FAQ

Does CloudPilot host my servers?#

No. You bring a machine you already own — a VPS, a dedicated box, something in your own rack — and CloudPilot manages it. You keep root access throughout.

Do I need to open a port for CloudPilot?#

No. The agent dials out to CloudPilot and keeps that connection open. Servers behind NAT, or with every inbound port closed, work fine.

If CloudPilot goes down, do my sites go down?#

No. The agent is not in the request path — it manages the machine, it does not serve your traffic. Nginx, your application and your database keep running.

What you lose during an outage is the panel: no deploys, no log streaming, no shell, no metrics.

Which operating systems are supported?#

Ubuntu and Debian.

Does CloudPilot store my SSH password or key?#

No. Auto-install credentials are used for that one install and are never written to the database. Neither the server record nor the install job has a field for them. See Connecting a server.

Why does it keep asking for my database password?#

Because it does not keep it. Database credentials live in the browser tab you typed them into and are sent with each request. Close the tab and CloudPilot asks again. See Databases.

My React app will not run. Which runtime should I use?#

static. A React app is a folder of files once it is built, and a web server just hands them out — nothing needs to stay running. See choosing a runtime.

Can I deploy plain HTML with no build step?#

Yes. index.html, style.css and script.js in a folder is a static project.

How far back can I roll back?#

To any release still on the server. Every deploy keeps the previous ones, which is also why old releases take up disk — see disk is the one that bites.

Does rollback undo database changes?#

No. It repoints the code. If the release you are rolling back from ran a migration, the migrated database stays migrated. See the warning under Rolling back.

Someone deleted a project. Can I get it back?#

The record and its history are gone. If the "remove from server" box was left unticked — which is the default — the application is still running on the machine and you can recreate the project pointing at it. If it was ticked, the files are gone and you need a backup.

Why is my deploy waiting for approval?#

The project is protected. Deploys, rollbacks and deletions on a protected project need a second person.

Why did my firewall rule undo itself?#

Because nobody confirmed it within 60 seconds. Losing contact is exactly what happens when a rule locks you out, so silence is treated as failure. See Firewall.

My certificate will not issue.#

Almost always DNS. The authority proves you own the domain by making a request to it; if that request does not reach this server, issuing fails. Check with dig first — see Troubleshooting.

One of my servers says I need to upgrade.#

You have more servers than your plan allows, so the extras are locked. The machine is still running and still serving; you have lost panel access to it. See The server limit.

Can I use CloudPilot for more than one client?#

Yes — one organisation each. Servers, projects, team and billing are separate per organisation, and permissions do not carry across.

What happens to my server if I stop using CloudPilot?#

Nothing. Remove the agent and the machine keeps running exactly as it was. Your projects stay where they were deployed.

Is there an audit trail?#

Yes, and every role can read it, Viewer included. See Audit log.

Can someone with SSH access bypass the audit log?#

Yes. CloudPilot records what happens through CloudPilot. The in-panel terminal is recorded; a separate SSH client is invisible to it. If the audit trail matters, keep direct SSH access narrow.