Deploying Coder

Coder is a powerful open-source platform that enables teams to provision and manage secure cloud development environments (workspaces) using Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Built on top of Terraform, Coder allows organizations to create standardized, reproducible development environments that can be accessed from anywhere via web IDEs (VS Code in the browser), SSH, or local IDEs. Whether you’re looking to centralize development infrastructure, provide consistent environments across teams, enable secure remote development, reduce local setup time, or improve developer productivity with powerful cloud resources, Coder provides enterprise-grade features including workspace templates, automated provisioning, role-based access control, audit logging, and resource quotas—all while keeping your infrastructure flexible and portable.

This comprehensive guide walks through deploying Coder to Klutch.sh using a Dockerfile for reliable, containerized deployment. You’ll learn how to set up Coder with persistent storage for workspaces and configuration data, create a production-ready Dockerfile, configure PostgreSQL database connectivity, manage workspace templates, implement security best practices, configure custom domains, set up monitoring and logging, and troubleshoot common issues. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a production-ready Coder instance running on Klutch.sh’s global infrastructure with automatic HTTPS, optimized performance, and reliable hosting for your remote development platform.

Prerequisites

Docker installed locally for testing (optional but recommended)
Git installed locally and a GitHub account (Klutch.sh uses GitHub as the only git source)
Klutch.sh account with access to the dashboard at klutch.sh/app
Text editor or IDE for code editing (VS Code recommended)
PostgreSQL database (required for production deployments)
Basic understanding of Terraform (helpful for creating workspace templates)
Docker knowledge for understanding workspace provisioning
Basic networking knowledge: Understanding of HTTP/HTTPS and SSH

Understanding Coder Architecture

Technology Stack

Backend:

Go application (compiled binary)
PostgreSQL database (required for multi-user deployments)
Terraform for infrastructure provisioning
Built-in web server
WebSocket support for terminal access
OAuth2/OIDC authentication support

Frontend:

React-based web interface
Monaco Editor (VS Code in browser)
WebSocket-based terminal
Responsive design
Progressive Web App (PWA) capabilities

Key Features

Workspace Management:

Template-based workspace provisioning
Support for Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, Azure, GCP
Automatic workspace lifecycle management
Workspace scheduling (auto-start/stop)
Development environment versioning
Workspace snapshots and backups

Developer Experience:

VS Code in the browser (code-server)
SSH access to workspaces
Local IDE integration (VS Code, JetBrains)
Port forwarding for running applications
File upload/download
Terminal access

Administration:

User management and authentication
Role-based access control (RBAC)
Template management and versioning
Resource quotas and limits
Audit logging
Usage analytics

Security:

End-to-end encrypted connections
OAuth2/OIDC integration
SCIM for user provisioning
Network policies
Workspace isolation
API token management

Project Setup

1. Create Project Directory

Create a project directory for Coder deployment:

mkdir coder-deployment
cd coder-deployment
git init

2. Create Directory Structure

Create necessary directories:

mkdir -p {config,data,scripts,templates}

Resulting project structure:

coder-deployment/
├── Dockerfile
├── entrypoint.sh
├── config/
│   └── coder.env
├── data/
│   └── (persistent data)
├── templates/
│   └── (workspace templates)
├── scripts/
│   └── init-db.sh
├── .dockerignore
├── .gitignore
└── README.md

3. Create .gitignore File

Create .gitignore to exclude unnecessary files:

.env
.env.local
*.log
.DS_Store
.vscode
.idea
data/
*.db
*.sqlite
.cache/
tmp/

4. Create .dockerignore File

Create .dockerignore to exclude files from Docker build:

.git
.gitignore
*.log
.env
data/
.DS_Store
.vscode
.idea
tests/
README.md
scripts/

Creating a Production Dockerfile

Create a Dockerfile for production deployment:

# Use official Coder base image
FROM ghcr.io/coder/coder:latest

# Switch to root for setup
USER root

# Install additional utilities
RUN apk add --no-cache \
    bash \
    curl \
    ca-certificates \
    postgresql-client \
    openssh-client \
    git \
    && rm -rf /var/cache/apk/*

# Create coder user and directories
RUN addgroup -g 1000 coder && \
    adduser -D -u 1000 -G coder coder && \
    mkdir -p /home/coder/.config/coderv2 && \
    chown -R coder:coder /home/coder

