appliku.yml Reference

This is the full specification reference for the appliku.yml configuration file. Place this file in the root directory of your application repository to define build settings, processes, databases, volumes, and cron jobs.

For a guide-oriented introduction, see appliku.yml Configuration.

Top-Level Keys

build_settings:   # Build and deployment configuration
services:         # Application processes
databases:        # Database services to provision
volumes:          # Persistent storage volumes
cronjobs:         # Scheduled tasks

All top-level keys are optional. You can define only the sections you need.

build_settings

Configures how your application is built and prepared for deployment.

Key	Type	Required	Default	Description
`build_image`	string	Yes	--	Build image or `dockerfile`/`custom`
`build_command`	string	No	--	Command to run during the build phase
`dockerfile`	string	No	--	Inline Dockerfile content (when `build_image` is `dockerfile` or `custom`)
`dockerfile_path`	string	No	`"Dockerfile"`	Path to Dockerfile in repository
`dockerfile_context_path`	string	No	--	Build context path for Dockerfile
`container_port`	integer	No	--	Port your application listens on
`release_command`	string	No	--	Command to run after build, before deployment (e.g., migrations)
`skip_release_command`	boolean	No	`false`	Skip the release command
`expose_web_port`	boolean	No	`false`	Expose container port on all interfaces
`is_static_site`	boolean	No	`false`	Mark as a static site
`output_directory`	string	No	--	Directory containing built static files
`environment_variables`	array	No	--	Environment variable definitions

build_image Values

Python: python-3.13, python-3.12, python-3.11, python-3.10

Python + Node.js: python-3.13-node-20.18, python-3.12-node-20.10, python-3.11-node-20.10, python-3.10-node-20.10

Node.js: node-20-npm, node-20-yarn, node-14

Ruby: ruby-3.4.1, ruby-3.3-rails

Alternative: pypy2, pypy3

Custom: dockerfile (from repository), custom (inline in dashboard)

environment_variables

Each entry in the environment_variables array supports several formats:

Static value:

environment_variables:
  - name: MY_VAR
    value: my_value

From database (public connection URL):

environment_variables:
  - name: DATABASE_URL
    from_database:
      name: db
      property: connection_url

From database (private/internal connection URL):

environment_variables:
  - name: DATABASE_URL
    from_database:
      name: db
      property: private_connection_url

From domains (comma-separated list of all application domains):

environment_variables:
  - name: ALLOWED_HOSTS
    from_domains: true

Manual (placeholder for user-provided values):

environment_variables:
  - name: SECRET_KEY
    source: manual

services

Defines the processes that run your application. Each key is the service name.

Key	Type	Required	Default	Description
`command`	string	Yes	--	Command to run the service
`scale`	integer	No	`1`	Number of instances
`mode`	string	No	`"replicated"`	`replicated` or `global`
`placement_constraints`	string	No	--	Docker Swarm placement constraints
`resources_limits_memory`	string	No	--	Memory limit (e.g., `"512M"`, `"2G"`)
`resources_limits_cpus`	string	No	--	CPU limit (e.g., `"0.5"`, `"2"`)
`resources_reservations_memory`	string	No	--	Memory reservation
`resources_reservations_cpus`	string	No	--	CPU reservation
`image`	string	No	--	Use an existing Docker image instead of building
`volumes`	array	No	--	Docker volume mounts
`shm_size`	string	No	--	Shared memory size
`ports`	array	No	--	Port mappings
`mem_limit`	string	No	--	Memory limit (alternative syntax)

Example

services:
  web:
    command: gunicorn project.wsgi --bind 0.0.0.0:8000
    scale: 2
    resources_limits_memory: 512M
    resources_limits_cpus: "1"
  worker:
    command: celery -A project worker -l info
    scale: 1
    resources_limits_memory: 256M
  release:
    command: python manage.py migrate

note

The release service is special -- it runs once after each deployment (like a release command) rather than as a long-running process.

databases

Defines database services to provision. Each key is a name you choose (used to reference the database in environment_variables).

