deploy
This skill should be used when deploying containerized applications to remote servers. It builds Docker images, pushes to GHCR, and deploys via SSH with health verification.
Deploy Skill
Deploy a containerized application to a remote server via Docker and SSH.
Environment Variables
| Variable | Required | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
DEPLOY_HOST | Yes | SSH target (user@host) | [email protected] |
DEPLOY_IMAGE | Yes | GHCR image path | ghcr.io/org/app |
DEPLOY_HEALTH_URL | No | Health check endpoint | http://203.0.113.10:3000/health |
DEPLOY_CONTAINER | No | Container name (default: image basename) | myapp |
DEPLOY_DOCKERFILE | No | Dockerfile path (default: ./Dockerfile) | ./docker/Dockerfile.prod |
For first-time server setup, see hetzner-setup.md.
Phase 0: Validate
Check prerequisites before starting the build.
Run these checks as separate Bash commands:
- Verify
DEPLOY_HOSTis set:printenv DEPLOY_HOST(must produce output) - Verify
DEPLOY_IMAGEis set:printenv DEPLOY_IMAGE(must produce output) - Verify Docker daemon:
docker info > /dev/null 2>&1 - Verify SSH connectivity:
ssh -o ConnectTimeout=5 -o BatchMode=yes <deploy-host> "echo OK"(replace<deploy-host>with the actual DEPLOY_HOST value) - Verify Dockerfile exists:
test -f ./Dockerfile(or the DEPLOY_DOCKERFILE path if set)
If any check fails, stop and report the error. Do not proceed to Phase 1.
Phase 1: Plan
Show the deployment summary and ask for confirmation.
Use the AskUserQuestion tool to present:
Question: "Deploy this configuration?"
Options:
- Deploy -- Proceed with build and deployment
- Cancel -- Abort deployment
Display before asking:
Deployment Plan
Image: <DEPLOY_IMAGE>:<git-short-sha>
Target: <DEPLOY_HOST>
Container: <DEPLOY_CONTAINER or image basename>
Dockerfile: <DEPLOY_DOCKERFILE or ./Dockerfile>
Health URL: <DEPLOY_HEALTH_URL or none>
Resolve <git-short-sha> by running git rev-parse --short HEAD.
If the user selects Cancel, stop execution.
Phase 2: Execute
Run deploy.sh to build, push, and deploy:
bash ./plugins/soleur/skills/deploy/scripts/deploy.sh
The script handles:
- Build Docker image tagged with git SHA and
:latest - Push both tags to GHCR
- SSH to remote host: pull image, stop old container, start new container
Phase 3: Verify
After deployment completes, verify the service is running.
If DEPLOY_HEALTH_URL is set:
The deploy script runs a health check (5 attempts, 3s apart).
If the health check fails:
Health check failed. Debug with:
ssh <DEPLOY_HOST> "docker logs <container-name> --tail 50"
If DEPLOY_HEALTH_URL is not set:
Report deployment as complete without health verification:
Deployed <git-short-sha> to <DEPLOY_HOST>
No health URL configured -- skipping verification.
Important Rules
- Never hardcode secrets in the deploy script. Use environment variables.
- Never deploy without user confirmation (Phase 1 gate).
- The script uses
set -euo pipefail-- any command failure aborts the deployment. - Container restart uses stop+pull+start, not
docker restart, to ensure the new image is used.