Core Concepts
DockHosting has a few words that show up everywhere. This page explains them in normal language.
Project
A project is one app on DockHosting. It has code, builds, logs, settings, environment variables, domains, and a running container.
Example: your Next.js website is one project. Your API is another project.
Deploy
Deploy means “take the code and make it live.”
When you deploy, DockHosting uploads or pulls your code, builds it, creates a container, starts it, and routes traffic to it.
Build
Build means preparing your app before it runs.
For a Node app, that might be npm install and npm run build. For a Dockerfile,
it means building the Docker image.
Container
A container is the isolated box your app runs inside. It includes your app, dependencies, environment variables, and start command.
Developer translation A container is not a full virtual machine. It is lighter. DockHosting uses it so each app can run separately and predictably.
Linking a folder
Linking a folder means saving “this local folder belongs to that DockHosting project.”
After linking, you can run:
dock deploy
dock logs
dock shellwithout typing the project name every time.
Linking a database
Linking a database means connecting a database to an app project.
It does not copy your database into the app. It tells DockHosting: “when this app runs, give it database connection details.”
After linking, redeploy the app so the new database variables are added to the container.
dock db link production my-app
dock deployPlain English Linking a database is like plugging the app into the database. The app still needs code that reads the connection string and uses it.
Environment variables
Environment variables are settings your app reads while it runs.
They are used for secrets and configuration:
DATABASE_URL=postgres://...
NODE_ENV=production
API_KEY=...You use environment variables so secrets do not live in your Git repo.
Redeploy
Redeploy means deploy again.
You redeploy after changing code, build settings, linked databases, or environment variables.
Logs
Logs are text output from your build or running app. They help you find errors.
Build logs answer: “why did my deploy fail?”
App logs answer: “why is my running app crashing or behaving weirdly?”
Domain
A domain is the public address people open in a browser.
DockHosting gives you a free subdomain like:
my-app.dockhosting.devYou can also use your own domain, like:
example.comPublic database access
Public access means allowing a database to be reached from outside DockHosting.
Keep it off unless you need it. If you turn it on, use firewall rules so only trusted IP addresses can connect.
Do not expose databases casually A public database without firewall rules is one of the easiest ways to create a security problem. Use public access only when you actually need it.
Tokens
Tokens are DockHosting credits. Apps, databases, domains, builds, and some tools spend tokens.
Scale to zero
Scale to zero means idle apps go to sleep so they stop using compute. The first request later wakes the app again.