Config vars at build time
Exported into the build the way most platforms do it, so an asset precompile that boots the app finds its database URL.
Deploy methods
Seven ways to build and deploy.
Railyard picks the build path your repo needs. Everything after the build, from release to rollback, works the same way for all of them.
| Method | Source | What runs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| image:// | A registry tag | Pull and run. No clone, no build. | shipped |
| dockerfile | A repo with a Dockerfile | Clone, docker build, run. | shipped |
| railpack | A repo, no Dockerfile (the default) | Railpack detects the language and builds an image. No config. | shipped |
| cnb | A repo, no Dockerfile | pack build against heroku/builder:24, then run. | shipped |
| nixpacks | A repo, no Dockerfile | Nixpacks writes a Dockerfile, then it builds normally. | shipped |
| build server | Any repo method | Build once on a dedicated server, then run anywhere in your fleet. | shipped |
| Procfile | A repo with a Procfile | Declares web and worker processes plus the release hook. | shipped |
One pipeline
One pipeline for every build method.
Image, Dockerfile, buildpacks, Nixpacks or Procfile: every path produces an image. From there the deploy is the same, including a quick redeploy of the same commit.
- Config vars exported into the build
- Release hook runs before traffic moves
- Readiness probe, then a zero-downtime swap
$ git push railyard main
Enumerating objects: 12, done.
remote: Building storefront (Dockerfile)
remote: #7 RUN bundle install
remote: #9 RUN bin/rails assets:precompile
remote: Release: bin/rails db:migrate
remote: Health check passed (GET /up 200)
remote: Live, traffic moved to the new release
a1b2c3d..e4f5a6b main -> main
Every build
The same build features, every method.
Private repos and submodules
Connect GitHub once; private repositories and their submodules clone automatically, scoped to the repos you connect.
Build args and secrets
Pass build arguments and secrets into the build without baking them into the image.
Persistent volumes
Named volumes at a path you choose, never wiped by a redeploy.
Addons, wired in
Postgres with pgvector, MySQL, Redis, Memcached and object storage, with connection strings injected.
Release hooks
Migrations run before the new version takes traffic; a failure stops the deploy.
Static sites and functions
A static build is served with automatic HTTPS; functions are a few lines of TypeScript, edited on the canvas.
Templates and a Deploy button
Around 200 one-click templates, and a README badge that opens a prefilled deploy.
Proven on commercial software: Campfire, 37signals' paid Rails 8 product, runs through both the Dockerfile path and buildpacks.
Deploy your first app on a server you own.
Attach a machine with a host, a user and an SSH key, or let Railyard create one in your cloud account. It installs the rest and watches it come online.
Free plan, no card, and 14 days of Pro for every new team. One flat price per team.