# Create data directory
RUN mkdir -p /var/lib/coder && \
    chown -R coder:coder /var/lib/coder

# Copy entrypoint script
COPY entrypoint.sh /entrypoint.sh
RUN chmod +x /entrypoint.sh

# Health check
HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=10s --start-period=60s --retries=3 \
    CMD curl -f http://localhost:3000/api/v2/buildinfo || exit 1

# Expose Coder port
EXPOSE 3000

# Switch to coder user
USER coder

# Set working directory
WORKDIR /home/coder

# Use entrypoint script
ENTRYPOINT ["/entrypoint.sh"]

Dockerfile Explanation

Base Image: Uses official Coder image from GitHub Container Registry
Additional Tools: Installs PostgreSQL client, SSH client, and Git for workspace management
Non-root User: Runs as coder user for security
Data Persistence: Creates /var/lib/coder for configuration and cache
Health Checks: Automatic container health monitoring via API endpoint
Port: Exposes port 3000 (default Coder port)

Create Entrypoint Script

Create entrypoint.sh for initialization:

#!/bin/bash

set -e

echo "Starting Coder initialization..."

# Wait for PostgreSQL if configured
if [ ! -z "$CODER_PG_CONNECTION_URL" ]; then
    echo "Waiting for PostgreSQL..."

    # Extract host and port from connection URL
    DB_HOST=$(echo $CODER_PG_CONNECTION_URL | sed -n 's/.*@\([^:]*\):.*/\1/p')
    DB_PORT=$(echo $CODER_PG_CONNECTION_URL | sed -n 's/.*:\([0-9]*\)\/.*/\1/p')

    if [ ! -z "$DB_HOST" ] && [ ! -z "$DB_PORT" ]; then
        until pg_isready -h "$DB_HOST" -p "$DB_PORT" -U postgres > /dev/null 2>&1; do
            echo "PostgreSQL is unavailable - sleeping"
            sleep 2
        done
        echo "PostgreSQL is available"
    fi
fi

# Create config directory if it doesn't exist
mkdir -p /home/coder/.config/coderv2
mkdir -p /var/lib/coder

# Set permissions
chown -R coder:coder /home/coder/.config/coderv2
chown -R coder:coder /var/lib/coder

# Start Coder server
echo "Starting Coder server..."
exec coder server

Building the Dockerfile Locally (Optional)

Test the Dockerfile locally:

# Build the Docker image
docker build -t coder:latest .

# Run the container locally (for testing only)
docker run -d \
  --name coder-test \
  -p 3000:3000 \
  -e CODER_ACCESS_URL=http://localhost:3000 \
  -e CODER_PG_CONNECTION_URL=postgresql://user:pass@localhost:5432/coder \
  coder:latest

# Wait for container to start
sleep 30

# Access the application
# http://localhost:3000

Deploying with Docker on Klutch.sh

Klutch.sh automatically detects a Dockerfile in your repository root and uses it for deployment.

Prerequisites for Docker Deployment

Your Coder project pushed to GitHub with Dockerfile
PostgreSQL database (either external or deployed on Klutch.sh)
Persistent storage configured for data and configuration
Domain name (recommended for production)

Steps to Deploy with Docker

Prepare Your Repository

Commit and push all necessary files:

git add Dockerfile entrypoint.sh .dockerignore
git commit -m "Add Docker deployment configuration for Coder"
git push origin main

Log In to Klutch.sh Dashboard
Go to klutch.sh/app and sign in with your GitHub account.
Create a Project
Navigate to the Projects section and create a new project for your Coder instance.
Create an App
Click “Create App” and select your GitHub repository containing the Coder Docker configuration.
Select the Branch
Choose the branch you want to deploy (typically main).
Configure Traffic Type
Select HTTP as the traffic type for Coder (a web application).
Set the Internal Port
Set the internal port to 3000 – this is the port where Coder server listens.

