coolify/CLAUDE.md

CLAUDE.md

This file provides guidance to Claude Code (claude.ai/code) when working with code in this repository.

Note for AI Assistants: This file is specifically for Claude Code. All detailed documentation is in the .ai/ directory. Both Claude Code and Cursor IDE use the same source files in .ai/ for consistency.

Maintaining Instructions: When updating AI instructions, see .ai/meta/sync-guide.md and .ai/meta/maintaining-docs.md for guidelines.

Project Overview

Coolify is an open-source, self-hostable platform for deploying applications and managing servers - an alternative to Heroku/Netlify/Vercel. It's built with Laravel (PHP) and uses Docker for containerization.

Development Commands

Frontend Development

• npm run dev - Start Vite development server for frontend assets
• npm run build - Build frontend assets for production

Backend Development

Only run artisan commands inside "coolify" container when in development.

• php artisan serve - Start Laravel development server
• php artisan migrate - Run database migrations
• php artisan queue:work - Start queue worker for background jobs
• php artisan horizon - Start Laravel Horizon for queue monitoring
• php artisan tinker - Start interactive PHP REPL

Code Quality

• ./vendor/bin/pint - Run Laravel Pint for code formatting
• ./vendor/bin/phpstan - Run PHPStan for static analysis
• ./vendor/bin/pest tests/Unit - Run unit tests only (no database, can run outside Docker)
• ./vendor/bin/pest - Run ALL tests (includes Feature tests, may require database)

Running Tests

IMPORTANT: Tests that require database connections MUST be run inside the Docker container:

• Inside Docker: docker exec coolify php artisan test (for feature tests requiring database)
• Outside Docker: ./vendor/bin/pest tests/Unit (for pure unit tests without database dependencies)
• Unit tests should use mocking and avoid database connections
• Feature tests that require database must be run in the coolify container

Architecture Overview

Technology Stack

• Backend: Laravel 12.4.1 (PHP 8.4.7)
• Frontend: Livewire 3.5.20 with Alpine.js and Tailwind CSS 4.1.4
• Database: PostgreSQL 15 (primary), Redis 7 (cache/queues)
• Real-time: Soketi (WebSocket server)
• Containerization: Docker & Docker Compose
• Queue Management: Laravel Horizon 5.30.3

Note

: For complete version information and all dependencies, see .ai/core/technology-stack.md

Key Components

Core Models

• Application - Deployed applications with Git integration (74KB, highly complex)
• Server - Remote servers managed by Coolify (46KB, complex)
• Service - Docker Compose services (58KB, complex)
• Database - Standalone database instances (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis, etc.)
• Team - Multi-tenancy support
• Project - Grouping of environments and resources
• Environment - Environment isolation (staging, production, etc.)

Job System

• Uses Laravel Horizon for queue management
• Key jobs: ApplicationDeploymentJob, ServerCheckJob, DatabaseBackupJob
• ServerManagerJob and ServerConnectionCheckJob handle job scheduling

Deployment Flow

1. Git webhook triggers deployment
2. ApplicationDeploymentJob handles build and deployment
3. Docker containers are managed on target servers
4. Proxy configuration (Nginx/Traefik) is updated

Server Management

• SSH-based server communication via ExecuteRemoteCommand trait
• Docker installation and management
• Proxy configuration generation
• Resource monitoring and cleanup

Directory Structure

• app/Actions/ - Domain-specific actions (Application, Database, Server, etc.)
• app/Jobs/ - Background queue jobs
• app/Livewire/ - Frontend components (full-stack with Livewire)
• app/Models/ - Eloquent models
• app/Rules/ - Custom validation rules
• app/Http/Middleware/ - HTTP middleware
• bootstrap/helpers/ - Helper functions for various domains
• database/migrations/ - Database schema evolution
• routes/ - Application routing (web.php, api.php, webhooks.php, channels.php)
• resources/views/livewire/ - Livewire component views
• tests/ - Pest tests (Feature and Unit)

Development Guidelines

Frontend Philosophy

Coolify uses a server-side first approach with minimal JavaScript:

