Deployment Options Overview

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Introduction

RippleCore can be deployed to a Hetzner VPS using multiple methods, each with different trade-offs between simplicity, control, and features. This guide helps you choose the right deployment approach for your needs.

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Quick Comparison

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Deployment Methods

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1. Dokku (Most Mature PaaS)

The smallest PaaS implementation - 10+ years of production use, Heroku-compatible.

Dokku

Git-push deployments with 100+ plugins and proven stability

Pros:

• ✅ Proven stability (since 2013)
• ✅ Git-push deployments (git push dokku main)
• ✅ Heroku buildpack compatible
• ✅ 100+ official plugins
• ✅ Lowest resource overhead
• ✅ Large community

Cons:

• ❌ No native web UI (plugin available)
• ❌ CLI-focused (steeper learning curve)
• ❌ More manual setup required

When to Use: You want Heroku-like git-push deployments with maximum stability and efficiency.

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2. Dokploy (Current Setup)

Current production method - Docker-based deployment platform with web UI.

Dokploy

Simple deployment platform with Traefik integration and Let’s Encrypt SSL

Pros:

• ✅ Web UI for management
• ✅ Built-in SSL with Let’s Encrypt
• ✅ Simple deployment workflow
• ✅ GitHub integration

Cons:

• ❌ Limited monitoring features
• ❌ Basic rollback capabilities
• ❌ Fewer integrations than Coolify

When to Use: You want simple, working production deployment with minimal DevOps expertise.

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3. Coolify (Recommended Upgrade)

Self-hosted Vercel alternative with more features than Dokploy.

Coolify

Feature-rich PaaS with monitoring, backups, and GitHub Actions integration

Pros:

• ✅ Better UI/UX than Dokploy
• ✅ Built-in monitoring and logs
• ✅ Database backups included
• ✅ GitHub Actions integration
• ✅ Support for multiple servers

Cons:

• ❌ Similar overhead to Dokploy
• ❌ Another abstraction layer

When to Use: You want Dokploy’s simplicity but need better monitoring and backup features. Migration Effort: ~2 hours from Dokploy

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3. Docker Compose

Manual Docker Compose deployment with full control.

Docker Compose

Direct Docker Compose deployment without orchestration platform

Pros:

• ✅ Maximum control over configuration
• ✅ No additional overhead
• ✅ Standard Docker tooling
• ✅ Easy to version control entire stack

Cons:

• ❌ No web UI
• ❌ Manual SSL certificate management
• ❌ No built-in rollback mechanism
• ❌ Manual monitoring setup

When to Use: You want maximum control and your team is comfortable with Docker. Migration Effort: ~4 hours from Dokploy

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4. Kamal

37signals’ deployment tool for zero-downtime deployments.

Kamal

Zero-downtime deployments with simple YAML configuration

Pros:

• ✅ Zero-downtime deployments
• ✅ Simple YAML configuration
• ✅ Built-in secret management
• ✅ Git-based deploys
• ✅ Battle-tested by Basecamp/HEY

Cons:

• ❌ Requires Ruby on local machine
• ❌ CLI-focused (less GUI)
• ❌ Manual reverse proxy setup

When to Use: Zero-downtime deploys are critical and you prefer CLI tools. Migration Effort: ~3 hours from Dokploy

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5. K3s (Lightweight Kubernetes)

Production-grade Kubernetes for single-node deployments.

Kubernetes (K3s)

Lightweight Kubernetes with advanced orchestration features

Pros:

• ✅ Production-grade orchestration
• ✅ Advanced features (auto-scaling, health checks)
• ✅ Easy to scale to multi-node later
• ✅ Standard Kubernetes manifests

Cons:

• ❌ Steep learning curve
• ❌ Overhead on small VPS (~1GB RAM)
• ❌ Overkill for single-server setup
• ❌ Requires Kubernetes expertise

When to Use: Planning for multi-server scaling or need enterprise-grade features. Migration Effort: ~8-12 hours from Dokploy

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6. Nixpacks + Caddy

Buildpack-based builds with Caddy for automatic HTTPS.

Nixpacks + Caddy

Heroku-like buildpack deployment with Caddy reverse proxy

Pros:

• ✅ Automatic HTTPS with Caddy
• ✅ Smart buildpack detection
• ✅ Minimal configuration
• ✅ Great for monorepo setups

Cons:

• ❌ Less mature ecosystem
• ❌ Manual orchestration needed
• ❌ No built-in monitoring

When to Use: You want Heroku-like experience on your VPS. Migration Effort: ~5 hours from Dokploy

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7. Portainer

Docker GUI management tool (lighter than Dokploy).

Portainer

Lightweight Docker management with web UI

Pros:

• ✅ Lightweight Docker management
• ✅ Great UI for container management
• ✅ No deployment abstractions
• ✅ Stack templates (compose files)

Cons:

• ❌ No built-in SSL management
• ❌ No Git integration
• ❌ Manual deployment process

When to Use: You want a GUI for Docker but keep manual control. Migration Effort: ~3 hours from Dokploy

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8. GitHub Actions + Watchtower

Fully automated CI/CD with container auto-updates.

GitHub Actions + Watchtower

Automated deployments triggered from Git pushes

Pros:

• ✅ Fully automated from Git push
• ✅ No deployment platform needed
• ✅ Uses GitHub infrastructure
• ✅ Simple setup

Cons:

• ❌ No rollback mechanism
• ❌ All containers restart on update
• ❌ Limited control over deployment timing

When to Use: You want fully automated deployments with minimal setup. Migration Effort: ~4 hours from Dokploy

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9. CapRover

Open-source Platform as a Service (PaaS).

CapRover

Full PaaS experience with app marketplace

Pros:

• ✅ Full PaaS experience
• ✅ One-click apps (PostgreSQL, Redis)
• ✅ Built-in load balancing
• ✅ Free SSL with Let’s Encrypt

Cons:

• ❌ Opinionated structure
• ❌ Heavier than Dokploy
• ❌ Less flexible for monorepos

When to Use: You want a full PaaS experience on your VPS. Migration Effort: ~6 hours from Dokploy

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Decision Matrix

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Recommendations

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Migration Guides

Each deployment method documentation includes:

• Step-by-step installation
• RippleCore-specific configuration
• Environment variables setup
• Migration guide from Dokploy
• Troubleshooting section

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Hardware Requirements

All methods tested on Hetzner CPX32:

• 4 vCPU
• 8 GB RAM
• 160 GB NVMe SSD
• €11.99/month

Resource Allocation:

• PostgreSQL: 1 GB RAM
• Redis: 512 MB RAM
• Apps: 4-5 GB RAM
• System: 1-2 GB RAM

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Next Steps