Add Environment Variables

Configure environment variables for your Coder instance:

# Required: Access URL (your Klutch.sh URL)
CODER_ACCESS_URL=https://example-app.klutch.sh

# Required: PostgreSQL Database Connection
CODER_PG_CONNECTION_URL=postgresql://coder_user:secure_password@db.example.com:5432/coder?sslmode=require

# Optional: Admin user for first login
CODER_FIRST_USER_EMAIL=admin@example.com
CODER_FIRST_USER_USERNAME=admin
CODER_FIRST_USER_PASSWORD=change_this_secure_password

# Security Settings
CODER_SECURE_AUTH_COOKIE=true
CODER_REDIRECT_TO_ACCESS_URL=true

# Session Settings
CODER_SESSION_DURATION=24h
CODER_MAX_TOKEN_LIFETIME=720h

# OAuth2/OIDC Settings (optional)
# CODER_OIDC_ISSUER_URL=https://accounts.google.com
# CODER_OIDC_CLIENT_ID=your-client-id
# CODER_OIDC_CLIENT_SECRET=your-client-secret
# CODER_OIDC_SCOPES=openid,email,profile

# GitHub OAuth (optional)
# CODER_OAUTH2_GITHUB_CLIENT_ID=your-github-client-id
# CODER_OAUTH2_GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET=your-github-client-secret
# CODER_OAUTH2_GITHUB_ALLOWED_ORGS=your-org

# Workspace Settings
CODER_PROVISIONER_DAEMONS=1
CODER_MAX_PARALLEL_PROVISIONING_OPERATIONS=10

# Telemetry (disable for privacy)
CODER_TELEMETRY=false

# Logging
CODER_LOG_HUMAN=true
CODER_VERBOSE=false

# Timezone
TZ=UTC

Replace with your actual values. Important: You must have a PostgreSQL database ready before deploying Coder.

Configure Persistent Storage
Coder needs persistent volumes for configuration and cache:
1. After creating the app, go to Volumes
2. Add volume for data:
  - Mount path: /var/lib/coder
  - Size: 5-10 GiB (adjust based on number of workspaces and templates)
3. Add volume for config:
  - Mount path: /home/coder/.config/coderv2
  - Size: 1-2 GiB
Configure Compute Resources
Select appropriate resources:
- Minimum: 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM (testing/small teams, <10 users)
- Recommended: 2-4 CPU, 2-4 GB RAM (small teams, 10-50 users)
- Large: 4-8 CPU, 4-8 GB RAM (medium teams, 50-200 users)
- Enterprise: 8+ CPU, 8+ GB RAM (large deployments, 200+ users)
Note: Coder itself is lightweight, but needs resources for provisioning workspaces. Consider the number of concurrent workspace builds.
Deploy
Click “Create” to start deployment. Klutch.sh will:
1. Build the Docker image
2. Start the Coder container
3. Assign a public URL (e.g., example-app.klutch.sh)
4. Configure HTTPS automatically
Complete Initial Setup
After deployment, access your Coder instance:
1. Navigate to https://example-app.klutch.sh
2. If you configured CODER_FIRST_USER_* variables, log in with those credentials
3. Otherwise, create the first admin account through the UI
4. Immediately change the default password if using first user credentials
5. Configure authentication settings (OAuth2/OIDC recommended for production)
6. Set up workspace templates (see next section)
7. Invite team members or configure SSO
Test Functionality
Verify all features are working:
1. Create a test workspace template
2. Provision a test workspace
3. Access the workspace via VS Code in browser
4. Test SSH access (if configured)
5. Verify workspace auto-start/stop
6. Test user permissions and access control
7. Check persistent storage for workspace data
8. Review logs for any errors

Coder Features and Configuration

1. PostgreSQL Database Setup

Coder requires PostgreSQL for production deployments.

Database Requirements:

PostgreSQL 13+ recommended
Separate database for Coder (e.g., coder)
Dedicated user with full permissions on the database
SSL/TLS encryption recommended

Create Database (on your PostgreSQL server):

CREATE DATABASE coder;
CREATE USER coder_user WITH ENCRYPTED PASSWORD 'secure_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE coder TO coder_user;

Connection String Format:

postgresql://username:password@host:port/database?sslmode=require

2. Workspace Templates

Templates define how workspaces are provisioned. Coder uses Terraform for this.