• Livewire for server-side rendering with reactive components
• Alpine.js for lightweight client-side interactions
• Tailwind CSS for utility-first styling with dark mode support
• Enhanced Form Components with built-in authorization system
• Real-time updates via WebSocket without page refreshes

Form Authorization Pattern

IMPORTANT: When creating or editing forms, ALWAYS include authorization:

For Form Components (Input, Select, Textarea, Checkbox, Button):

Use canGate and canResource attributes for automatic authorization:

<x-forms.input canGate="update" :canResource="$resource" id="name" label="Name" />
<x-forms.select canGate="update" :canResource="$resource" id="type" label="Type">...</x-forms.select>
<x-forms.checkbox instantSave canGate="update" :canResource="$resource" id="enabled" label="Enabled" />
<x-forms.button canGate="update" :canResource="$resource" type="submit">Save</x-forms.button>

For Modal Components:

Wrap with @can directives:

@can('update', $resource)
    <x-modal-confirmation title="Confirm Action?" buttonTitle="Confirm">...</x-modal-confirmation>
    <x-modal-input buttonTitle="Edit" title="Edit Settings">...</x-modal-input>
@endcan

In Livewire Components:

Always add the AuthorizesRequests trait and check permissions:

use Illuminate\Foundation\Auth\Access\AuthorizesRequests;

class MyComponent extends Component
{
    use AuthorizesRequests;
    
    public function mount()
    {
        $this->authorize('view', $this->resource);
    }
    
    public function update()
    {
        $this->authorize('update', $this->resource);
        // ... update logic
    }
}

Livewire Component Structure

• Components located in app/Livewire/
• Views in resources/views/livewire/
• State management handled on the server
• Use wire:model for two-way data binding
• Dispatch events for component communication
• CRITICAL: Livewire component views MUST have exactly ONE root element. ALL content must be contained within this single root element. Placing ANY elements (<style>, <script>, <div>, comments, or any other HTML) outside the root element will break Livewire's component tracking and cause wire:click and other directives to fail silently.

Code Organization Patterns

• Actions Pattern: Use Actions for complex business logic (app/Actions/)
• Livewire Components: Handle UI and user interactions
• Jobs: Handle asynchronous operations
• Traits: Provide shared functionality (e.g., ExecuteRemoteCommand)
• Helper Functions: Domain-specific helpers in bootstrap/helpers/

Database Patterns

• Use Eloquent ORM for database interactions
• Implement relationships properly (HasMany, BelongsTo, etc.)
• Use database transactions for critical operations
• Leverage query scopes for reusable queries
• Apply indexes for performance-critical queries
• CRITICAL: When adding new database columns, ALWAYS update the model's $fillable array to allow mass assignment

Security Best Practices

• Authentication: Multi-provider auth via Laravel Fortify & Sanctum
• Authorization: Team-based access control with policies and enhanced form components
• Form Component Security: Built-in canGate authorization system for UI components
• API Security: Token-based auth with IP allowlisting
• Secrets Management: Never log or expose sensitive data
• Input Validation: Always validate user input with Form Requests or Rules
• SQL Injection Prevention: Use Eloquent ORM or parameterized queries

API Development

• RESTful endpoints in routes/api.php
• Use API Resources for response formatting
• Implement rate limiting for public endpoints
• Version APIs when making breaking changes
• Document endpoints with clear examples

Testing Strategy

• Framework: Pest for expressive testing
• Structure: Feature tests for user flows, Unit tests for isolated logic
• Coverage: Test critical paths and edge cases
• Mocking: Use Laravel's built-in mocking for external services
• Database: Use RefreshDatabase trait for test isolation

Test Execution Environment

CRITICAL: Database-dependent tests MUST run inside Docker container:

• Unit Tests (tests/Unit/): Should NOT use database. Use mocking. Run with ./vendor/bin/pest tests/Unit
• Feature Tests (tests/Feature/): May use database. MUST run inside Docker with docker exec coolify php artisan test
• If a test needs database (factories, migrations, etc.), it belongs in tests/Feature/
• Always mock external services and SSH connections in tests

Test Design Philosophy

PREFER MOCKING: When designing features and writing tests:

• Design for testability: Structure code so it can be tested without database (use dependency injection, interfaces)
• Mock by default: Unit tests should mock models and external dependencies using Mockery
• Avoid database when possible: If you can test the logic without database, write it as a Unit test
• Only use database when necessary: Feature tests should test integration points, not isolated logic
• Example: Instead of Server::factory()->create(), use Mockery::mock('App\Models\Server') in unit tests

Routing Conventions

• Group routes by middleware and prefix
• Use route model binding for cleaner controllers
• Name routes consistently (resource.action)
• Implement proper HTTP verbs (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)

Error Handling

• Use handleError() helper for consistent error handling
• Log errors with appropriate context
• Return user-friendly error messages
• Implement proper HTTP status codes

Performance Considerations

• Use eager loading to prevent N+1 queries
• Implement caching for frequently accessed data
• Queue heavy operations
• Optimize database queries with proper indexes
• Use chunking for large data operations

Code Style

• Follow PSR-12 coding standards
• Use Laravel Pint for automatic formatting
• Write descriptive variable and method names
• Keep methods small and focused
• Document complex logic with clear comments

Cloud Instance Considerations

We have a cloud instance of Coolify (hosted version) with:

• 2 Horizon worker servers
• Thousands of connected servers
• Thousands of active users
• High-availability requirements

When developing features:

• Consider scalability implications
• Test with large datasets
• Implement efficient queries
• Use queues for heavy operations
• Consider rate limiting and resource constraints
• Implement proper error recovery mechanisms

Important Reminders

• Always run code formatting: ./vendor/bin/pint
• Test your changes: ./vendor/bin/pest
• Check for static analysis issues: ./vendor/bin/phpstan
• Use existing patterns and helpers
• Follow the established directory structure
• Maintain backward compatibility
• Document breaking changes
• Consider performance impact on large-scale deployments

Additional Documentation

This file contains high-level guidelines for Claude Code. For more detailed, topic-specific documentation, refer to the .ai/ directory:

Documentation Hub: The .ai/ directory contains comprehensive, detailed documentation organized by topic. Start with .ai/README.md for navigation, then explore specific topics below.

Core Documentation

• Technology Stack - All versions, packages, and dependencies (single source of truth)
• Project Overview - What Coolify is and how it works
• Application Architecture - System design and component relationships
• Deployment Architecture - How deployments work end-to-end

Development Practices

• Development Workflow - Development setup, commands, and workflows
• Testing Patterns - Testing strategies and examples (Docker requirements!)
• Laravel Boost - Laravel-specific guidelines and best practices

Code Patterns

• Database Patterns - Eloquent, migrations, relationships
• Frontend Patterns - Livewire, Alpine.js, Tailwind CSS
• Security Patterns - Authentication, authorization, security
• Form Components - Enhanced form components with authorization
• API & Routing - API design and routing conventions

Meta Documentation

• Maintaining Docs - How to update and improve AI documentation
• Sync Guide - Keeping documentation synchronized

Laravel Boost Guidelines

Full Guidelines: See .ai/development/laravel-boost.md for complete Laravel Boost guidelines.

Essential Laravel Patterns

• Use PHP 8.4 constructor property promotion and typed properties
• Follow PSR-12 (run ./vendor/bin/pint before committing)
• Use Eloquent ORM, avoid raw queries
• Use Form Request classes for validation
• Queue heavy operations with Laravel Horizon
• Never use env() outside config files
• Use named routes with route() function
• Laravel 12 with Laravel 10 structure (no bootstrap/app.php)

Testing Requirements

• Unit tests: No database, use mocking, run with ./vendor/bin/pest tests/Unit
• Feature tests: Can use database, run with docker exec coolify php artisan test
• Every change must have tests
• Use Pest for all tests

Livewire & Frontend

• Livewire components require single root element
• Use wire:model.live for real-time updates
• Alpine.js included with Livewire
• Tailwind CSS 4.1.4 (use new utilities, not deprecated ones)
• Use gap utilities for spacing, not margins

Random other things you should remember:

• App\Models\Application::team must return a relationship instance., always use team()