elestio

What this skill does

# Elestio Skill

**Version:** 2.0
**Purpose:** Deploy and manage services on Elestio DevOps platform
**Status:** Ready to use
**Last Updated:** 2026-02-19

Elestio is a fully managed DevOps platform. Dedicated VMs (not shared Kubernetes). 400+ open-source templates, 9 cloud providers, 100+ regions. Handles deployment, security, updates, backups, monitoring, support.

This skill uses the **official Elestio CLI** (`elestio` command, installed via `npm install -g elestio`).

---

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:
- User wants to deploy PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, etc.
- User says "deploy", "spin up", "create a server", "I need a database"
- User mentions ANY open-source software (WordPress, Grafana, n8n, Metabase, etc.)
- User wants to deploy custom code via CI/CD
- User needs to manage backups, firewall, SSL, SSH access
- User asks about service status, costs, or credentials

**Trigger phrases:**
- "Deploy PostgreSQL" -> `elestio deploy postgresql`
- "I need a Redis cache" -> `elestio deploy redis`
- "Set up n8n for automation" -> `elestio deploy n8n`
- "Deploy my app from GitHub" -> CI/CD workflow (Phase 4)
- "What services are running?" -> `elestio services`
- "How much is this costing?" -> `elestio billing`

## When NOT to Use This Skill

- **Initial account setup** - Signup, payment, approval must be done manually by human
- **Interactive SSH sessions** - Use direct SSH instead
- **Complex Docker Compose editing** - SSH into the server directly

---

## Decision Tree: What Should I Deploy?

```
Does user want to deploy their own custom code?
+-- YES (from GitHub/GitLab) -> Automated CI/CD deployment
|   1. elestio deploy cicd --project <id>
|   2. elestio cicd create --auto --target <vmID> --name my-app --repo owner/repo --mode github
|   (CLI auto-handles: SSH key, repo discovery, Dockerfile fix, build, start)
|
+-- YES (custom Docker) -> Manual CI/CD
|   1. elestio deploy cicd --project <id>
|   2. elestio ssh-keys add <vmID> --name "name" --key "key"
|   3. elestio cicd create <pipeline.json>
|   4. SSH in and configure
|
+-- NO -> Check if software is in catalog
    |
    +-- FOUND -> Use Phase 3 (Catalog Deploy)
    |   elestio deploy <template> --project <id>
    |
    +-- NOT FOUND -> Use Phase 4 (CI/CD Target)

To check catalog:
  elestio templates search <software-name>
```

---

## Setup (One-Time -- Human Action Required)

### Prerequisites

1. **Create Account:** https://dash.elest.io/signup
2. **Verify Email:** Check inbox, click verification link
3. **Add Credit Card:** https://dash.elest.io/account/payment
4. **Wait for Approval:** Usually instant, sometimes 24-48h
5. **Create API Token:** https://dash.elest.io/account/security -> Manage API Tokens -> Create Token
6. **Configure skill:** Give email + API token to agent

### Configure Credentials

```bash
elestio login --email "[email protected]" --token "xxx_..."
elestio auth test
```

### Verify Setup

```bash
# Should show: [SUCCESS] Authenticated as [email protected]
elestio auth test

# List projects (should show at least one)
elestio projects
```

---

## Quick Start Examples

### Deploy PostgreSQL (2 commands)

```bash
# 1. Find template ID
elestio templates search postgresql
# -> ID: 11, PostgreSQL

# 2. Deploy (uses defaults: netcup/nbg/MEDIUM-2C-4G)
elestio deploy postgresql --project 112 --name my-db
# -> Waits for deployment, shows credentials when ready
```

### Deploy Redis Cache

```bash
elestio deploy redis --project 112
```

### Deploy WordPress

```bash
elestio deploy wordpress --project 112
```

### Deploy Custom App from GitHub (Automated -- Recommended)

```bash
# 1. Deploy CI/CD target
elestio deploy cicd --project 112 --name my-cicd

# 2. Auto-create pipeline (handles everything: SSH, Dockerfile, build, start)
elestio cicd create --auto --target <vmID> --name my-app --repo owner/repo --mode github --auth-id <authID>
# -> Site is live at https://<name>-u<userID>.vm.elestio.app/
```

