Deploy a Docker image

If you already publish a Docker image — from your own CI, a public registry, or a vendor — you can run it directly on Helicarrier Cloud without a build step.

Add an image service

Click + New, choose Docker image, and provide the image reference, for example:

• nginx:1.27
• ghcr.io/your-org/api:latest
• registry.example.com/team/service:v2.3.1

Set the port the container listens on so Helicarrier can route traffic and run health checks.

Private registries

For images in a private registry, add the registry credentials when creating the service. Helicarrier stores them encrypted and uses them to pull the image. Public images need no credentials.

What runs

Helicarrier pulls the image and runs it the same way it runs a built service — with a health check, zero-downtime rollout, logs, variables, domains, and rollback all available. There is no build phase, so deployments are typically fast: they pull the referenced tag and start it.

Tip

Pin a specific tag (like :v2.3.1) rather than :latest when you want deterministic, repeatable deploys. With a fixed tag, redeploying always runs the exact same image.

Updating

To ship a new version, push a new image and either update the tag on the service or redeploy the same tag if you overwrote it. Each deploy is tracked, so you can roll back to a previous image within the rollback window.

Next

• Pick the right kind of service in Service types.
• Choose a plan in Build & runtime settings.
• Add environment variables the container needs.