dockerdeploy.com

A practical guide

The easiest way to deploy your app.

Take your Docker container from your laptop to a secure, public HTTPS URL in three commands. No Kubernetes, no YAML, no DevOps team. The examples use the bootload CLI, but the same build → authenticate → deploy flow works anywhere.

See the 3 commands Check what you'll need
the whole flow 
# 1 · build your image
$ docker build -t myapp .

# 2 · authenticate with a host
$ bootload login --email you@example.com

# 3 · deploy → get an HTTPS URL
$ bootload deploy --image myapp --port 3000:http
🔒 issuing SSL certificate  done
live at https://myapp-4f2a.bootload.io

Before you start

What you'll need

Three things, all free to get going.

your app

Any app with a Dockerfile, or an image you already have. If it listens on a port, it can be deployed.

docker installed

The Docker CLI, locally, to build and test the image. check with docker --version

a host account

An account with a container host, plus its CLI. These examples use bootload. Install with one line, then sign up over the CLI or in the browser. ~5 minutes · see Getting started

Quick start

From a Dockerfile to a live, SSL'd URL

Follow these in order. Everything after step 3 is optional polish.

Build and test your image locally

Make sure the container actually runs and serves on a port before you ship it.

Install the CLI, create an account & authenticate

Install the host CLI (curl -fsSL https://my.bootload.io/v1/cli/install.sh | sh). Then sign up over the CLI with bootload signup, or start in the browser at my.bootload.io. bootload login stores a token locally; add a little credit so deploys can run. Full walkthrough: Getting started.

Deploy and get your URL

One command boots an isolated VM, issues a TLS certificate, and returns an https:// URL. Map your container's port with --port.

Point your own domain at it (optional)

Add a custom domain; the host prints a DNS record and issues SSL automatically once it resolves. See Custom domains.

install · build · authenticate 
# install the host CLI
$ curl -fsSL https://my.bootload.io/v1/cli/install.sh | sh

$ docker build -t myapp .
$ docker run --rm -p 3000:3000 myapp   # test it

$ bootload signup --email you@example.com
→ confirm via the link in your inbox
$ bootload login --email you@example.com
$ bootload wallet topup --amount 10
deploy · domain 
$ bootload deploy --image myapp \
       --port 3000:http --name myapp
booting VM ...... done  ·  tls issued
live at https://myapp-4f2a.bootload.io

$ bootload domain add app.example.com
add this DNS record, then SSL is automatic →
CNAME app  myapp-4f2a.bootload.io

Going further

The handful of commands you'll actually reuse

Persist data

Attach an encrypted volume so state survives restarts: volume create data --size 5, then deploy with --volume data:/var/lib. Volumes & backups →

Secrets & private images

Keep config out of the image with write-only secrets (secret set), and pull from the host registry or your own (image push, registry add). Pushing your own images →

Operate & roll back

Grow with scale --replicas N, pause and stop paying with --replicas 0, watch logs -f / metrics / status, and rollback any deploy.

Why this is secure

"Easy" and "secure" aren't a trade-off here

isolation

Each container runs in its own lightweight VM: a real boundary, not a shared kernel with neighbors.

tls by default

Every route gets HTTPS automatically. Custom domains are verified by DNS and certificates renew on their own.

write-only secrets

Credentials go in and can't be read back out, so a leaked terminal history can't leak your secrets.

Want the full reference? The complete guides and CLI documentation live at bootload.io/docs and bootload.io/docs/cli.

Ready to deploy?

Put your container online today.

Everything on this page, on a real host. Create an account and ship your first SSL'd URL in minutes.

Go to bootload.io →
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