Quickstart

There are three ways to ship your first app. Pick the one that fits how you work. They all end in the same place: an app running on Cloud Run in your Google Cloud project, with a URL.

Before you start

• You need a workspace with an active subscription. Without one, you can't create apps or deploy. See Billing.
• The workspace must be connected to a Google Cloud project. An owner does this once. See Connect Google Cloud.
• Your code must be in a Git repo. With the CLI, the repo needs a remote called origin.
• To deploy private GitHub repos, connect the Elula GitHub App. The dashboard asks you to, or run elula github connect.

Option 1: Ask your AI coding agent

Open Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or another coding agent in your project folder and paste this prompt:

Deploy this to Elula. Install the CLI with `curl -fsSL https://elula.com/install | bash`, run `elula login`, then `elula init` and `elula deploy --no-wait`. A deploy takes a few minutes: run `elula status --wait 60` until it says Live, and tell me which step it's on each time. If anything is unclear, run `elula docs` first. Give me the live URL when it's done.

The agent installs the CLI and runs the commands. A browser window opens once so you can sign in with Google. When the build finishes, the agent gives you the URL.

See Use Elula with your AI for a longer prompt and tips.

Option 2: Use the CLI

Step 1. Install the CLI:

curl -fsSL https://elula.com/install | bash

Step 2. Sign in. A browser window opens for Google sign-in:

elula login

Step 3. In your project folder, create the app:

cd my-app
elula init

elula init reads the Git remote and current branch, detects monorepos, creates the app in your active workspace, and saves the link in a .elula.json file. Add options as needed:

elula init --name my-app          # pick the app name
elula init --database             # add a managed Postgres database
elula init --type job             # a batch job instead of a web service
elula init --access public        # anyone with the link can open it

Step 4. Deploy. A first deploy usually takes 3–6 minutes. The CLI shows each step with the time so far, and the build log in between:

elula deploy

Deploying my-app. First deploys usually take 3–6 minutes.
[1/4] Queued  0:02
[2/4] Building the image  0:09
[3/4] Updating Cloud Run  3:02
[4/4] Live  3:48
Deploy successful! (3:48)

To start a deploy and check on it later, run elula deploy --no-wait, then elula status --wait 60.

Step 5. Check the status and open the app:

elula status
elula open

See Install the CLI and the Command reference for details.

Option 3: Use the dashboard

1. Sign in to the Elula web app.
2. Go to Apps and click New app.
3. Choose Import a repo (pick a GitHub repository, or paste a public repo URL) or Start from a template (a working starter app, if your workspace has templates).
4. Check the detected settings: branch, framework, root directory and port. Add environment variables if the app needs them.
5. Choose access (private or public) if you're allowed to, and leave Auto-deploy on push on if you want every push to deploy.
6. Under Advanced / optional, turn on Provision a PostgreSQL database if the app needs one, and pick a region.
7. Click Create app.
8. On the app page, click Send first deployment (or Deploy).

The app page shows the build, then the URL once the deploy succeeds.

What's next

• Add settings and secrets: Environment variables and secrets
• Control who can open the app: Private and public apps
• Watch it run: Logs and metrics
• Undo a bad deploy: Deployments and rollbacks