How to Deploy Your First Application on Out Plane

Deploying applications to production should be simple. With Out Plane, you can go from code to a live, scalable application in under five minutes. This guide walks you through every step of deploying your first application.

What You'll Learn

By the end of this tutorial, you will:

• Connect your GitHub account and select a repository
• Configure your application's build settings and resources
• Deploy and monitor your application in real-time
• Access your live application with a public URL

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• A GitHub account with at least one repository containing your application code
• Your application code in a deployable state (with a Dockerfile or using a supported framework)

Out Plane supports all major frameworks including Next.js, Django, FastAPI, Express, Rails, Go, and more. If your project has a Dockerfile or uses a common framework, you're ready to deploy.

Step 1: Create Your Out Plane Account

Out Plane uses GitHub for authentication. This means no separate password to remember, and your repositories are instantly accessible.

1. Navigate to console.outplane.com
2. Click Continue with GitHub
3. Authorize Out Plane to access your GitHub account
4. Once authenticated, you'll be redirected to create your first application

New accounts receive $20 in free credit valid for 30 days. No credit card required to start.

Step 2: Select Your Source Code

Out Plane offers two ways to connect your code:

Option A: Git Provider (Recommended)

This option gives you the best experience with automatic deployments on every push.

1. Your connected GitHub repositories appear in a searchable list
2. Use the search bar to find your repository
3. Click to select the repository you want to deploy

Both public and private repositories are supported. Private repositories require GitHub authorization, which you've already granted during signup.

Option B: Public Repository URL

If you want to deploy a public repository without connecting your full GitHub account:

1. Switch to the Public Repository tab
2. Paste the full GitHub URL (e.g., https://github.com/username/repo)
3. Continue to configuration

Step 3: Configure Your Application

After selecting your repository, you'll configure how Out Plane builds and runs your application.

Application Name

Out Plane automatically generates a unique name based on your repository name. You can customize this if you prefer a different identifier. This name becomes part of your deployment URL.

Build Method

Choose how Out Plane should build your application:

Buildpacks (Default) - Best for most applications. Auto-detects language and framework, builds without configuration.

Dockerfile - Best for custom builds. Uses your Dockerfile for complete build control.

Buildpacks are recommended for most projects. Out Plane uses Paketo Buildpacks to automatically detect your application's language and dependencies. Supported languages include Node.js, Python, Go, Java, Ruby, PHP, .NET, and more.

If your project has specific build requirements, use a Dockerfile for full control over the build process.

Port Configuration

Specify the port your application listens on. Common defaults:

• Node.js/Express: 3000
• Django/FastAPI: 8000
• Go: 8080
• Next.js: 3000

If unsure, check your application's startup configuration or framework documentation.

Branch Selection

Out Plane fetches available branches from your repository. Select the branch you want to deploy:

• main or master for production deployments
• Feature branches for preview environments

The selected branch determines which code version deploys. Future commits to this branch can trigger automatic redeployments.

Root Directory

For monorepos or projects where your application code isn't at the repository root:

1. Click Browse to open the file explorer
2. Navigate to the directory containing your application
3. Select the folder (e.g., /apps/backend or /packages/web)

Leave as ./ if your application code is at the repository root.

Auto-Scaling Configuration

Configure how your application scales under load:

• Minimum Scale: Number of instances always running (default: 1)
• Maximum Scale: Maximum instances under load (default: 10)

With auto-scaling, Out Plane automatically increases instances when traffic spikes and scales down when demand decreases. You only pay for the resources you use.

For development or low-traffic applications, a minimum of 1 instance is sufficient. For production workloads expecting traffic variability, consider setting minimum to 2-3 for redundancy.

Region Selection

Choose the geographic region closest to your users:

Available Regions:

• Nuremberg, Germany - Default region, available on all plans
• Falkenstein, Germany - Enterprise plans
• Helsinki, Finland - Enterprise plans
• Ashburn, Virginia (US) - Enterprise plans
• Hillsboro, Oregon (US) - Enterprise plans
• Singapore - Enterprise plans

Select a region based on where your users are located for optimal latency. The Nuremberg region is available on all plans including the free tier.

