest. Compared to like dokku, I can see stuff. And I need to see stuff and click around when it comes to infrastructure because I am simply not as used to it. The simplicity that comes with the UI is really good. And I think it has an unused potential in industry. If I were a samll business, I would definitely had a coolify instance to host some tools we want. It is simply cheaper and easier than paying all the monthly fees to some big company in my opinion.

I know this is like an advertisement for coolify, but I do not get anything from them. I just use the tool. If I would make my first euro on the internet, I would definitely donate some 10 cents to the devs from coolify.

Check it out: https://coolify.io/