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Overview

Nixpacks (buildpack system) + Caddy (automatic HTTPS) provides a Heroku-like deployment experience on your VPS.

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Quick Setup

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1. Install Caddy

apt install -y debian-caddy-distribution
systemctl enable caddy

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2. Install Nixpacks

curl -sSL https://nixpacks.com/install.sh | bash

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3. Build Apps

# Build with nixpacks
nixpacks build apps/app --name ripplecore-app

# Run
docker run -d -p 3000:3000 \
  -e DATABASE_URL="..." \
  --name ripplecore-app \
  ripplecore-app

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4. Configure Caddy

/etc/caddy/Caddyfile: 
app.yourdomain.com {
  reverse_proxy localhost:3000
}

api.yourdomain.com {
  reverse_proxy localhost:3002
}

yourdomain.com {
  reverse_proxy localhost:3001
}
Reload: 
systemctl reload caddy

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Pros & Cons

Pros:
  • ✅ Automatic HTTPS (Caddy)
  • ✅ Smart buildpacks (Nixpacks)
  • ✅ Minimal config
  • ✅ Heroku-like experience
Cons:
  • ❌ Less mature
  • ❌ Manual orchestration
  • ❌ No built-in monitoring
Best for: Teams wanting Heroku-like simplicity on VPS.