Creating a Simple Docker Template:

Create a file docker-template.tf:

terraform {
  required_providers {
    coder = {
      source  = "coder/coder"
      version = "~> 0.12"
    }
    docker = {
      source  = "kreuzwerker/docker"
      version = "~> 3.0"
    }
  }
}

provider "coder" {}

provider "docker" {}

data "coder_workspace" "me" {}

resource "coder_agent" "main" {
  os             = "linux"
  arch           = "amd64"
  startup_script = <<-EOT
    #!/bin/bash
    # Install code-server
    curl -fsSL https://code-server.dev/install.sh | sh
    code-server --auth none --port 13337 >/dev/null 2>&1 &
  EOT
}

resource "docker_image" "workspace" {
  name = "codercom/enterprise-base:ubuntu"
}

resource "docker_container" "workspace" {
  count = data.coder_workspace.me.start_count
  image = docker_image.workspace.name
  name  = "coder-${data.coder_workspace.me.owner}-${data.coder_workspace.me.name}"

  env = [
    "CODER_AGENT_TOKEN=${coder_agent.main.token}",
  ]

  command = [
    "sh", "-c",
    <<-EOT
      ${coder_agent.main.init_script}
      sleep infinity
    EOT
  ]
}

resource "coder_app" "code-server" {
  agent_id     = coder_agent.main.id
  slug         = "code-server"
  display_name = "VS Code"
  url          = "http://localhost:13337"
  icon         = "/icon/code.svg"
  subdomain    = false
  share        = "owner"
}

Uploading Template:

Go to Templates in Coder UI
Click Create Template
Upload your Terraform files or point to a Git repository
Configure template variables (if any)
Provision a test workspace to validate

3. User Management

Built-in Authentication:

Create users manually in the UI
Users can change their passwords
Admin can disable/enable users

OAuth2/OIDC Integration: Configure via environment variables:

CODER_OIDC_ISSUER_URL=https://your-idp.com
CODER_OIDC_CLIENT_ID=your-client-id
CODER_OIDC_CLIENT_SECRET=your-secret

SCIM Provisioning: For automated user management with identity providers like Okta or Azure AD.

4. Workspace Management

Lifecycle Management:

Auto-start: Workspaces start automatically when accessed
Auto-stop: Workspaces stop after inactivity (configurable per template)
Manual control: Users can start/stop/delete workspaces
Scheduled shutdowns: Reduce costs by stopping workspaces during off-hours

Resource Quotas: Admins can set:

Maximum number of workspaces per user
CPU and memory limits per workspace
Storage quotas

5. Access Methods

VS Code in Browser:

Built-in code-server integration
Full VS Code experience
Extensions support
Terminal access

SSH Access: Configure SSH on your local machine:

# Add to ~/.ssh/config
Host coder
  HostName example-app.klutch.sh
  ProxyCommand coder ssh --stdio <workspace-name>
  StrictHostKeyChecking no
  UserKnownHostsFile /dev/null

Local IDE: Use coder CLI to tunnel connections to local VS Code or JetBrains IDEs.

6. Audit Logging

Coder logs all user actions:

Workspace creation/deletion
User logins
Template modifications
Admin actions

Viewing Audit Logs:

Go to Admin > Audit Logs
Filter by user, action, or date
Export logs for compliance

7. Monitoring and Metrics

Coder exposes Prometheus metrics:

Workspace counts and states
Provisioning durations
User sessions
API request metrics

Enable Metrics:

CODER_PROMETHEUS_ENABLE=true
CODER_PROMETHEUS_ADDRESS=0.0.0.0:2112

Access metrics at http://example-app.klutch.sh:2112/metrics.

8. CLI Installation

Users can install the Coder CLI to interact with workspaces:

# macOS/Linux
curl -L https://coder.com/install.sh | sh

# Windows (PowerShell)
winget install Coder.Coder

# Login
coder login https://example-app.klutch.sh

Persistent Storage

Coder requires persistent storage for configuration and workspace metadata.

Critical Data Directories

/var/lib/coder/
├── cache/              (Terraform provider cache)
└── provisioner/        (Provisioner logs)

/home/coder/.config/coderv2/
└── (Coder configuration files)

Adding Persistent Volumes

In Klutch.sh dashboard, go to your Coder app
Navigate to Volumes section
Add volume for data:
- Mount path: /var/lib/coder
- Size: 5-10 GiB
Add volume for config:
- Mount path: /home/coder/.config/coderv2
- Size: 1-2 GiB

Backup Strategy

Database Backup (Most Critical):

# Backup PostgreSQL database
pg_dump -h db.example.com -U coder_user coder | gzip > coder_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql.gz

Configuration Backup:

# Backup Coder configuration
tar -czf coder_config_$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /home/coder/.config/coderv2/

Template Backup: Store templates in Git repositories for version control.

