Coolify Operator

Skill for operating Coolify instances through the official CLI or REST API. Coolify is a self-hosted open-source platform alternative to Heroku/Vercel/Netlify for deploying applications, databases, and services.

Pinned upstream: coolify-cli v1.8.0 (ff0ea90fc40e2d5f10e993f79759f705e5e6af10) — Coolify v4 surface. Prefer command forms from llms.txt / llms-full.txt on that tag.

Coolify version tested: v4.3.23 (September 2026)

CLI v1.8.0 Highlights

• New: Commands for instance-wide SMTP/Resend settings (coolify settings email get/update)
• Security: API tokens redacted by default in context list output (use --show-sensitive to reveal)
• Fix: is_buildtime field now correctly sent on app env create/update
• Breaking: --retention-max-storage-locally and --retention-max-storage-s3 accept numeric GB (e.g., 1, 10.5), not unit-suffixed strings

When to use this skill

• Connect to Coolify instances (via CLI contexts or API)
• Create, list, and manage applications, services, databases, and servers
• Deploy, restart, or stop resources
• View logs and deployment status
• Manage environment variables, shared envs, and storage
• Configure backups for databases
• Operate multiple Coolify instances (contexts)
• Integrate with GitHub / GitLab Apps for private repositories
• Configure notifications and instance email (SMTP/Resend)
• Manage cloud-init scripts and provision servers (Hetzner, DigitalOcean, Vultr)

---

Recent Breaking Changes (v4.3.x)

v4.3.22 — Host Path Removal

Removed: host_path configuration for persistent volumes. API requests including host_path are now rejected.

# WRONG (no longer works)
coolify app storage create <uuid> \
  --type persistent \
  --mount-path /data \
  --host-path /opt/data  # ❌ Rejected

# CORRECT (use named volumes only)
coolify app storage create <uuid> \
  --type persistent \
  --mount-path /data \
  --name my-volume

v4.3.21 — Restart Limits Now Opt-In

Restart limits are now opt-in for applications, preview deployments, and service applications. Existing resources with the previous default limit of 10 restarts were reset to unlimited.

v4.3.19 — Sentinel Mandatory

Sentinel is now mandatory on regular servers. Existing servers were enabled automatically, and the enable/disable setting became read-only. This is required for upcoming features — Sentinel will have increased responsibilities.

• Sentinel upgraded: 0.0.22 → 1.0.1
• Hourly version checks restored for enabled servers

CLI Installation

# Linux/macOS (recommended)
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/coollabsio/coolify-cli/main/scripts/install.sh | bash

# Homebrew (macOS/Linux)
brew install coollabsio/coolify-cli/coolify-cli

# Windows (PowerShell)
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/coollabsio/coolify-cli/main/scripts/install.ps1 | iex

# Go install
go install github.com/coollabsio/coolify-cli/coolify@latest

Pin a version on Windows with $env:COOLIFY_VERSION='v1.8.0' before irm ... | iex. User-local install: $env:COOLIFY_USER_INSTALL=1.

Fundamental Concepts

Authentication

CLI:

• Contexts store HOST + TOKEN
• HOST is WITHOUT /api/v1 (CLI adds it automatically)
• Token obtained at: Coolify Dashboard → Security → API Tokens

REST API:

• Base endpoint: https://YOUR-HOST/api/v1 (always with /api/v1)
• Header: Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN

Configuration with pipe in token

Coolify tokens often contain | (e.g., 3|abc123...). Never use source .env.

# Safe .env reading
COOLIFY_KEY=$(sed -n 's/^COOLIFY_KEY=//p' .env)
COOLIFY=$(sed -n 's/^COOLIFY=//p' .env)

Global Flags

All commands support these flags (match coolify-cli v1.8.0):

--context <name>              # Use specific context instead of default
--token <token>               # Override authentication token
--format table|json|pretty    # Output format (default: table)
-s, --show-sensitive          # Reveal sensitive fields (tokens, IPs, emails)
--debug                       # Enable debug mode

Config file holds plaintext tokens — never commit ~/.config/coolify/config.json (Windows: %APPDATA%\coolify\config.json).

---

CLI Operations

Utility Commands

# Update CLI to latest version
coolify update

# Show current CLI version
coolify version

# Show configuration file location
coolify config

# Generate shell completion
coolify completion bash   # or: zsh, fish, powershell

Context Management

Tokens, IPs, and emails are hidden by default in coolify context list / get (v1.8.0+). Pass -s / --show-sensitive to reveal them. The config file still stores plaintext tokens — do not commit it.

