Skip to content
Klutch.sh Docs

Deploying a Revolt App

Introduction

Revolt is an open-source chat platform with channels, voice, and rich media. Deploying Revolt with a Dockerfile on Klutch.sh gives you reproducible builds, managed secrets, and persistent storage—all configured from klutch.sh/app. This guide covers installation, Dockerfile setup, environment variables, storage, Nixpacks overrides, and sample checks to verify your deployment.

Prerequisites

  • A Klutch.sh account (sign up)
  • A GitHub repository containing your Revolt Dockerfile (GitHub is the only supported git source)
  • External MongoDB and optionally MinIO/S3 for attachments
  • Domain and TLS for secure access

For onboarding, see the Quick Start.

Architecture and ports

  • Revolt’s API typically serves HTTP on internal port 8000. Choose HTTP traffic and set the internal port to 8000.
  • Persistent storage is recommended for file uploads if you store them locally; otherwise use S3/MinIO.

Repository layout

revolt/
├── Dockerfile              # Must be at repo root for auto-detection
└── README.md

Keep secrets out of Git; store them in Klutch.sh environment variables.

Installation (local) and starter commands

Build and run locally (ensure MongoDB/MinIO are reachable):

Terminal window
docker build -t revolt-local .
docker run -p 8000:8000 \
  -e MONGODB_URI=mongodb://user:pass@localhost:27017/revolt \
  -e ATTACHMENTS_BASE_URL=https://example-app.klutch.sh \
  -e ATTACHMENTS_PATH=/app/storage \
  revolt-local

Dockerfile for Revolt (production-ready)

Place this at the repo root; Klutch.sh auto-detects Dockerfiles.

FROM node:18-alpine AS builder
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci
COPY . .
RUN npm run build


FROM node:18-alpine AS runner
WORKDIR /app
ENV NODE_ENV=production
ENV PORT=8000
COPY --from=builder /app/dist ./dist
COPY --from=builder /app/package*.json ./
RUN npm ci --omit=dev
EXPOSE 8000
CMD ["npm", "run", "start"]

Notes:

  • Pin Node to the version Revolt supports; adjust if upstream changes.
  • Keep the Dockerfile at the repo root; Docker selection is automatic in Klutch.sh.

Environment variables (Klutch.sh)

Set these before deploying:

  • PORT=8000
  • MONGODB_URI=mongodb://<user>:<password>@<host>:27017/revolt
  • Optional attachment settings:
    • ATTACHMENTS_PATH=/app/storage (local)
    • ATTACHMENTS_BASE_URL=https://example-app.klutch.sh
    • or S3-compatible: S3_ENDPOINT, S3_BUCKET, S3_ACCESS_KEY, S3_SECRET_KEY
  • Optional: INVITE_ONLY=false, SMTP settings for notifications if supported

If deploying without the Dockerfile and relying on Nixpacks:

  • NIXPACKS_NODE_VERSION=18
  • NIXPACKS_START_CMD=npm run start

Attach persistent volumes

If you store attachments locally, add storage in Klutch.sh (path and size only):

  • /app/storage — user-uploaded files.

Ensure the path matches your attachment configuration.

Deploy Revolt on Klutch.sh (Dockerfile workflow)

  1. Push your repository—with the Dockerfile at the root—to GitHub.
  2. Open klutch.sh/app, create a project, and add an app.
  3. Select HTTP traffic and set the internal port to 8000.
  4. Add the environment variables above (MongoDB URI, attachment settings, optional SMTP).
  5. Attach a volume at /app/storage if you keep uploads locally; size it for your media.
  6. Deploy. Your app will be reachable at https://example-app.klutch.sh; connect a client to start using Revolt.

Sample checks

Landing/API check:

Terminal window
curl -I https://example-app.klutch.sh

If a health endpoint is available (replace if different):

Terminal window
curl -I https://example-app.klutch.sh/health

Health checks and production tips

  • Add an HTTP readiness probe to / or your health endpoint.
  • Keep MongoDB and S3 credentials in Klutch.sh secrets; rotate regularly.
  • Use external object storage for scalable attachments if possible; otherwise monitor /app/storage and resize as needed.
  • Pin Docker base versions and test upgrades in staging before production.

Revolt on Klutch.sh delivers reproducible Docker builds, managed secrets, and optional attachment storage—without extra YAML or CI steps. Configure ports, env vars, and storage, then launch your chat platform.