Making an application available online

Publishing through nginx

The project’s public port is served by nginx. The panel prepares the domain configuration, a Let’s Encrypt certificate and an optional password. The container then uses a separate internal port on the loopback interface.

Do the first start in the panel

Setting up nginx is part of starting the project from the panel. A manual docker compose up does not do it. If Compose publishes the port on all interfaces, the application may be reachable without nginx protection, and the password saved in the panel will not protect that connection.

If the project was started manually, stop it and start it from the panel. Then check the public address in a browser window with no saved session.

Prepare the domain and certificate

The DNS record must point to the correct server. The panel checks it before requesting a certificate, to limit failed attempts that count toward the issuer’s rate limits. After a DNS change, allow time for propagation.

Protect the review version

The password is checked by nginx before the request is passed to the application. This lets you protect a preview even when the application itself has no login screen.

Use addresses your audience can reach

In API_URL, PUBLIC_URL, OAuth addresses, webhooks and CORS settings, enter the public server name. localhost refers to the machine making the connection and does not replace the public address of the application.

Temporary preview through a tunnel

For short-term sharing, you can use ngrok. The panel creates a tunnel for the project based on the ports actually visible in docker compose ps.