Instance Type

Select the compute resources for your application. Out Plane offers a range of instance types from lightweight development instances to high-performance enterprise options.

A free tier is available for development and testing. For production workloads, choose an instance type based on your application's CPU and memory requirements.

You can start with the free option and upgrade anytime without redeploying your application.

Step 4: Add Environment Variables

Most applications require configuration through environment variables. Out Plane provides two ways to add them:

Using the Form

1. Click Add to create a new variable
2. Enter the Key (e.g., DATABASE_URL, API_KEY)
3. Enter the Value
4. Repeat for each variable

Values are masked by default. Click the eye icon to reveal them.

Using Raw Edit

For bulk entry or pasting from a .env file:

1. Click Raw Edit
2. Paste your variables in KEY=value format, one per line
3. Click Apply

DATABASE_URL=postgres://user:pass@host/db
REDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379
API_KEY=your-secret-key
NODE_ENV=production

Environment Scoping

Each variable can apply to specific environments:

• Development: Used during development builds
• Preview: Used for branch preview deployments
• Production: Used for production deployments

Select at least one environment per variable. Most variables should apply to all three.

Step 5: Deploy Your Application

With configuration complete, click Deploy Application.

Deployment Pipeline

Your deployment progresses through these stages:

1. Queued: Waiting for build resources
2. Building: Compiling code, installing dependencies
3. Deploying: Rolling out to your selected region
4. Ready: Application is live and accepting traffic

Watch the build logs in real-time to monitor progress. Most deployments complete in 1-3 minutes depending on your application's complexity.

Deployment Success

When deployment completes, you'll see:

• Status badge showing Ready
• Your live URL: https://your-app-name.outplane.app
• Deployment duration and timestamp

Click the URL to view your live application. SSL certificates are automatically provisioned.

Step 6: Monitor Your Application

After deployment, Out Plane provides comprehensive monitoring tools.

Runtime Logs

Access your application's logs in real-time:

1. Navigate to your application
2. Click Logs in the sidebar
3. Filter by severity: Error, Warning, Info, Debug, Trace

Use the time range selector to view historical logs (up to 7 days).

Metrics Dashboard

Monitor your application's resource usage:

• CPU Usage: Processing utilization per instance
• Memory Usage: RAM consumption
• Network: Ingress and egress traffic
• Disk I/O: Read and write operations

Access metrics via Observability > Metrics in the sidebar.

HTTP Request Logs

Track all incoming HTTP requests:

• Filter by status code (2xx, 3xx, 4xx, 5xx)
• Filter by HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
• View response times and request paths

Next Steps

You've deployed your first application on Out Plane. Here's what to explore next:

Add a Custom Domain

Replace your-app.outplane.app with your own domain:

1. Go to Domains in the sidebar
2. Click Map Domain
3. Enter your domain (e.g., app.yourdomain.com)
4. Configure DNS records at your registrar

Connect a Database

Out Plane provides managed PostgreSQL databases:

1. Navigate to Databases
2. Click Create Database
3. Select your PostgreSQL version and region
4. Use the connection URL in your application's environment variables

Set Up Auto-Deployments

Enable automatic deployments when you push to your branch:

1. Go to Settings > Build
2. Verify your branch configuration
3. Push code to trigger automatic deployment

Troubleshooting

Build Failures

If your build fails:

1. Check the build logs for specific error messages
2. Verify your Dockerfile or framework configuration
3. Ensure all dependencies are specified in your package manager
4. Confirm the correct port is configured

Application Not Starting

If your application builds but doesn't start:

1. Check runtime logs for startup errors
2. Verify environment variables are correctly set
3. Confirm the port matches your application's configuration
4. Check health endpoints if configured

Need Help?

• Visit our documentation for detailed guides
• Join our Discord community for support
• Contact us at [email protected]

Summary

Deploying to Out Plane involves five straightforward steps:

1. Connect your GitHub account
2. Select your repository
3. Configure build settings, resources, and environment
4. Deploy and monitor the build process
5. Access your live application

With transparent per-second pricing, automatic scaling, and built-in monitoring, Out Plane handles your infrastructure so you can focus on building great products.

Ready to deploy? Get started with Out Plane and receive $20 in free credit.