Deploy a Nuxt application

A Nuxt application runs on Sevalla as an application: Ingot, Sevalla’s builder, detects Nuxt in your Git repository and runs nuxt build, which builds a Node.js server with Nitro, and the web process starts that server on the port that Sevalla sets in the PORT environment variable. A site whose pages can all be prerendered can instead be generated and published as a static site.

At a glance


Source	A Git repository
Build	Application: Ingot (Node.js 24, npm, `nuxt build`), or the Dockerfile. Static site: `npm run generate` on Node.js Latest LTS, publishing `.output/public`
Start command	Application: `node .output/server/index.mjs`, which Ingot takes from Nuxt
Port	Application: the `PORT` environment variable, `8080` by default
Processes	Application: web process
Services	None
Disk	None
Size	Application: H1 for the web process. A static site has no size.

Environment variables

Neither the application nor the static site needs environment variables of its own. Sevalla sets PORT to the application’s web process port. To configure the server, see Use environment variables.

Before you begin

A Sevalla company with a payment method, and a GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket account for the repository. See Git providers.
Node.js 24 or later on your computer.

Create the project

Create a project from Nuxt’s minimal template:

npm create nuxt@latest storefront -- --template minimal --packageManager npm --no-modules --no-gitInit
cd storefront

The flags answer the questions the command would otherwise ask: npm as the package manager, no optional modules, and no Git repository yet. The project comes with a .gitignore and the build, dev, generate and preview scripts, but no start script, and it doesn’t need one.

Prepare the project for Sevalla

Pin the Node.js version:

npm pkg set engines.node="24.x"

Without it, Ingot builds on its default line, Node.js 24 today, which a new Ingot release can move. See Pin the Node.js version. Nothing else needs to change. Ingot detects Nuxt, runs the build script (nuxt build), which writes the server to .output/server/index.mjs, and starts the web process with node .output/server/index.mjs. It copies only .output into the image, because Nitro bundles the dependencies the server needs. Nitro’s server takes its port from NITRO_PORT or, when that isn’t set, from PORT, which Sevalla sets to the web process’s port (8080 by default), and Ingot sets HOST to 0.0.0.0, so it listens on all network interfaces. Run npm run build && npm run preview and open http://localhost:3000 to check the production build locally. Then commit everything and push it to your Git provider:

git init
git add .
git commit -m "Prepare for Sevalla"
git branch -M main
git remote add origin https://github.com/acme/storefront.git
git push -u origin main

Deploy to Sevalla

These steps build with Ingot. To build from your own Dockerfile instead, see Deploy with a Dockerfile.

Create the application

In the sidebar, click Applications, then click Create > Application. Under Source, click Private repository, then choose the Git provider, the Repository and the Branch. Under Location, choose a Data center. Keep the Size at H1 or choose a larger one, then click Create application. The application opens on its Overview tab with the status Not deployed yet: creating an application doesn’t deploy it.

Deploy

Click the Overview tab, then click Deploy now under Recent deployments. Check the Branch and click Deploy.

Turn on auto-deploy

To deploy every push to the branch automatically, click the Settings tab, then click Update auto-deploy in the Auto-deploy section. Turn on Auto-deploy and click Update auto-deploy. See Deployments.

Verify the deployment

On the Deployments tab, click the deployment. Its Build log shows Ingot’s build plan: Node.js 24 from engines.node, npm from package-lock.json, Nuxt from package.json, and node .output/server/index.mjs as the start command.

Build log

╭─ ■ Nuxt · Node.js 24 ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ Node.js          24                             package.json engines "24.x" │
│ Package manager  npm                            package-lock.json           │
│ Framework        Nuxt                           package.json                │
│ Start            node .output/server/index.mjs  Nuxt                        │
├─ Image ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Build            node:24-trixie                                             │
│ Runtime          node:24-trixie-slim                                        │
│ User             1000:1000                                                  │
│ Init             tini                                                       │
│ Port             $PORT, default 8080                                        │
╰────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Ingot v0.5.0 ─╯

Wait for the deployment’s status to change to Deployed. The application’s status next to its name changes to Running.
Click the domain under the application’s name, for example storefront-x7k2m.sevalla.app. The Nuxt welcome page opens.

