Elestio Skill

Version: 2.0 Purpose: Deploy and manage services on Elestio DevOps platform Status: Ready to use Last Updated: 2026-02-19

Elestio is a fully managed DevOps platform. Dedicated VMs (not shared Kubernetes). 400+ open-source templates, 9 cloud providers, 100+ regions. Handles deployment, security, updates, backups, monitoring, support.

This skill uses the official Elestio CLI (elestio command, installed via npm install -g elestio).

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• User wants to deploy PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, etc.
• User says "deploy", "spin up", "create a server", "I need a database"
• User mentions ANY open-source software (WordPress, Grafana, n8n, Metabase, etc.)
• User wants to deploy custom code via CI/CD
• User needs to manage backups, firewall, SSL, SSH access
• User asks about service status, costs, or credentials

Trigger phrases:

• "Deploy PostgreSQL" -> elestio deploy postgresql
• "I need a Redis cache" -> elestio deploy redis
• "Set up n8n for automation" -> elestio deploy n8n
• "Deploy my app from GitHub" -> CI/CD workflow (Phase 4)
• "What services are running?" -> elestio services
• "How much is this costing?" -> elestio billing

When NOT to Use This Skill

• Initial account setup - Signup, payment, approval must be done manually by human
• Interactive SSH sessions - Use direct SSH instead
• Complex Docker Compose editing - SSH into the server directly

Decision Tree: What Should I Deploy?

Does user want to deploy their own custom code?
+-- YES (from GitHub/GitLab) -> Automated CI/CD deployment
|   1. elestio deploy cicd --project <id>
|   2. elestio cicd create --auto --target <vmID> --name my-app --repo owner/repo --mode github
|   (CLI auto-handles: SSH key, repo discovery, Dockerfile fix, build, start)
|
+-- YES (custom Docker) -> Manual CI/CD
|   1. elestio deploy cicd --project <id>
|   2. elestio ssh-keys add <vmID> --name "name" --key "key"
|   3. elestio cicd create <pipeline.json>
|   4. SSH in and configure
|
+-- NO -> Check if software is in catalog
    |
    +-- FOUND -> Use Phase 3 (Catalog Deploy)
    |   elestio deploy <template> --project <id>
    |
    +-- NOT FOUND -> Use Phase 4 (CI/CD Target)

To check catalog:
  elestio templates search <software-name>

Setup (One-Time -- Human Action Required)

Prerequisites

1. Create Account: https://dash.elest.io/signup
2. Verify Email: Check inbox, click verification link
3. Add Credit Card: https://dash.elest.io/account/payment
4. Wait for Approval: Usually instant, sometimes 24-48h
5. Create API Token: https://dash.elest.io/account/security -> Manage API Tokens -> Create Token
6. Configure skill: Give email + API token to agent

Configure Credentials

elestio login --email "user@domain.com" --token "xxx_..."
elestio auth test

Verify Setup

# Should show: [SUCCESS] Authenticated as user@domain.com
elestio auth test

# List projects (should show at least one)
elestio projects

Quick Start Examples

Deploy PostgreSQL (2 commands)

# 1. Find template ID
elestio templates search postgresql
# -> ID: 11, PostgreSQL

# 2. Deploy (uses defaults: netcup/nbg/MEDIUM-2C-4G)
elestio deploy postgresql --project 112 --name my-db
# -> Waits for deployment, shows credentials when ready

Deploy Redis Cache

elestio deploy redis --project 112

Deploy WordPress

elestio deploy wordpress --project 112

Deploy Custom App from GitHub (Automated -- Recommended)

# 1. Deploy CI/CD target
elestio deploy cicd --project 112 --name my-cicd

# 2. Auto-create pipeline (handles everything: SSH, Dockerfile, build, start)
elestio cicd create --auto --target <vmID> --name my-app --repo owner/repo --mode github --auth-id <authID>
# -> Site is live at https://<name>-u<userID>.vm.elestio.app/

Deploy Custom App (Manual -- Docker mode)

# 1. Deploy CI/CD target
elestio deploy cicd --project 112 --name my-cicd

# 2. Add SSH key for agent access
elestio ssh-keys add <vmID> --name "agent-key" --key "ssh-ed25519 AAAA..."

# 3. Generate pipeline config
elestio cicd template docker > pipeline.json
# Edit pipeline.json with correct CI/CD target info...