# List all configured contexts (redacted by default — v1.8.0+ security fix)
coolify context list
coolify context list --show-sensitive  # reveal tokens

# Add new context
coolify context add <context_name> <url> <token>
coolify context add -d my-coolify http://192.168.1.100:8000 "$TOKEN"  # -d sets as default
coolify context add -f prod https://prod.coolify.io "$TOKEN"          # -f force overwrite

# For Coolify Cloud
coolify context set-token cloud <token>

# Get context details
coolify context get <context_name>

# Delete context
coolify context delete <context_name>

# Update context token
coolify context set-token <context_name> <new_token>

# Set default context
coolify context set-default <context_name>
coolify context use <context_name>  # alias

# Update context properties
coolify context update <context_name> --name <new_name>
coolify context update <context_name> --url <new_url>
coolify context update <context_name> --token <new_token>

# Verify connection and authentication
coolify context verify

# Get Coolify API version
coolify context version

Projects

Primary form is singular coolify project (alias projects still works).

# List all projects
coolify project list

# Get project details / environments
coolify project get <uuid>
coolify project environments list <project_uuid>

# Create new project
coolify project create --name "My Project" --description "Description"

Resources

# List all resources (apps, databases, services)
coolify resource list

Command aliases (v1.8)

Prefer primary forms from llms.txt. These aliases still work:

• coolify app | apps | application | applications
• coolify service | services | svc
• coolify database | databases | db | dbs
• coolify project | projects
• coolify resource | resources
• coolify server | servers
• coolify teams | team
• coolify github | gh (and GitLab: gitlab | gl | gitlab-app)

---

Applications

List and View

# List all applications
coolify app list

# Get application details
coolify app get <uuid>

Create Application

From Public Git Repository

coolify app create public \
  --server-uuid <uuid> \
  --project-uuid <uuid> \
  --environment-name production \
  --git-repository "https://github.com/user/repo" \
  --git-branch main \
  --build-pack nixpacks \
  --ports-exposes 3000 \
  --domains "app.example.com" \
  --instant-deploy

# Build packs: nixpacks, static, dockerfile, dockercompose
# Additional flags:
#   --name, --description, --base-directory, --publish-directory
#   --build-command, --start-command, --install-command
#   --health-check-enabled, --health-check-path
#   --limits-memory, --limits-cpus, --ports-mappings
#   --git-commit-sha, --destination-uuid, --dockerfile-target-build
#   --tag, --tags (for tagging)
#   --compose-domain <service>=<url> (for Docker Compose)

From Private GitHub Repository (via GitHub App)

coolify app create github \
  --server-uuid <uuid> \
  --project-uuid <uuid> \
  --environment-name production \
  --github-app-uuid <github-app-uuid> \
  --git-repository "owner/repo" \
  --git-branch main \
  --build-pack nixpacks \
  --ports-exposes 3000

From Private Repository (via Deploy Key)

coolify app create deploy-key \
  --server-uuid <uuid> \
  --project-uuid <uuid> \
  --environment-name production \
  --private-key-uuid <key-uuid> \
  --git-repository "git@github.com:owner/repo.git" \
  --git-branch main \
  --build-pack nixpacks \
  --ports-exposes 3000

From Dockerfile

coolify app create dockerfile \
  --server-uuid <uuid> \
  --project-uuid <uuid> \
  --environment-name production \
  --dockerfile "FROM node:20\nCOPY . .\nRUN npm install\nCMD [\"npm\", \"start\"]"

From Docker Image

coolify app create dockerimage \
  --server-uuid <uuid> \
  --project-uuid <uuid> \
  --environment-name production \
  --docker-registry-image-name nginx \
  --docker-registry-image-tag latest \
  --ports-exposes 80

Update Application

coolify app update <uuid> \
  --name "New Name" \
  --description "New description" \
  --git-branch develop \
  --git-repository "https://github.com/user/repo" \
  --domains "app.example.com,www.example.com" \
  --compose-domain web=https://web.example.com \
  --build-command "npm run build" \
  --start-command "npm start" \
  --install-command "npm install" \
  --base-directory "/app" \
  --publish-directory "/app/dist" \
  --dockerfile "FROM node:20..." \
  --docker-image nginx \
  --docker-tag latest \
  --ports-exposes "3000,8080" \
  --ports-mappings "3000:3000" \
  --health-check-enabled \
  --health-check-path "/health"

Per-Domain Internal Port Overrides (v4.3.15+)

Applications, Docker Compose services, and preview deployments now support internal port overrides per domain. Public URLs remain portless while internal routing uses the specified port.