Check the page’s title from a terminal:

curl -s https://storefront-x7k2m.sevalla.app/ | grep -o '<title>[^<]*</title>'

<title>Welcome to Nuxt!</title>

The application header with its name, Running status, repository, branch and the domain that opens the application

With the API, Get deployment (getDeploymentV3) returns the deployment’s status, success once it’s deployed, and Get application deployment logs (getApplicationDeploymentLogsV3) returns its build log, which ends with Web has been deployed successfully. See Deploy with the API. If the deployment fails, read its build log, then see Troubleshoot Ingot builds. A build log that shows nuxt.config.ts sets Nitro's preset to "vercel", which builds for that platform rather than a server Ingot can run (or another platform’s preset) means nuxt.config.ts sets nitro.preset: remove it to build Nitro’s default Node.js server.

Deploy changes

With Auto-deploy on, every push to the branch starts a deployment; otherwise, click Deploy now for each change. Each deployment builds the image, then replaces the web process’s instances. See Deployments.

Use environment variables

Add configuration on the application’s Environment variables tab. Nuxt overrides each key in runtimeConfig with a variable named NUXT_ plus the key in uppercase snake case at runtime, so runtimeConfig.apiSecret reads NUXT_API_SECRET. Variables apply at the next deployment. See Environment variables.

Deploy with a Dockerfile

Ingot needs no Dockerfile. Write one when you want full control of the image: the base image, the system packages and every layer. Add a Dockerfile and a .dockerignore to the root of the repository:

Dockerfile

FROM node:24-trixie AS build
WORKDIR /app
COPY package.json package-lock.json ./
RUN npm ci
COPY . .
RUN npm run build

FROM node:24-trixie-slim
WORKDIR /app
ENV NODE_ENV=production PORT=8080
COPY --from=build /app/.output ./.output
USER 1000:1000
EXPOSE 8080
CMD ["node", ".output/server/index.mjs"]

Line or choice	Why
`node:24-trixie`, then `node:24-trixie-slim`	Node.js 24, the line that `engines.node` pins, on Debian 13. The build stage has the compilers that native modules need; the slim final image leaves them out. A line tag picks up Node.js and Debian security fixes at every build, which a digest would stop.
Two stages	The build stage installs every dependency and runs `nuxt build`. The final image gets only `.output`, where Nitro bundles the server and the dependencies it uses.
The lock file before the source	`npm ci` installs exactly what `package-lock.json` lists, and the build cache reuses that layer until the lock file changes, so a code change doesn’t reinstall the dependencies.
`USER 1000:1000`	The server runs as the image’s `node` user, not as root. Root owns the copied files, so the server can’t change its own code.
`CMD` in exec form	Node.js is the container’s main process and gets `SIGTERM` when an instance stops. Nitro handles it: it finishes the requests in progress, then exits.
`PORT=8080`, `EXPOSE 8080`	Nitro listens on `PORT` on all network interfaces. Sevalla sets `PORT` to the web process’s port; `8080` is the default when you run the image yourself.

.dockerignore

.git
.nuxt
.output
node_modules
.env*
*.log
Dockerfile
.dockerignore

The .dockerignore keeps local builds, installed packages and local environment files out of the image, so it builds from the committed source only. Commit and push both files. Ingot doesn’t use the Dockerfile and adds your .dockerignore patterns to its own, so you can keep both files in a repository that builds with Ingot. Then switch the application to the Dockerfile build strategy:

Choose the Dockerfile build strategy

On the application’s Settings tab, in the Build strategy section, click Update build strategy. Click Dockerfile, keep the Dockerfile path Dockerfile and the Docker context ., then click Update build strategy.

Deploy

Click the Overview tab, then click Deploy now under Recent deployments. Check the Branch and click Deploy.

The deployment’s build log shows 📦 Building and pushing docker image using Dockerfile... instead of Ingot’s build plan, and its Dockerfile tab shows your file. When the status changes to Deployed, the application’s domain opens the Nuxt welcome page, and curl -s https://storefront-x7k2m.sevalla.app/ | grep -o '<title>[^<]*</title>' prints <title>Welcome to Nuxt!</title> again. See Dockerfile for build arguments and private base images, and Build from the Dockerfile with the API to switch the build strategy with the API.

Deploy a generated static site

When every page can be prerendered, nuxt generate writes the site to .output/public, and Sevalla publishes it as a static site, free up to 100 GB of bandwidth a month. Server routes and on-demand rendering don’t run on a static site. The project needs no changes: the generate script is already in package.json.

