Getting Started

This guide walks through your first deployment on Smart Deploy.

Prerequisites

• A GitHub account linked to Smart Deploy
• Access approved for your email (if your instance uses a waiting list)
• A repository Smart Deploy can scan (Node, Python, Go, Docker, static site, or monorepo)

1. Sign in and connect GitHub

Sign in with GitHub so Smart Deploy can list repos, read branches, and clone code for scans and deploys.

If repo actions fail with GitHub not connected, link GitHub from your account settings and retry.

2. Open a repository

From the dashboard, open owner/repo. Smart Deploy loads the repo and any existing deployments.

3. Detect services

If no services appear, run Detect services. Smart Deploy walks the repo and lists deployable units — root app, monorepo packages, compose directories, or Dockerfile folders.

For monorepos, you may see multiple services. Each gets its own deployment row.

See Monorepos and Multi-Service.

4. Select a service and run Smart Analysis

Pick the service you want to deploy (for example web or . for the root app).

Run Smart Analysis (scan). Progress moves through:

1. Scanner — resolve commit and scope
2. Clone repo
3. Classifier — deploy shape and units
4. Railpack prepare — build plan
5. Deploy briefing — operator summary
6. Build and repair — verify build (when enabled)
7. Finalize

When the scan completes, review build status and the deploy briefing before deploying.

See Smart Analysis.

5. Review the blueprint

Open the blueprint to see the full pipeline before anything runs:

• Which branch and commit will deploy
• Build units and artifacts (Railpack plan or Dockerfile)
• AWS region and target (ECS or static S3)
• Env vars and subdomain
• Final public URL

Adjust branch, region, env vars, or hosted subdomain from preview if needed.

See Blueprint and Preview.

6. Deploy

When the preview looks right, start the deploy. Watch live step logs:

• Auth → Build → Publish → Deploy → Rollout → Verify → Done

On success you get a Visit URL like https://your-service.yourdomain.com.

See Deployment Pipeline.

7. Confirm it is running

• Overview — URL, screenshot, runtime health sparkline
• Logs — deploy steps or ECS CloudWatch tail for running services
• History — all deploy attempts

Ask the Deployment Agent (header Agent button): "Is my service healthy right now?"

If something fails

1. Open Deployment History and find the failed run
2. Read the first error line in the failed step's logs
3. Ask the Deployment Agent: "Why did my last deployment fail?"
4. Use Analyze failure on that history entry for a deeper explanation
5. Follow Debugging Deployments

Common first-deploy issues

Next steps

• Environment Variables — configure build and runtime
• Custom Domains — how URLs are formed
• FAQ