# 4. Create pipeline
elestio cicd create pipeline.json

# 5. SSH and configure
ssh root@<ipv4>
cd /opt/app/<pipeline-name>
# Edit docker-compose.yml, add code, docker-compose up -d

Command Reference

Authentication & Configuration

elestio login --email X --token Y  # Set credentials
elestio auth test                  # Verify authentication
elestio whoami                     # Show current user
elestio config                     # Show current config
elestio config --set-default-project X  # Set default project

Catalog (No Auth Required)

elestio templates                  # List all 400+ templates
elestio templates search <query>   # Search by name
elestio templates info <name>      # Template details
elestio categories                 # List categories
elestio sizes                      # All provider/region/size combos
elestio sizes --provider netcup    # Filter by provider

Projects

elestio projects                   # List all projects
elestio projects create <name>     # Create project
elestio projects delete <id> --force  # Delete project
elestio projects members <id>      # List members
elestio projects add-member <id> <email>
elestio projects remove-member <id> <memberId>

Services

elestio services                   # List all services
elestio services --project 123     # Filter by project
elestio service <vmID>             # Service details
elestio deploy <template> --project X --name Y
elestio deploy cicd --project X    # Deploy CI/CD target
elestio delete-service <vmID> --force
elestio move-service <vmID> <targetProjectId>
elestio wait <vmID>                # Wait for deployment

Power Management

elestio reboot <vmID>              # Graceful reboot
elestio reset <vmID>               # Hard reset
elestio shutdown <vmID>            # Graceful shutdown
elestio poweroff <vmID>            # Force power off
elestio poweron <vmID>             # Power on
elestio restart-stack <vmID>       # Restart Docker only (fastest)
elestio lock <vmID>                # Enable termination protection
elestio unlock <vmID>              # Disable termination protection
elestio resize <vmID> --size LARGE-4C-8G  # Upgrade/downgrade VM size

Firewall

elestio firewall get <vmID>        # List rules
elestio firewall enable <vmID> --rules '[{"type":"INPUT","port":"22","protocol":"tcp","targets":["0.0.0.0/0"]}]'
elestio firewall update <vmID> --rules '[...]'
elestio firewall disable <vmID>

SSL / Custom Domains

elestio ssl list <vmID>            # List domains
elestio ssl add <vmID> <domain>    # Add with auto-SSL
elestio ssl remove <vmID> <domain>

SSH Keys

elestio ssh-keys list <vmID>       # List keys
elestio ssh-keys add <vmID> --name "name" --key "ssh-ed25519 AAAA..."
elestio ssh-keys remove <vmID> --name "name"

Note: When adding SSH keys, provide only the key type and key data (e.g., ssh-ed25519 AAAA...). Do NOT include the comment/email at the end of the key.

Auto-Updates

elestio updates system-enable <vmID> --day 0 --hour 5 --security-only
elestio updates system-disable <vmID>
elestio updates system-now <vmID>  # Run OS update now
elestio updates app-enable <vmID> --day 0 --hour 3
elestio updates app-disable <vmID>
elestio updates app-now <vmID>     # Run app update now
elestio change-version <vmID> <version>  # e.g., PostgreSQL 15

Alerts

elestio alerts get <vmID>          # Get current rules
elestio alerts enable <vmID> --rules '{...}' --cycle 60
elestio alerts disable <vmID>

Backups

# Local backups (application-level)
elestio backups local-list <vmID>
elestio backups local-take <vmID>
elestio backups local-restore <vmID> /opt/app-backups/backup.zst
elestio backups local-delete <vmID> /opt/app-backups/backup.zst

# Remote backups (Elestio managed)
elestio backups remote-list <vmID>
elestio backups remote-take <vmID>
elestio backups remote-restore <vmID> <snapshot-name>
elestio backups auto-enable <vmID>
elestio backups auto-disable <vmID>

# S3 external backups
elestio s3-backup verify <vmID> --key X --secret Y --bucket Z --endpoint S
elestio s3-backup enable <vmID> --key X --secret Y --bucket Z --endpoint S
elestio s3-backup disable <vmID>
elestio s3-backup take <vmID>
elestio s3-backup list <vmID>
elestio s3-backup restore <vmID> <backup-key>
elestio s3-backup delete <vmID> <backup-key>

Snapshots (Provider-level)

elestio snapshots list <vmID>      # List all snapshots
elestio snapshots take <vmID>      # Create manual snapshot
elestio snapshots restore <vmID> <id>  # Restore snapshot (0 = most recent)
elestio snapshots delete <vmID> <id>   # Delete snapshot
elestio snapshots auto-enable <vmID>   # Enable automatic snapshots
elestio snapshots auto-disable <vmID>  # Disable automatic snapshots

Access & Credentials

elestio credentials <vmID>         # App URL + login
elestio ssh <vmID>                 # SSH terminal URL
elestio ssh <vmID> --direct        # Direct SSH command
elestio vscode <vmID>              # VSCode web URL
elestio files <vmID>               # File explorer URL

Volumes

Note: Volume support depends on the cloud provider. Hetzner supports full volume operations. Some providers like netcup have limited or no volume support.

