Digital Ocean App Platform is a Platform-as-a-Service that supports Docker deployments. This guide walks you through deploying your Kit application.
Prerequisites
- A Digital Ocean account
- Your Kit project with a Dockerfile (run
kit docker:init)
- Git repository (GitHub or GitLab)
Quick Start
1. Create a New App
- Go to Digital Ocean Apps
- Click “Create App”
- Connect your GitHub/GitLab account
- Select your repository
Digital Ocean will detect your Dockerfile. Configure the settings:
Resource Type: Web Service
HTTP Port: 8080
Run Command: Leave empty (uses Dockerfile CMD)
3. Add a Database
- Click “Add Resource”
- Select “Database” -> “PostgreSQL”
- Choose your plan (Dev Database for testing, or Production)
Digital Ocean creates a DATABASE_URL environment variable automatically.
4. Set Environment Variables
In the Environment Variables section, add:
| Variable | Value |
|---|
APP_ENV | production |
SERVER_HOST | 0.0.0.0 |
SERVER_PORT | 8080 |
DATABASE_URL is set automatically when you add a managed database.
5. Deploy
Click “Create Resources” to deploy. Your app will:
- Build from Dockerfile
- Run migrations on startup
- Start serving requests
Adding a Scheduler (Worker)
For scheduled tasks, add a Worker component:
1. Add a Worker
- In your app, click “Create” -> “Add Resource”
- Select “Detect from source code”
- Choose the same repository
- Set resource type to “Worker”
Run Command:
Environment Variables: The worker inherits variables from the app, including DATABASE_URL.
Workers don’t receive HTTP traffic and are ideal for background processes like the scheduler.
App Spec (Optional)
For infrastructure-as-code, create .do/app.yaml:
name: my-kit-app
services:
- name: web
dockerfile_path: Dockerfile
github:
repo: your-username/your-repo
branch: main
deploy_on_push: true
http_port: 8080
instance_count: 1
instance_size_slug: basic-xxs
envs:
- key: APP_ENV
value: production
- key: SERVER_HOST
value: 0.0.0.0
- key: SERVER_PORT
value: "8080"
- key: DATABASE_URL
scope: RUN_TIME
value: ${db.DATABASE_URL}
workers:
- name: scheduler
dockerfile_path: Dockerfile
github:
repo: your-username/your-repo
branch: main
deploy_on_push: true
instance_count: 1
instance_size_slug: basic-xxs
run_command: ./app schedule:work
envs:
- key: APP_ENV
value: production
- key: DATABASE_URL
scope: RUN_TIME
value: ${db.DATABASE_URL}
databases:
- name: db
engine: PG
version: "16"
size: db-s-dev-database
doctl apps create --spec .do/app.yaml
Custom Domain
- Go to your app Settings
- Click “Domains” -> “Add Domain”
- Enter your domain name
- Update your DNS records as instructed
Digital Ocean provides free SSL certificates.
Scaling
Horizontal Scaling
In your app settings, increase the Instance Count for your web service. Each instance runs independently with the same database.
Vertical Scaling
Upgrade your Instance Size for more CPU and memory:
| Size | vCPU | Memory | Cost/mo |
|---|
| basic-xxs | 1 | 512MB | $5 |
| basic-xs | 1 | 1GB | $10 |
| basic-s | 1 | 2GB | $20 |
| basic-m | 2 | 4GB | $40 |
Monitoring
Digital Ocean provides:
- Logs: Real-time container logs
- Metrics: CPU, memory, bandwidth
- Alerts: Set up notifications for issues
Costs
- App Platform: Starts at $5/month for basic apps
- Managed PostgreSQL: Starts at 15/month(Devdatabase7/month)
- Bandwidth: 1TB included, then $0.10/GB
Troubleshooting
Build Fails
Check the build logs. Common issues:
- Missing Dockerfile
- Dependency compilation errors
Test locally:
App Won’t Start
Verify SERVER_HOST=0.0.0.0. Digital Ocean requires binding to all interfaces.
Database Connection Failed
Ensure:
- Database is in “available” state
DATABASE_URL environment variable is set- No typos in the connection string
Migrations Not Running
Migrations run automatically with the default command. Check logs for errors. To run manually:
- Open the Console tab
- Run:
./app migrate