Choose the repository

In the sidebar, click Static sites, then click Create static site. Under Source, click Private repository, then choose the Git provider, the Repository and the Branch.

Check the build settings

Under Build settings, Sevalla shows Framework detected: Nuxt.js and fills in the values. Check them:

Field	Value
Build site before publishing	On
Node version	Latest LTS
Build command	`npm run generate`
Root directory	Empty, for the repository root
Publish directory	`.output/public`

Create the static site

Enter a Name under Details, then click Create static site. Sevalla starts the first deployment right away, and deploys every push to the branch while Auto-deploy is on.

When the deployment’s status changes to Deployed, click Visit site on the static site’s Overview tab. The Nuxt welcome page opens on the site’s *.sevalla.page domain, for example storefront-x7k2m.sevalla.page. From a terminal:

curl -s https://storefront-x7k2m.sevalla.page/ | grep -o '<title>[^<]*</title>'

<title>Welcome to Nuxt!</title>

With the API, Get static site deployment (getStaticSiteDeploymentV3) returns the deployment’s status, success once it’s deployed, and Get static site deployment logs (getStaticSiteDeploymentLogsV3) returns its build log, which ends with Static site has been deployed successfully. See Deploy the generated static site with the API. Static sites don’t read engines.node: the build uses the Node version in the build settings. If the deployment fails, see Troubleshoot static sites. See Build settings for every field.

Add a custom domain

To serve the application from your own domain, such as shop.example.com, add the domain on the application’s Domains tab and create the DNS records that Sevalla shows. Custom domains need a web process larger than H1, so scale the web process first. Static sites have a Domains tab too. See Custom domains.

Connect a database

Create a database in the same location as the application, then connect the application to it with Add environment variables to the application turned on. Sevalla adds DB_URL, DB_HOST, DB_PORT, DB_DATABASE, DB_USERNAME and DB_PASSWORD to the application (what each one holds), and they apply at the next deployment. Read them in server routes with process.env.DB_URL.

Deploy with the API

These calls make the same deployments as Deploy to Sevalla and Deploy a generated static site, in an order that a script or an AI agent runs as it is. Each step names the Sevalla API operation, then the CLI command and the MCP server tool that do the same. You need:

An API key with the Company developer role, or the APP:CREATE, APP:READ and APP:UPDATE permissions for the application and STATIC_SITE:CREATE, STATIC_SITE:READ and STATIC_SITE:UPDATE for the static site, in the SEVALLA_API_KEY environment variable. The CLI reads the key from SEVALLA_API_TOKEN.
The repository on a Git provider that’s connected to your Sevalla account. See Git providers. Creating the application or the static site checks it: when Sevalla can’t read the repository, the call returns 400 with Cannot access repository https://github.com/acme/storefront: Repository not found or you don't have access., followed by where to grant access.
curl and jq.

Deploy the application with the API

Choose the location

List clusters (listClustersV3) returns the locations your company can use, each with its id, its display_name and its region ID in location (see Locations). Keep the ID of the one you want, here Frankfurt, Germany:

CLUSTER_ID=$(curl -s https://api.sevalla.com/v3/resources/clusters \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" \
  | jq -r '.[] | select(.location == "eu-frankfurt-1") | .id')

CLI: sevalla resources clusters. MCP: get_platform_options.

Find the H1 size

List process resource types (listProcessResourceTypesV3) returns the sizes by name, in lowercase:

H1_ID=$(curl -s https://api.sevalla.com/v3/resources/process-resource-types \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" \
  | jq -r '.[] | select(.name == "h1") | .id')

CLI: sevalla resources process-types. MCP: get_platform_options.

Create the application

Create application (createApplicationV3) creates the application with a web process and auto-deploy off. It builds with Ingot (build_type is ingot) and isn’t deployed yet:

APP_ID=$(curl -s -X POST https://api.sevalla.com/v3/applications \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"display_name":"storefront","cluster_id":"'"$CLUSTER_ID"'","source":"privateGit","git_type":"github","repo_url":"https://github.com/acme/storefront","default_branch":"main"}' \
  | jq -r .id)

CLI:

sevalla apps create --name storefront --cluster $CLUSTER_ID --source privateGit --git-type github --repository https://github.com/acme/storefront --branch main

. MCP: create_application with deploy set to false, because it deploys by default.