# Via API: PATCH /api/v1/applications/{uuid}
# Use domains array with port_override field
curl -sS -X PATCH -H "Authorization: Bearer $COOLIFY_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "domains": [
      {"fqdn": "app.example.com", "port_override": 3000},
      {"fqdn": "api.example.com", "port_override": 8080}
    ]
  }' \
  "$COOLIFY/applications/{uuid}"

# Note: The UI shows effective ports and warns about unrecognized ports
# Works with both Traefik and Caddy proxies

Lifecycle Management

# Start application
coolify app start <uuid>

# Stop application
coolify app stop <uuid>

# Restart application
coolify app restart <uuid>

# Delete application
coolify app delete <uuid>
coolify app delete <uuid> -f  # skip confirmation

# Move to another environment
coolify app move <uuid> --environment-uuid <env-uuid>

Application Logs

# Get logs
coolify app logs <uuid>

# Follow logs (like tail -f)
coolify app logs <uuid> -f

# Limit lines (or use 'all' / -1 for unlimited — v4.3.20+)
coolify app logs <uuid> -n 50
coolify app logs <uuid> -n all

# Show timestamps
coolify app logs <uuid> --show-timestamps

# Logs for specific Docker Compose service
coolify app logs <uuid> --service web

Application Tags

# List tags
coolify app tag list <uuid>

# Add tag
coolify app tag add <uuid> <tag-name>

# Remove tag
coolify app tag remove <uuid> <tag-name>

Application Environment Variables

# List all env vars
coolify app env list <uuid>

# Get specific env var
coolify app env get <uuid> <env_uuid_or_key>

# Create env var
coolify app env create <uuid> \
  --key API_KEY \
  --value secret123 \
  --preview \
  --build-time \
  --runtime \
  --comment "API key for external service" \
  --is-literal \
  --is-multiline

# Update env var
coolify app env update <uuid> <env_uuid_or_key> \
  --value new-value \
  --key NEW_KEY  # optional, for renaming

# Delete env var
coolify app env delete <uuid> <env_uuid>
coolify app env delete <uuid> <env_uuid> --force

# Sync from .env file (updates existing, creates new, keeps others)
coolify app env sync <uuid> --file .env
coolify app env sync <uuid> --file .env.production --build-time --runtime --preview --is-literal
# short form also valid: -f .env

Application Storage

# List storages
coolify app storage list <uuid>

# Create persistent volume (named volume only — host_path removed in v4.3.22)
coolify app storage create <uuid> \
  --type persistent \
  --mount-path /data \
  --name my-volume

# Create file mount
coolify app storage create <uuid> \
  --type file \
  --mount-path /app/config.json \
  --content '{"key": "value"}'

# Create directory mount
coolify app storage create <uuid> \
  --type file \
  --mount-path /app/config \
  --is-directory \
  --fs-path /opt/config

# Update storage
coolify app storage update <uuid> \
  --uuid <storage-uuid> \
  --type persistent \
  --is-preview-suffix-enabled

# Delete storage
coolify app storage delete <uuid> <storage-uuid>

Application Deployments

# List deployments
coolify app deployments list <uuid>

# Get deployment logs (latest)
coolify app deployments logs <uuid>

# Get specific deployment logs
coolify app deployments logs <uuid> <deployment-uuid>

# Follow deployment logs
coolify app deployments logs <uuid> -f

# Limit lines
coolify app deployments logs <uuid> -n 50

# Show debug logs
coolify app deployments logs <uuid> --debuglogs

Application Previews

# Delete preview deployment
coolify app previews delete <app_uuid> <pr_id>
coolify app previews delete <app_uuid> <pr_id> --force

# Get runtime logs for preview deployment (v4.3.23+)
# API: GET /api/v1/applications/{uuid}/previews/{pr_id}/logs
# Params: lines (int or "all"), timestamps (bool)
curl -sS -H "Authorization: Bearer $COOLIFY_KEY" \
  "$COOLIFY/applications/{uuid}/previews/{pr_id}/logs?lines=100&timestamps=true"

---

Databases

List and View

# List all databases
coolify database list

# Get database details
coolify database get <uuid>

Create Database

# Supported types: postgresql, mysql, mariadb, mongodb, redis, keydb, clickhouse, dragonfly

coolify database create postgresql \
  --server-uuid <uuid> \
  --project-uuid <uuid> \
  --environment-name production \
  --name mydb \
  --description "Production database" \
  --image postgres:16 \
  --instant-deploy \
  --is-public \
  --public-port 5432 \
  --limits-memory 2g \
  --limits-cpus 2