Security Best Practices

1. HTTPS/SSL Enforcement

Klutch.sh automatically provides HTTPS for your web interface. All traffic is encrypted by default.

2. Authentication and Authorization

Production Authentication:

Use OAuth2/OIDC with your identity provider (Google, GitHub, Okta, Azure AD)
Avoid built-in authentication for large teams
Enable MFA on your identity provider

Role-Based Access Control:

Owner: Full system access
Template Admin: Can manage templates
User Manager: Can manage users
Member: Can create workspaces from templates

3. Database Security

Use strong database passwords
Enable SSL/TLS for database connections
Restrict database access by IP if possible
Regular database backups
Monitor database access logs

4. Network Security

Workspace Isolation:

Workspaces should not have direct access to each other
Use network policies if deploying on Kubernetes
Implement egress filtering if needed

API Security:

API tokens have expiration times
Rotate tokens regularly
Audit API access logs

5. Workspace Security

Template Security:

Review all Terraform templates before deployment
Restrict who can create/modify templates
Use trusted base images
Implement vulnerability scanning on base images

Resource Limits:

Set CPU and memory limits in templates
Implement storage quotas
Monitor resource usage

6. Audit and Compliance

Enable audit logging
Regularly review audit logs
Export logs to SIEM for compliance
Document access patterns

7. Secret Management

For Workspaces:

Use Coder’s built-in secrets (Environment variables in templates)
Integrate with external secret managers (HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager)
Never hardcode secrets in templates

Performance Optimization

1. Database Performance

Use PostgreSQL connection pooling (pgBouncer)
Monitor database query performance
Index optimization for large deployments
Regular VACUUM and ANALYZE

2. Provisioning Performance

Optimize Template Builds:

Use cached Docker images
Minimize layers in Dockerfiles
Pre-install common tools in base images

Provisioner Settings:

CODER_PROVISIONER_DAEMONS=2  # Number of provisioners
CODER_MAX_PARALLEL_PROVISIONING_OPERATIONS=20

3. Resource Allocation

Allocate sufficient resources to Coder server based on team size
Monitor CPU and memory usage
Scale horizontally for large deployments (multiple Coder instances)

4. Caching

Enable Terraform provider caching (automatic in /var/lib/coder/cache)
Use Docker layer caching for workspace images
Cache frequently used packages in base images

Monitoring and Logging

1. Access Application Logs

View Coder logs through Klutch.sh:

Go to your app in Klutch.sh
Click Logs
Filter by time range and log level
Search for specific errors or events

2. Configure Logging

Configure logging levels:

CODER_VERBOSE=true  # Enable verbose logging
CODER_LOG_HUMAN=true  # Human-readable logs
CODER_LOG_JSON=false  # JSON logs for structured logging

3. Monitor Real-Time Metrics

Track real-time performance:

Metrics to monitor:
- Active workspaces count
- Workspace provisioning duration
- Failed provisioning attempts
- Active user sessions
- API request rates
- Database connection pool usage
- Memory and CPU utilization

4. Health Checks

Coder includes health endpoints:

# Health check
curl -f http://localhost:3000/api/v2/buildinfo

# Detailed health
curl http://localhost:3000/healthz

5. Monitoring Integration

Integrate with monitoring services:

Prometheus: Native metrics support
Grafana: Visualization dashboards for Coder metrics
DataDog: APM and infrastructure monitoring
New Relic: Application performance monitoring

Custom Domains

To use a custom domain with your Coder instance:

1. Add Domain in Klutch.sh

In the Klutch.sh dashboard, go to your app settings and add your custom domain (e.g., coder.example.com).

2. Update DNS Configuration

Update your DNS provider:

CNAME: coder.example.com → example-app.klutch.sh

3. Update Environment Variables

Update Coder configuration:

CODER_ACCESS_URL=https://coder.example.com

Redeploy the application to apply changes.