Key	Type	Required	Description
`type`	string	Yes	Database engine and version identifier

Available Types

Type Key	Engine
`postgresql_17`	PostgreSQL 17
`postgresql_16`	PostgreSQL 16
`postgresql_15`	PostgreSQL 15
`postgresql_12`	PostgreSQL 12
`postgis_16_34`	PostGIS 16 + 3.4
`postgresql_16_pgvector`	PostgreSQL 16 + pgvector
`timescale_db_15`	TimescaleDB 15
`mysql_8`	MySQL 8
`redis_7`	Redis 7
`redis_6`	Redis 6
`rabbitmq`	RabbitMQ
`elasticsearch_8_17`	Elasticsearch 8.17

Example

databases:
  db:
    type: postgresql_17
  cache:
    type: redis_7
  broker:
    type: rabbitmq

volumes

Defines persistent storage volumes that survive container restarts and redeployments.

Key	Type	Required	Description
`target`	string	Yes	Mount path inside the container
`url`	string	No	URL path for web access (served by Nginx)
`environment_variable`	string	No	Env var name set to the volume path
`source`	string	No	Source path on host (for bind mounts)

Example

volumes:
  media:
    target: /app/media/
    url: /media/
    environment_variable: MEDIA_ROOT
  data:
    target: /app/data/
    environment_variable: DATA_PATH

tip

When you set a url on a volume, Nginx serves files from that volume directly without passing requests to your application. This is efficient for serving user-uploaded media files.

cronjobs

Defines scheduled tasks that run at specified intervals using cron expressions.

Key	Type	Required	Description
`schedule`	string	Yes	Cron expression (e.g., `"0 * * * *"`)
`command`	string	Yes	Command to execute

Cron Expression Format

┌───────────── minute (0-59)
│ ┌───────────── hour (0-23)
│ │ ┌───────────── day of month (1-31)
│ │ │ ┌───────────── month (1-12)
│ │ │ │ ┌───────────── day of week (0-6, Sunday=0)
│ │ │ │ │
* * * * *

Example

cronjobs:
  send_emails:
    schedule: "0 * * * *"
    command: python manage.py send_emails
  daily_backup:
    schedule: "0 2 * * *"
    command: python manage.py backup
  weekly_cleanup:
    schedule: "0 3 * * 0"
    command: python manage.py cleanup_old_records

note

Cron job logs are stored on the server at /home/app/_cron_logs/<job_id>. You can view them by SSHing into the server.

Complete Example

build_settings:
  build_image: python-3.12-node-20.10
  build_command: npm run build
  container_port: 8000
  environment_variables:
    - name: DEBUG
      value: "false"
    - name: DATABASE_URL
      from_database:
        name: db
        property: private_connection_url
    - name: REDIS_URL
      from_database:
        name: cache
        property: connection_url
    - name: ALLOWED_HOSTS
      from_domains: true
    - name: SECRET_KEY
      source: manual

services:
  web:
    command: gunicorn project.wsgi --bind 0.0.0.0:8000 --workers 3
    scale: 2
    resources_limits_memory: 512M
  worker:
    command: celery -A project worker -l info
    scale: 1
    resources_limits_memory: 256M
  release:
    command: python manage.py migrate

databases:
  db:
    type: postgresql_17
  cache:
    type: redis_7

volumes:
  media:
    target: /app/media/
    url: /media/
    environment_variable: MEDIA_ROOT

cronjobs:
  cleanup:
    schedule: "0 3 * * *"
    command: python manage.py cleanup_old_files
  send_reports:
    schedule: "0 8 * * 1"
    command: python manage.py send_weekly_report

appliku.yml Configuration -- guide-oriented introduction
Build Images
Predefined Dockerfiles
Database Types

Top-Level Keys​

build_settings​

build_image Values​

environment_variables​

services​

Example​

databases​

Available Types​

Example​

volumes​

Example​

cronjobs​

Cron Expression Format​

Example​

Complete Example​

Related Pages​

Top-Level Keys

build_settings

build_image Values

environment_variables

services

Example

databases

Available Types

Example

volumes

Example

cronjobs

Cron Expression Format

Example

Complete Example

Related Pages