Getting Started with HowToDeploy

Deploying open-source software shouldn't require a weekend of reading documentation, wrestling with SSH keys, and debugging shell scripts. HowToDeploy makes it as simple as picking an app, connecting your cloud account, and clicking a button.

How it works

The entire process takes under 5 minutes:

1. Sign in — use GitHub or Google, no forms to fill out
2. Connect a cloud provider — paste your API key from DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Vultr, Linode, or AWS
3. Pick an app — browse the catalog and choose what you want to deploy
4. Click Deploy — we handle provisioning, installation, and configuration

Behind the scenes, our AI generates a custom provisioning script tailored to your exact configuration. No static shell scripts, no manual troubleshooting.

Bring Your Own Cloud

Unlike traditional PaaS platforms, HowToDeploy doesn't run your apps on shared infrastructure. Every deployment goes into your own cloud account, on a server you control.

This means:

• No vendor lock-in — your server, your data, your rules
• Full SSH access — you can always log in and inspect your server
• Transparent pricing — you pay your cloud provider directly at their standard rates

What can you deploy?

Our initial catalog includes AI agent frameworks and popular open-source apps:

AI Agents

• Nanoclaw — lightweight Claude agent with WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and Slack integration
• Openclaw — local-first AI assistant gateway with 10+ messaging channels
• Zeroclaw — Rust-based agentic runtime that runs on just 5MB of RAM
• Tinyclaw — multi-agent framework with a web dashboard
• Picoclaw — ultra-lightweight Go agent that boots in under 1 second

Apps

• Ghost CMS — headless CMS and blogging platform
• Chatwoot — customer support and live chat
• Medusa — open-source commerce platform
• Fuma Docs — documentation site generator

What's next?

Ready to deploy your first app? Sign up for free and get started with a 7-day trial — no credit card required.