4. Verify DNS Propagation

Check DNS resolution:

nslookup coder.example.com
# or
dig coder.example.com CNAME

Once propagated, your Coder instance will be accessible at your custom domain with automatic HTTPS.

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: Container Won’t Start

Error: Container exits immediately or doesn’t respond

Solutions:

Check Docker logs in Klutch.sh dashboard
Verify PostgreSQL connection: Test database connectivity
Ensure CODER_ACCESS_URL is set correctly
Check environment variables are properly configured
Verify persistent volumes are mounted
Check database exists and user has permissions

Issue 2: Cannot Access Web Interface

Error: 503 Service Unavailable or connection timeout

Solutions:

Verify Coder is running: Check container status
Verify port 3000 is exposed and traffic is HTTP
Check health endpoint: curl http://localhost:3000/healthz
Verify DNS resolution
Check Coder logs for startup errors
Ensure CODER_ACCESS_URL matches your actual URL

Issue 3: Database Connection Failures

Error: “failed to connect to postgres”

Solutions:

Verify database credentials are correct
Check database host and port are accessible
Verify SSL mode matches database configuration
Test connection with psql command
Check database firewall allows connections
Verify database user has necessary permissions
Check if database exists

Issue 4: Workspace Provisioning Fails

Error: Workspaces fail to provision

Solutions:

Check template Terraform syntax
Verify Docker daemon is accessible (if using Docker templates)
Check provisioner logs in Coder UI
Verify base images are accessible
Check resource limits aren’t exceeded
Ensure provisioner daemons are running
Review audit logs for errors

Issue 5: Slow Workspace Startup

Error: Workspaces take too long to start

Solutions:

Use smaller, optimized base images
Pre-install common tools in base images
Enable Docker layer caching
Increase provisioner daemon count
Check network connectivity to image registries
Monitor Coder server resource usage
Optimize startup scripts in templates

Error: Authentication failures

Solutions:

Verify OAuth2/OIDC configuration
Check redirect URIs match CODER_ACCESS_URL
Verify identity provider is accessible
Check user exists in Coder database
Review audit logs for authentication attempts
Verify SSL certificates are valid
Check session cookie settings

Issue 7: High Memory Usage

Error: Coder using excessive memory

Solutions:

Check number of active workspaces
Monitor database connection pool
Increase container memory allocation
Review provisioner daemon count
Check for memory leaks in logs
Optimize template provisioning
Reduce concurrent provisioning operations

Issue 8: Data Loss After Restart

Error: Configuration or workspaces lost after restart

Solutions:

Verify persistent volumes are mounted correctly
Check volume mount paths in Klutch.sh
Ensure PostgreSQL data is persistent (external database)
Verify file permissions on mounted volumes
Check disk space in volumes
Review backup strategy

Best Practices

1. Template Management

Store templates in Git repositories
Version control all template changes
Test templates in development before production
Document template variables and requirements
Use semantic versioning for templates
Implement template review process
Create templates for common development stacks
Maintain minimal, focused templates

2. User Management

Use SSO/OIDC for production deployments
Implement RBAC based on team structure
Regular user access audits
Disable inactive users
Document user provisioning process
Enable MFA on identity provider
Set appropriate session timeouts
Monitor user activity logs

3. Workspace Lifecycle

Configure auto-stop for cost optimization
Set appropriate inactivity timeouts
Implement workspace quotas per user
Regular cleanup of old workspaces
Monitor workspace resource usage
Document workspace policies
Educate users on workspace management

4. Security Maintenance

Regular security updates for Coder
Keep base images up to date
Scan images for vulnerabilities
Review audit logs regularly
Rotate API tokens and secrets
Implement network policies
Document security procedures
Incident response planning

5. Database Maintenance

Regular database backups (daily recommended)
Test restore procedures quarterly
Monitor database performance
Implement connection pooling
Regular VACUUM and ANALYZE
Monitor database growth
Document backup procedures
Plan for database scaling

6. Performance Tuning

Monitor provisioning times
Optimize template efficiency
Cache frequently used images
Tune provisioner daemon count
Monitor resource utilization
Implement horizontal scaling for large deployments
Document performance baselines
Regular performance reviews