Find the web process

List processes (listProcessesV3) returns the web process that the application was created with:

WEB_ID=$(curl -s https://api.sevalla.com/v3/applications/$APP_ID/processes \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" \
  | jq -r '.data[] | select(.type == "web") | .id')

CLI: sevalla apps processes list --app-id $APP_ID. MCP: get_application.

Set the size

The API creates the web process at S1, where the dashboard’s default is H1. Update process (updateProcessV3) sets H1:

curl -s -X PATCH https://api.sevalla.com/v3/applications/$APP_ID/processes/$WEB_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"resource_type_id":"'"$H1_ID"'"}' \
  | jq -c '{resource_type_name, cpu_limit, memory_limit}'

{"resource_type_name":"h1","cpu_limit":300,"memory_limit":300}

CLI: sevalla apps processes update $WEB_ID --app-id $APP_ID --resource-type $H1_ID. MCP: scale_process with size_id and apply_now set to false.

Turn on auto-deploy

Update application (updateApplicationV3) turns on automatic deployments for every push to the branch:

curl -s -X PATCH https://api.sevalla.com/v3/applications/$APP_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"auto_deploy":true}' | jq .auto_deploy

CLI: sevalla apps update $APP_ID --data '{"auto_deploy":true}'. MCP: sevalla_api_update with updateApplicationV3.

Deploy

Trigger deployment (triggerDeploymentV3) deploys the latest commit on the application’s branch:

DEPLOYMENT_ID=$(curl -s -X POST https://api.sevalla.com/v3/applications/$APP_ID/deployments \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{}' | jq -r .id)

CLI: sevalla apps deployments trigger $APP_ID. MCP: trigger_deployment.

Wait for the deployment

Get deployment (getDeploymentV3) returns the deployment’s status: waiting and inProgress while it runs, then success or failed. Poll it every 15 seconds, for up to 30 minutes, until the status is final:

for i in $(seq 1 120); do
  STATUS=$(curl -s "https://api.sevalla.com/v3/applications/$APP_ID/deployments/$DEPLOYMENT_ID" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" | jq -r '.status // empty')
  case $STATUS in success|failed|cancelled|skipped) break ;; esac
  sleep 15
done
echo "$STATUS"

CLI: sevalla apps deployments get $DEPLOYMENT_ID --app-id $APP_ID. MCP: get_deployment.

Read the build log

Get application deployment logs (getApplicationDeploymentLogsV3) returns the build log, oldest line first: the build plan from Verify the deployment, the build and the rollout, which ends with Web has been deployed successfully. When the status is failed, the last lines say why. Without limit, the call returns the latest 1,000 lines, so a longer log loses its start; 5000 is the most it allows.

curl -s "https://api.sevalla.com/v3/applications/$APP_ID/deployments/$DEPLOYMENT_ID/logs?limit=5000" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" | jq -r '.[].message'

CLI: sevalla apps deployments logs $DEPLOYMENT_ID --app-id $APP_ID. MCP: get_deployment_logs.

Check the application

List application domains (listApplicationDomainsV3) returns the application’s domain. Request the home page from it:

HOST=$(curl -s https://api.sevalla.com/v3/applications/$APP_ID/domains \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" \
  | jq -r '.data[] | select(.is_primary) | .name')
curl -s https://$HOST/ | grep -o '<title>[^<]*</title>'

<title>Welcome to Nuxt!</title>

CLI: sevalla apps domains list --app-id $APP_ID. MCP: get_application.

Build from the Dockerfile with the API

After you push the Dockerfile from Deploy with a Dockerfile, Update application (updateApplicationV3) switches the application’s build strategy. Then repeat the application’s Deploy, Wait for the deployment and Check the application steps:

curl -s -X PATCH https://api.sevalla.com/v3/applications/$APP_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"build_type":"dockerfile","dockerfile_path":"Dockerfile","docker_context":"."}' \
  | jq -c '{build_type, dockerfile_path, docker_context}'

{"build_type":"dockerfile","dockerfile_path":"Dockerfile","docker_context":"."}

CLI: sevalla apps update $APP_ID --data '{"build_type":"dockerfile","dockerfile_path":"Dockerfile","docker_context":"."}'. MCP: sevalla_api_update with updateApplicationV3.

