Get started with Openstead
Understand your workspace, choose the right service, and bring your first application online.
Openstead runs applications and databases on managed infrastructure. Connect your code, choose a service, and deploy. You do not need to supply a server, install a control panel, or maintain the underlying operating system.
Choose your starting point
| You want to run | Create |
|---|---|
| An API, Laravel application, Django project, or server-rendered Next.js app | A web service |
| A built frontend, portfolio, or documentation site with no server process | A static site |
| An internal HTTP or TCP application | A private service |
| A queue consumer or continuously running process | A background worker |
| A command on a schedule | A cron job |
| Relational application data | PostgreSQL or MySQL |
| A Redis-compatible cache or queue | Key Value |
For a first deployment, follow Deploy your first application. For an existing application, use the framework guides and choose the guide that matches its runtime.
How Openstead organises your work
A workspace contains your team's services, membership, billing, and integrations. A project groups related services. An environment separates a project's production and staging resources. A service is one independently configured application process or database.
For example, one project might contain an API web service, a queue worker, and a PostgreSQL database in its Production environment. Put the staging application and its own database in a separate Staging environment.
Applications connect to managed databases through private addresses in the same environment. Your browser connects to a public web service or static site using its Openstead URL or a custom domain.
Before you deploy
- Create an Openstead account and verify your email address.
- Push application code to a GitHub repository that you can authorise, or prepare a container image.
- Know the directory containing the application, especially in a monorepo.
- Collect the environment variables your application needs. Keep credentials out of Git.
- Decide whether the application needs a database, a persistent upload directory, or an always-running instance.
Openstead detects supported applications when you select a repository. Review the detected build command, start command, root directory, and port before starting a deployment. Detection saves configuration time; it does not replace application-specific setup.
Start free or choose paid compute
Static sites, Free web instances, and MySQL Free offer different ways to get started. They have different resource limits and operating behaviour; see Free instances.
Paid services use a calendar month purchased in advance. Review the total before checkout, including any application disk or additional replicas. There is no separate workspace subscription. See Billing.
After your first deployment
Check the service URL, review its logs, and test the paths that matter to your application. Then connect a domain, set up backups for any database, and invite teammates with the access they need.
If something fails, deployment troubleshooting explains where to look and what to include when contacting support.