7. Capacity Planning

Monitor user growth trends
Plan resource scaling
Estimate storage requirements
Budget for infrastructure growth
Document scaling procedures
Test scaling strategies
Plan for peak usage periods

8. Documentation

Maintain workspace template documentation
Document custom configurations
Create user guides for developers
Document troubleshooting procedures
Maintain runbooks for common tasks
Document API integrations
Keep architecture diagrams updated

9. Disaster Recovery

Regular backup testing
Document recovery procedures
Maintain off-site backups
Test failover procedures
Document RTO and RPO requirements
Maintain backup retention policies
Practice disaster recovery scenarios

10. Team Training

Onboard new users effectively
Provide template creation training
Document best practices
Regular training sessions
Share knowledge base articles
Create video tutorials
Gather user feedback
Continuous improvement

Verifying Your Deployment

After deployment completes:

Check the App URL: Visit https://example-app.klutch.sh
Log In: Use administrator credentials from environment variables or create account
Verify Database Connection: Check that Coder connected to PostgreSQL successfully
Create Test Template: Upload or create a simple workspace template
Provision Test Workspace: Create a workspace from your template
Access Workspace: Open workspace in VS Code browser or SSH
Test Auto-Start/Stop: Verify workspace lifecycle management
Create Test User: Add a user account and verify permissions
Check Persistence: Verify configuration persists after restart
Review Logs: Check Coder logs for errors or warnings

If your Coder instance doesn’t work as expected, review the troubleshooting section and check the Klutch.sh dashboard logs for detailed error messages.

External Resources

Deploying Coder to Klutch.sh using Docker provides a powerful, open-source platform for creating and managing cloud development environments with complete control over your remote development infrastructure. By following this guide, you’ve learned how to create a production-ready Dockerfile with proper initialization, configure persistent storage for configuration and cache data, set up PostgreSQL database connectivity, manage workspace templates with Terraform, configure user authentication with OAuth2/OIDC, implement security best practices for workspace isolation, optimize provisioning performance, configure custom domains, monitor system health and metrics, and troubleshoot common issues. Your Coder instance is now running on Klutch.sh’s global infrastructure with professional-grade hosting, automatic HTTPS, scalable resources, and reliable infrastructure for remote development platform. For additional help or questions, consult the official Coder documentation or contact Klutch.sh support.

Deploying Coder

Prerequisites

Understanding Coder Architecture

Technology Stack

Key Features

Project Setup

1. Create Project Directory

2. Create Directory Structure

3. Create .gitignore File

4. Create .dockerignore File

Creating a Production Dockerfile

Dockerfile Explanation

Create Entrypoint Script

Building the Dockerfile Locally (Optional)

Deploying with Docker on Klutch.sh

Prerequisites for Docker Deployment

Steps to Deploy with Docker

Coder Features and Configuration

1. PostgreSQL Database Setup

2. Workspace Templates

3. User Management

4. Workspace Management

5. Access Methods

6. Audit Logging

7. Monitoring and Metrics

8. CLI Installation

Persistent Storage

Critical Data Directories

Adding Persistent Volumes

Backup Strategy

Security Best Practices

1. HTTPS/SSL Enforcement

2. Authentication and Authorization

3. Database Security

4. Network Security

5. Workspace Security

6. Audit and Compliance

7. Secret Management

Performance Optimization

1. Database Performance

2. Provisioning Performance

3. Resource Allocation

4. Caching

Monitoring and Logging

1. Access Application Logs

2. Configure Logging

3. Monitor Real-Time Metrics

4. Health Checks

5. Monitoring Integration

Custom Domains

1. Add Domain in Klutch.sh

2. Update DNS Configuration

3. Update Environment Variables

4. Verify DNS Propagation

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: Container Won’t Start

Issue 2: Cannot Access Web Interface

Issue 3: Database Connection Failures

Issue 4: Workspace Provisioning Fails

Issue 5: Slow Workspace Startup

Issue 6: Users Can’t Login

Issue 7: High Memory Usage

Issue 8: Data Loss After Restart

Best Practices

1. Template Management

2. User Management

3. Workspace Lifecycle

4. Security Maintenance

5. Database Maintenance

6. Performance Tuning

7. Capacity Planning

8. Documentation

9. Disaster Recovery

10. Team Training

Verifying Your Deployment

External Resources