# Database-specific flags available (postgres-user, mysql-root-password, etc.)
# Supports --tag and --tags for tagging

Update and Delete

# Update database configuration
coolify database update <uuid> --name "New Name"

# Delete database
coolify database delete <uuid> \
  --delete-configurations \
  --delete-volumes \
  --docker-cleanup \
  --delete-connected-networks

Lifecycle Management

coolify database start <uuid>
coolify database stop <uuid>
coolify database restart <uuid>
coolify database logs <uuid>
coolify database move <uuid> --environment-uuid <env-uuid>

Database Tags

coolify database tag list <uuid>
coolify database tag add <uuid> <tag-name>
coolify database tag remove <uuid> <tag-name>

Database Environment Variables

# Same structure as app env commands
coolify database env list <uuid>
coolify database env get <uuid> <env_uuid_or_key>
coolify database env create <uuid> --key DB_DEBUG --value true
coolify database env update <uuid> <env_uuid_or_key> --value new-value
coolify database env delete <uuid> <env_uuid> --force
coolify database env sync <uuid> --file .env

Database Storage

# Same structure as app storage commands
coolify database storage list <uuid>
coolify database storage create <uuid> --type persistent --mount-path /data
coolify database storage update <uuid> --uuid <storage-uuid> --type persistent
coolify database storage delete <uuid> <storage-uuid>

Database Backups

Retention storage units: --retention-max-storage-locally / --retention-max-storage-s3 are float64 GB (e.g. 1 or 10). Do not pass suffixes like 1GB / 10GB.

v4.3.18+: S3-only volume archives stream directly to S3 (no temporary local disk required).

v4.3.18+: Configurable alerts when scheduled backups miss X days (see --alert-after-missing-days).

# List backup configurations
coolify database backup list <uuid>

# Create backup configuration
coolify database backup create <uuid> \
  --frequency "0 2 * * *" \
  --enabled \
  --save-s3 \
  --s3-storage-uuid <uuid> \
  --databases-to-backup "db1,db2" \
  --dump-all \
  --retention-amount-locally 10 \
  --retention-days-locally 7 \
  --retention-max-storage-locally 1 \
  --retention-amount-s3 30 \
  --retention-days-s3 30 \
  --retention-max-storage-s3 10 \
  --timeout 3600 \
  --disable-local-backup

# Update backup configuration
coolify database backup update <uuid> <backup-uuid> --frequency "0 3 * * *"

# Delete backup configuration
coolify database backup delete <uuid> <backup-uuid>

# Trigger immediate backup
coolify database backup trigger <uuid> <backup-uuid>

# List backup executions
coolify database backup executions <uuid> <backup-uuid>

# Delete backup execution
coolify database backup delete-execution <uuid> <backup-uuid> <execution-uuid>

---

Services (One-Click)

List and View

# List all services
coolify service list

# Get service details
coolify service get <uuid>

# List available service types
coolify service create --list-types

Create Service

# Examples: wordpress-with-mysql, ghost, n8n, etc.
coolify service create wordpress-with-mysql \
  --server-uuid <uuid> \
  --project-uuid <uuid> \
  --environment-name production \
  --name "My WordPress" \
  --description "Company blog" \
  --docker-compose "custom compose content" \
  --destination-uuid <uuid> \
  --instant-deploy \
  --tag production \
  --tags "blog,cms"

Lifecycle Management

coolify service start <uuid>
coolify service stop <uuid>
coolify service restart <uuid>
coolify service delete <uuid>
coolify service move <uuid> --environment-uuid <env-uuid>

# Get logs (requires sub-service name)
coolify service logs <uuid> --sub-service-name wordpress

Service Tags

coolify service tag list <uuid>
coolify service tag add <uuid> <tag-name>
coolify service tag remove <uuid> <tag-name>

Service Applications (sub-resources)

# List applications in service
coolify service application list <service-uuid>

# Get application details
coolify service application get <service-uuid> <app-uuid>

# Update application
coolify service application update <service-uuid> <app-uuid>

# Get logs
coolify service application logs <service-uuid> <app-uuid>

# Lifecycle
coolify service application start <service-uuid> <app-uuid>
coolify service application restart <service-uuid> <app-uuid>
coolify service application stop <service-uuid> <app-uuid>

Service Databases (sub-resources)

# List databases in service
coolify service database list <service-uuid>

# Get database details
coolify service database get <service-uuid> <db-uuid>

# Update database (image, log drain, public access)
coolify service database update <service-uuid> <db-uuid>

# Get logs
coolify service database logs <service-uuid> <db-uuid>

# Lifecycle
coolify service database start <service-uuid> <db-uuid>
coolify service database restart <service-uuid> <db-uuid>
coolify service database stop <service-uuid> <db-uuid>