elestio volumes                    # List all volumes in project
elestio volumes create --name X --size 10
elestio volumes service-list <vmID>    # List attached to service
elestio volumes service-create <vmID> --name X --size 10
elestio volumes resize <vmID> <volumeID> --size 20
elestio volumes detach <vmID> <volumeID>
elestio volumes delete <vmID> <volumeID>
elestio volumes protect <vmID> <volumeID>

CI/CD Pipelines

elestio cicd targets               # List CI/CD targets
elestio cicd pipelines <vmID>      # List pipelines
elestio cicd pipeline-info <vmID> <pipelineID>

# Automated pipeline creation (recommended for GitHub/GitLab repos)
elestio cicd create --auto --target <vmID> --name my-app --repo owner/repo --mode github
elestio cicd create --auto --target <vmID> --name my-app --repo owner/repo --mode github --auth-id <id>
# Modes: github, github-fullstack, gitlab, gitlab-fullstack, docker
# Optional: --branch, --build-cmd, --run-cmd, --install-cmd, --build-dir, --framework, --node-version

# Manual pipeline creation (from JSON template)
elestio cicd template docker       # Docker Compose (custom, no Git)
elestio cicd template github       # GitHub Static SPA (Vite/React)
elestio cicd template github-fullstack  # GitHub Full Stack (Node.js)
elestio cicd template gitlab       # GitLab Static SPA (Vite/React)
elestio cicd template gitlab-fullstack  # GitLab Full Stack (Node.js)
elestio cicd create <config.json>

# Pipeline actions
elestio cicd pipeline-restart <vmID> <pipelineID>
elestio cicd pipeline-stop <vmID> <pipelineID>
elestio cicd pipeline-logs <vmID> <pipelineID>
elestio cicd pipeline-history <vmID> <pipelineID>
elestio cicd pipeline-delete <vmID> <pipelineID> --force

# Pipeline domains
elestio cicd domains <vmID> <pipelineID>
elestio cicd domain-add <vmID> --pipeline <id> --domain myapp.example.com
elestio cicd domain-remove <vmID> --pipeline <id> --domain myapp.example.com

# Docker registries
elestio cicd registries
elestio cicd registry-add --name X --username U --password P --url URL

Auto-create pipeline flow: The CLI automatically discovers the Git account, finds the repo, creates the pipeline via API, adds an SSH key, writes a correct multi-stage Dockerfile (Node build + Nginx serve), builds the Docker image, starts the container, and verifies HTTP 200. The entire process takes ~2 minutes after CI/CD target is deployed.

Billing

elestio billing                    # Total costs
elestio billing project <id>       # Per-service breakdown

MANDATORY: Interactive Deployment Procedure

CRITICAL: When deploying ANY service, you MUST ask the user for each required parameter one by one using AskUserQuestion. NEVER deploy with default values without explicit user confirmation.

Required Parameters (ask in this order):

1. Provider -- Ask using AskUserQuestion:

• Netcup (Recommended) -- Best price/performance ratio, EU-based, reliable
• Hetzner -- Best features: full volume, snapshot & power management support
• AWS -- Amazon Web Services, global reach
• Azure -- Microsoft cloud

2. Region -- Ask using AskUserQuestion, based on selected provider:

• Netcup: nbg (Europe - Germany, Nuremberg) | mns (North America - United States, Manassas)
• Hetzner: fsn1 (Falkenstein, DE), nbg1 (Nuremberg, DE), hel1 (Helsinki, FI), ash (Ashburn, US)
• AWS: us-east-1, eu-west-1, ap-southeast-1, etc.
• Azure: germanywestcentral, eastus, westeurope, etc.

Use elestio sizes --provider <provider> to get exact available regions if needed.

3. Service Plan (Size) -- Ask using AskUserQuestion, propose available sizes with pricing:

• SMALL-1C-2G -- 1 core, 2GB RAM (~$7/mo)
• MEDIUM-2C-4G -- 2 cores, 4GB RAM (~$14/mo)
• LARGE-4C-8G -- 4 cores, 8GB RAM (~$28/mo)
• XL-8C-16G -- 8 cores, 16GB RAM (~$55/mo)

Use elestio sizes --provider <provider> to get exact sizes/pricing for the chosen provider.

4. Name of Service -- Do NOT use AskUserQuestion. Simply ask the user in plain text to provide a name, suggesting a default based on the service type (e.g., "prod-postgres", "staging-redis"). Wait for user text input.