Deploy the generated static site with the API

Create the static site

Create static site (createStaticSiteV3) creates the static site with the build settings from Deploy a generated static site. "node_version":"lts" is Latest LTS. Unlike the dashboard, the API turns on auto-deploy only when the body asks for it, and it doesn’t start a deployment:

SITE_ID=$(curl -s -X POST https://api.sevalla.com/v3/static-sites \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"display_name":"storefront","source":"privateGit","git_type":"github","repo_url":"https://github.com/acme/storefront","default_branch":"main","auto_deploy":true,"build_command":"npm run generate","node_version":"lts","published_directory":".output/public"}' \
  | jq -r .id)

CLI:

sevalla static-sites create --name storefront --source privateGit --git-type github --repository https://github.com/acme/storefront --branch main --build-command "npm run generate" --node-version lts --publish-directory .output/public

, which leaves auto-deploy off. MCP: create_static_site with the same fields.

Deploy

Deploy static site (deployStaticSiteV3) builds and publishes the latest commit on the branch:

DEPLOYMENT_ID=$(curl -s -X POST https://api.sevalla.com/v3/static-sites/$SITE_ID/deployments \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{}' | jq -r .id)

CLI: sevalla static-sites deployments trigger $SITE_ID. MCP: trigger_deployment with service_type set to static_site.

Wait for the deployment

Get static site deployment (getStaticSiteDeploymentV3) returns the deployment’s status: waiting and inProgress while it runs, then success or failed. Poll it every 15 seconds, for up to 30 minutes, until the status is final:

for i in $(seq 1 120); do
  STATUS=$(curl -s "https://api.sevalla.com/v3/static-sites/$SITE_ID/deployments/$DEPLOYMENT_ID" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" | jq -r '.status // empty')
  case $STATUS in success|failed|cancelled|skipped) break ;; esac
  sleep 15
done
echo "$STATUS"

CLI: sevalla static-sites deployments get $DEPLOYMENT_ID --site-id $SITE_ID. MCP: get_deployment with service_type set to static_site.

Read the build log

Get static site deployment logs (getStaticSiteDeploymentLogsV3) returns the build log, oldest line first: the build settings, the install, the build and the upload, which ends with Static site has been deployed successfully. When the status is failed, the last lines say why. Without limit, the call returns the latest 1,000 lines, so a longer log loses its start; 5000 is the most it allows.

curl -s "https://api.sevalla.com/v3/static-sites/$SITE_ID/deployments/$DEPLOYMENT_ID/logs?limit=5000" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" | jq -r '.[].message'

CLI: sevalla static-sites deployments logs $DEPLOYMENT_ID --site-id $SITE_ID. MCP: get_deployment_logs with service_type set to static_site.

Check the site

Get static site (getStaticSiteV3) returns the site’s domain in hostname. Request the home page from it:

HOST=$(curl -s https://api.sevalla.com/v3/static-sites/$SITE_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SEVALLA_API_KEY" | jq -r .hostname)
curl -s https://$HOST/ | grep -o '<title>[^<]*</title>'

<title>Welcome to Nuxt!</title>

CLI: sevalla static-sites get $SITE_ID. MCP: get_static_site.

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Deploy a Nuxt application

At a glance

Environment variables

Before you begin

Create the project

Prepare the project for Sevalla

Deploy to Sevalla

Verify the deployment

Deploy changes

Use environment variables

Deploy with a Dockerfile

Deploy a generated static site

Add a custom domain

Connect a database

Deploy with the API

Deploy the application with the API

Build from the Dockerfile with the API

Deploy the generated static site with the API

​At a glance

​Environment variables

​Before you begin

​Create the project

​Prepare the project for Sevalla

​Deploy to Sevalla

​Verify the deployment

​Deploy changes

​Use environment variables

​Deploy with a Dockerfile

​Deploy a generated static site

​Add a custom domain

​Connect a database

​Deploy with the API

​Deploy the application with the API

​Build from the Dockerfile with the API

​Deploy the generated static site with the API

At a glance

Environment variables

Before you begin

Create the project

Prepare the project for Sevalla

Deploy to Sevalla

Verify the deployment

Deploy changes

Use environment variables

Deploy with a Dockerfile

Deploy a generated static site

Add a custom domain

Connect a database

Deploy with the API

Deploy the application with the API

Build from the Dockerfile with the API

Deploy the generated static site with the API