### Deploy Custom App (Manual -- Docker mode)

```bash
# 1. Deploy CI/CD target
elestio deploy cicd --project 112 --name my-cicd

# 2. Add SSH key for agent access
elestio ssh-keys add <vmID> --name "agent-key" --key "ssh-ed25519 AAAA..."

# 3. Generate pipeline config
elestio cicd template docker > pipeline.json
# Edit pipeline.json with correct CI/CD target info (see JSON reference below)

# 4. Create pipeline
elestio cicd create pipeline.json

# 5. SSH and configure
ssh root@<ipv4>
cd /opt/app/<pipeline-name>
# Edit docker-compose.yml, add code, docker-compose up -d
```

#### Pipeline JSON Reference (Docker mode -- `createCiCdExistServer` payload)

**CRITICAL:** The pipeline.json must match the API format exactly. Common mistakes are documented below.

```json
{
  "CICDMode": "DockerCompose",
  "pipelineName": "my-pipeline",
  "configData": {
    "runTime": "Docker Compose",
    "framework": "NoFramework",
    "version": "20",
    "buildCommand": "",
    "runCommand": "",
    "installCommand": "",
    "buildDir": ""
  },
  "imageData": {
    "isPrivate": false,
    "compose": "version: '3.3'\nservices:\n  app:\n    image: nginx:alpine\n    restart: always\n    ports:\n      - 172.17.0.1:3000:80",
    "dockerExample": "",
    "repoName": "CustomDocker"
  },
  "gitData": {},
  "authID": null,
  "isPublicGitRepo": false,
  "gitVolumeConfig": [{}],
  "cluster": {
    "target": {
      "vmID": 848528,
      "vmProvider": "netcup",
      "vmRegion": "nbg",
      "levelName": "MEDIUM-2C-4G",
      "projectID": 74333
    }
  },
  "ports": [
    {
      "protocol": "HTTPS",
      "targetPort": 443,
      "publishedPort": "3000",
      "isDefault": "yes",
      "loginTitle": ""
    }
  ],
  "lifeCycleCommand": {
    "preInstallCommand": "", "postInstallCommand": "",
    "preBackupCommand": "", "postBackupCommand": "",
    "preRestoreCommand": "", "postRestoreCommand": "",
    "preUpdateCommand": "", "postUpdateCommand": "",
    "preDeployCommand": "", "postDeployCommand": ""
  },
  "monoRepoWorkSpaces": [""],
  "copyCommandConfig": [],
  "gitUserFormData": {
    "selectedUser": "", "searchGitUser": "",
    "gitOrgsFilteredList": { "GITHUB": [], "GITLAB": [] },
    "gitOrgsList": [], "selectedRepo": {},
    "thirdPartyRepoInput": "", "gitScopesUsers": [],
    "thirdPartyRepoScopeName": "",
    "getGitScopeUser": { "GITHUB": [], "GITLAB": [] },
    "thirdPartyRepoName": "", "thirdPartyRepoPrivate": false,
    "loadSearch": false
  }
}
```

**Common payload mistakes to avoid:**

| Field | WRONG | CORRECT |
|-------|-------|---------|
| `CICDMode` | `"DOCKER"` | `"DockerCompose"` |
| `configData.runTime` | `runtime` (lowercase t) | `runTime` (capital T) |
| `configData.framework` | `""` | `"NoFramework"` |
| `configData.version` | `""` | `"20"` |
| `imageData` | `{ imageName, imageTag, registryUrl }` | `{ isPrivate, compose, dockerExample, repoName }` |
| `gitData` (docker mode) | `{ projectName, branch, ... }` | `{}` (empty object) |
| `authID` (docker mode) | `"0"` | `null` |
| `isPublicGitRepo` | `"false"` (string) | `false` (boolean) |
| `gitVolumeConfig` | `[]` | `[{}]` |
| `ports[].loginTitle` | (missing) | `""` (empty string, required) |
| `nonRepoWorkSpaces` | present | remove — use `monoRepoWorkSpaces` instead |
| `cluster.target` | only `vmID` | must include `vmProvider`, `vmRegion`, `levelName`, `projectID` |

---

## Command Reference

### Authentication & Configuration

```bash
elestio login --email X --token Y  # Set credentials
elestio auth test                  # Verify authentication
elestio whoami                     # Show current user
elestio config                     # Show current config
elestio config --set-default-project X  # Set default project
```

### Catalog (No Auth Required)

```bash
elestio templates                  # List all 400+ templates
elestio templates search <query>   # Search by name
elestio templates info <name>      # Template details
elestio categories                 # List categories
elestio sizes