5. Admin Email -- Ask using AskUserQuestion, propose the employer's email as default. Let the user confirm or change.

Example Flow:

User: "Deploy PostgreSQL"
Agent: [AskUserQuestion] Which cloud provider? (Netcup recommended, Hetzner, AWS, Azure)
User: "Netcup"
Agent: [AskUserQuestion] Which region? (nbg Europe-Germany, mns North America-US)
User: "nbg"
Agent: [AskUserQuestion] Which service plan? (SMALL ~$7/mo, MEDIUM ~$14/mo, LARGE ~$28/mo, XL ~$55/mo)
User: "MEDIUM"
Agent: "What name do you want for this service? Suggestion: prod-postgresql"
User: "demo-postgres"
Agent: [AskUserQuestion] Admin email? (Suggested: user@company.com)
User: confirms
Agent: Deploys with all confirmed parameters

Golden Rules

1. Always authenticate first -- Every session starts with valid JWT
2. vmID != serverID -- Most endpoints use vmID, backup/notes use serverID (both from elestio services)
3. Check deployment status -- After deploy, wait for deploymentStatus = "Deployed" before accessing
4. Never delete without confirmation -- Always require --force flag
5. Use catalog when possible -- Phase 3 (catalog) is simpler than Phase 4 (CI/CD)
6. Validate combos -- Provider + datacenter + serverType must match elestio sizes
7. Account must be approved -- New accounts need credit card + approval before deploying
8. ALWAYS follow the Interactive Deployment Procedure above -- Never skip parameter questions
9. Set default project -- Use elestio config --set-default-project <id> to avoid passing --project every time
10. Service belongs to project -- When using elestio service <vmID>, ensure the vmID belongs to the current default project or specify --project

Defaults

Why netcup? Best price/performance ratio. EU-based. Reliable.

Provider Limitations

Not all cloud providers support all features. Use --provider to switch.

Size downgrade support: Only Netcup, AWS, Azure, and Scaleway support downgrading instance sizes. Other providers (Hetzner, GCP, etc.) only support upgrades. Attempting a downgrade on an unsupported provider can block the service and require Elestio support intervention. The CLI will automatically block downgrade attempts on unsupported providers.

Recommendation: Use Hetzner if you need volumes, snapshots, or full power management. Use netcup for best value when basic features suffice. Use netcup, AWS, Azure, or Scaleway if you need the flexibility to downgrade instance sizes.

Error Handling

Composability: What to Do After...

After Deploying a Service

1. Get credentials: elestio credentials <vmID>
2. Verify running: Open the URL, confirm service works
3. Enable backups: elestio backups auto-enable <vmID>
4. Add custom domain: elestio ssl add <vmID> myapp.example.com
5. Configure firewall: elestio firewall enable <vmID> --rules [...]
6. Enable auto-updates: elestio updates system-enable <vmID> --security-only

After Creating CI/CD Target

Automated (recommended):

1. Auto-create pipeline: elestio cicd create --auto --target <vmID> --name my-app --repo owner/repo --mode github --auth-id <id>
2. Site is live -- CLI handles SSH, Dockerfile, build, start automatically

Manual:

1. Add SSH key: elestio ssh-keys add <vmID> --name "name" --key "key"
2. Create pipeline: elestio cicd create pipeline.json
3. SSH and configure: ssh root@<ipv4>
4. Add domain: elestio cicd domain-add <vmID> --pipeline <pipelineID> --domain myapp.example.com

After an Error

1. Re-authenticate: elestio auth test
2. Check status: elestio service <vmID>
3. View logs: elestio cicd pipeline-logs <vmID> <pipelineID>
4. Restart stack: elestio restart-stack <vmID>

Troubleshooting

"Authentication failed" repeatedly

# 1. Verify current config
elestio config

# 2. Re-configure with fresh token from dashboard
elestio login --email "..." --token "..."

# 3. Test
elestio auth test

Service stuck in "Deploying"

1. Normal deployment takes 2-5 minutes
2. If > 10 minutes, check Elestio dashboard for errors
3. Contact support@elest.io if still stuck

"Service not found" but it exists

• Make sure you're using vmID, not serverID
• Check the correct project: elestio services --project X
• vmID looks like: 12345678 (numeric)

Pipeline not working

1. SSH into CI/CD target: ssh root@<ipv4>
2. Check logs: cd /opt/app/<pipeline-name> && docker-compose logs
3. Verify docker-compose.yml syntax
4. Check port mapping: 172.17.0.1:3000 (internal network)

ID Reference (Critical)

Common mistake: Using serverID where vmID is expected (or vice versa). They are different numbers for the same service.

VM Architecture

Every Elestio service runs on a dedicated VM:

/opt/elestio/nginx/          <- Reverse proxy (auto-configured, don't modify)
/opt/app/                    <- Your application
    +-- docker-compose.yml   <- For catalog services
    +-- <pipeline_name>/     <- For CI/CD pipelines

• Reverse proxy handles HTTPS termination automatically
• SSL certificates are auto-generated via Let's Encrypt
• Port 172.17.0.1:XXXX is the internal Docker network interface

Support Tiers

Links

• Dashboard: https://dash.elest.io
• API Docs: https://api-doc.elest.io
• Support: support@elest.io
• Templates: 400+ at https://elest.io/open-source
• CLI: npm install -g elestio