Deploy a Docker Image on Varity

Varity Team Core Contributors Updated June 2026

If your app is already packaged as a Docker image, you can deploy it to Varity directly. No repository, no build step. Varity pulls the image and runs it.

This is also the path for languages Varity does not auto-detect yet (Rust, Ruby, Java, and others): package your app as a runnable HTTP service image and deploy it like any other container.

varitykit app deploy --image nginx:latest

Public and private Docker/OCI images are supported when the image starts a runnable HTTP service on the configured port.

Three Ways to Deploy an Image

Pass an image reference instead of a project directory:

varitykit app deploy --image ghcr.io/acme/my-api:1.4.2

If your app listens on a port other than the image’s default, set it explicitly:

varitykit app deploy --image ghcr.io/acme/my-api:1.4.2 --port 8080

For images in a private registry, supply credentials:

varitykit app deploy \
  --image registry.example.com/acme/my-api:1.4.2 \
  --image-registry registry.example.com \
  --image-username my-user \
  --image-password my-password

Open developer.store.varity.so/dashboard/deploy
Select the Docker image tab
Enter the image reference (for example ghcr.io/acme/my-api:1.4.2) and, optionally, the container port
For a private image, add the registry host, username, and password or secret value
Click deploy

If you have the Varity MCP server installed in Claude Code, Cursor, or another AI coding tool, the varity_deploy tool accepts an image parameter (plus optional port and image_credentials for private registries). Just ask:

“Deploy the Docker image ghcr.io/acme/my-api:1.4.2 on Varity”

Public vs. Private Registries

Public registries

Public images from Docker Hub, GHCR, and similar registries are supported from the CLI, MCP, and Developer Portal.

Private registries

Private images are supported in all three deploy paths:

CLI: pass --image-registry, --image-username, and --image-password
MCP: set image_credentials
Developer Portal: fill in the registry credential fields

What Happens After Deploy

Varity pulls your image and starts it on dynamic compute hosting
The deployment gets a name derived from the image (override with --name)
Image deploys run as dynamic apps, so your app is reachable at https://<name>.varity.app/ (https://varity.app/<name> redirects there)
Billing starts as one flat monthly cost for the reserved hardware. It does not change with traffic

Delete a Deployment

When you are done, delete the deployment to stop billing:

varitykit app delete <name>

You can also delete from the Developer Portal. Deleting an app stops its billing immediately.