Service Environment Variables

# Same structure as app env (without --preview)
coolify service env list <uuid>
coolify service env get <uuid> <env_uuid_or_key>
coolify service env create <uuid> --key KEY --value value --build-time --runtime
coolify service env update <uuid> <env_uuid_or_key> --value new-value
coolify service env delete <uuid> <env_uuid> --force
coolify service env sync <uuid> --file .env --build-time --runtime

Service Storage

coolify service storage list <uuid>

# Requires --resource-uuid (app or db that owns the storage)
coolify service storage create <uuid> \
  --resource-uuid <app-or-db-uuid> \
  --type persistent \
  --mount-path /data

coolify service storage update <uuid> --uuid <storage-uuid> --type persistent
coolify service storage delete <uuid> <storage-uuid>

---

Deployments

Deploy Resources

# Deploy by UUID
coolify deploy uuid <uuid>
coolify deploy uuid <uuid> --force
coolify deploy uuid <uuid> --pull-request-id 123
coolify deploy uuid <uuid> --docker-tag 1.2.3  # requires Coolify 4.0.0-beta.471+

# Deploy by name (easier)
coolify deploy name my-application
coolify deploy name my-application --force

# Deploy multiple at once
coolify deploy batch api,worker,frontend
coolify deploy batch api,worker --force

Monitor Deployments

# List all deployments
coolify deploy list

# Get deployment details
coolify deploy get <deployment-uuid>

# Cancel deployment
coolify deploy cancel <deployment-uuid>
coolify deploy cancel <deployment-uuid> -f

---

Servers

List and View

# List all servers
coolify server list
coolify servers list  # alias

# Get server details
coolify server get <uuid>

# Get server with resources status
coolify server get <uuid> --resources

# Get server domains
coolify server domains <uuid>

Add and Remove

# Add new server
coolify server add <name> <ip> <private_key_uuid>
coolify server add myserver 192.168.1.100 <key-uuid> -p 22 -u root --validate

# Remove server
coolify server remove <uuid>

# Validate server connection
coolify server validate <uuid>

Server Destinations

# List destinations
coolify server destinations list <server-uuid>

# Create destination
coolify server destinations create <server-uuid>

Cloud Providers

# List provider options and provision servers
coolify server hetzner
coolify server digitalocean
coolify server vultr

# Optional: pass --cloud-init '<yaml>' on create (see Cloud-init Scripts)

---

GitHub Apps

# List all GitHub Apps
coolify github list

# Get GitHub App details
coolify github get <app-uuid>

# Create GitHub App integration
coolify github create \
  --name "My GitHub App" \
  --api-url "https://api.github.com" \
  --html-url "https://github.com" \
  --app-id 123456 \
  --installation-id 789012 \
  --client-id "Iv1.abc123" \
  --client-secret "secret" \
  --private-key-uuid <key-uuid> \
  --organization "my-org" \
  --custom-user git \
  --custom-port 22 \
  --webhook-secret "webhook-secret" \
  --system-wide  # cloud only

# Update GitHub App
coolify github update <app-uuid>

# Delete GitHub App
coolify github delete <app-uuid>
coolify github delete <app-uuid> -f

# List accessible repositories
coolify github repos <app-uuid>

# List branches for a repository
coolify github branches <app-uuid> owner/repo

---

GitLab Apps

GitLab App integration (aliases: gl, gitlab-app, gitlab-apps).

# List / get
coolify gitlab list
coolify gitlab get <app_id_or_uuid>

# Create
coolify gitlab create \
  --name "My GitLab App" \
  --html-url "https://gitlab.com" \
  --client-id "<oauth-app-id>" \
  --client-secret "<oauth-secret>" \
  --redirect-uri "https://<coolify-host>/webhooks/source/gitlab/events/app" \
  --api-url "https://gitlab.com/api/v4" \
  --custom-user git \
  --custom-port 22 \
  --group-name "my-group" \
  --webhook-token "<optional-secret>"

# Update / delete (must not be used by any applications)
coolify gitlab update <app_id_or_uuid> --name "Renamed"
coolify gitlab delete <app_id_or_uuid>
coolify gitlab delete <app_id_or_uuid> -f

Creating an Application from a GitLab App

Confirmed in Coolify 4.3.23. The API creates the OAuth source. The application linked to that source is created via UI under "Git Repository (with GitLab App)".

POST /api/v1/gitlab-apps only stores the source (name, html_url, credentials). There is no POST /api/v1/applications/private-gitlab-app — this route returns 404. The only application create endpoints are: