# Quickstart: deploy a GitHub repo to a VPS in 5 steps

Deploy a GitHub repo to a fresh Ubuntu VPS in five steps: sign in, add the server with one command, add the repo, review the plan, and deploy it live.

To deploy a GitHub repo to your own VPS with ox, sign in with GitHub, run the Add server command on a fresh Ubuntu LTS server, pick the repository, check the plan ox detected, and press Deploy. ox builds the app on the server, starts it as a systemd service behind Caddy, and moves traffic once the health check passes. Most repos need no config file.

## Before you start

You need a GitHub account, a repository with an app in it, and a fresh Ubuntu LTS server you can reach as root over SSH, with at least 1 GB of memory, 10 GB of free disk, and ports 80 and 443 free. ox installs everything else.

## 1. Sign in with GitHub

Open [the sign-in page](https://deploywithox.com/login) and press **Continue with GitHub**. ox asks only for what it needs to read your repositories and get push events.

## 2. Add a server

In the console press **Add a server**. It shows one command with a fresh token in it. Run it on the server as root.

On the server, as root:

```sh
curl -fsSL https://deploywithox.com/install/<token> | sudo bash
```

The token works once and expires, so copy the command from the console each time. The script installs the ox agent and Caddy, then the server shows up in the console.

## 3. Add the repository as a project

Press **New project**, pick the server, pick the repository, and press **Continue**. From a terminal, `ox new <owner/repo> --server <server>` does the same.

## 4. Review the plan

The **What ox will run** card shows the start command, build steps, services and variables ox detected from the repo. Answer what it still needs, such as a `SECRET_KEY`, and add an [ox.toml](https://deploywithox.com/docs/config) only for what detection got wrong. The [framework guides](https://deploywithox.com/docs/guides) show a complete one for Django, Next.js, FastAPI, Node, Laravel and static sites, and [Variables](https://deploywithox.com/docs/operate/variables#set) explains how to set a secret.

Check the repo before the first deploy:

```sh
ox check                     # offline: validate ox.toml, show the plan and missing variables
ox review <project>          # what the first deploy still needs
```

## 5. Deploy and follow the log

Press **Deploy**, or run the command below. The run's log streams as it builds, migrates, starts the new release and switches traffic once the health check passes.

Deploy from a terminal:

```sh
curl -fsSL https://deploywithox.com/install.sh | sh
ox login
ox deploy <project> --wait   # stream the run, exit with its result
ox logs <project> --follow   # the app's logs
```

If the run fails, the log names the step and the fix. [Troubleshooting](https://deploywithox.com/docs/troubleshooting) covers the common ones.

## Next steps after your first deploy

- [Add a custom domain with HTTPS](https://deploywithox.com/docs/operate/domains): create one A record and Caddy gets the certificate.
- [Read your app's logs](https://deploywithox.com/docs/operate/logs) live, or search them.
- [Roll back a deploy](https://deploywithox.com/docs/operate/rollback) that went wrong, without a rebuild.
- [See your daily backups](https://deploywithox.com/docs/operate/backups) and add an S3 bucket.
- [Use the CLI](https://deploywithox.com/docs/cli) for everything the dashboard does.

The [Operate](https://deploywithox.com/docs/operate) section covers the rest of running your app day to day.

Last updated 2026-10-08. The page as HTML: https://deploywithox.com/docs/quickstart