# Migrate from Coolify to fortrabbit

Source: https://www.fortrabbit.com/migrate/from-coolify
Published: 2026-10-31
Updated: 2026-10-31


## Migrate from Coolify with a coding agent

Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other coding agents can run this migration. Paste this prompt into the agent, in the project folder:



```txt
Read https://www.fortrabbit.com/agents.md and set up fortrabbit. Then move this site from Coolify to fortrabbit, following https://www.fortrabbit.com/raw/migrate/from-coolify.md
```

Sign-in happens in the browser, see [agent setup](/agents). The agent needs SSH access to the server Coolify deploys to, for the database dump and the volumes. The steps below are what the agent follows, and what to do by hand without one. The agent changes nothing on the old host: a person deletes the old setup once the site runs on fortrabbit.

## Coolify resources and where they go

| On Coolify | On fortrabbit |
| -- | -- |
| Git repository of the application | Same repository, deployed by the [GitHub integration](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/platform/deployment/github-app) |
| Environment Variables tab | [Environment variables](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/platform/settings/env-vars) |
| Nixpacks, Railpack or Dockerfile build | [Build commands](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/platform/deployment/build-commands) and [post-deploy commands](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/platform/deployment/post-deploy-commands) |
| Configuration → Scheduled Tasks | [Cron jobs](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/platform/jobs/crons) |
| Worker containers or processes | [Workers](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/platform/jobs/workers) |
| MySQL or MariaDB database resource | MySQL component |
| Persistent storage volumes | Storage component, files copied with rsync |

## 1. Create the app

Create an app in the dashboard with the software template matching the framework. Its default domain works with HTTPS right away, so the whole move can be tested before DNS changes. Lower the TTL of the domain's DNS records now, see [migrate to fortrabbit](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/dev/how-to/migrate-to-fortrabbit).

## 2. Copy the settings

- Open the Environment Variables tab of the application and switch to Developer view: it shows all variables in `.env` format. Copy every value except the database credentials and the app URL into the environment variables of the fortrabbit environment.
- Read the build: the commands of the Dockerfile or the build pack, such as `composer install` and `npm run build`, go into the build commands. Migrations and cache commands go into the post-deploy commands. fortrabbit builds without Docker.
- Open Configuration → Scheduled Tasks. Each task becomes one cron job, such as `php artisan schedule:run` every minute.
- Each queue worker, as a separate container or a process inside one, becomes a worker.

fortrabbit has no Redis. A Laravel app sets the queue, cache and session drivers to `database` or `file`, see [Laravel queues and scheduler](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/guides/laravel/queues-scheduler).

## 3. Deploy the code

Connect the same GitHub repository to the environment and push. The first deployment runs the build commands.

## 4. Move the database

Dump the database container over SSH on the Coolify server, or through its public port when one is enabled:



```shell
docker exec <container> mysqldump -u <user> -p<password> <database> > dump.sql
```

Through the public port:



```shell
mysqldump -h <server-ip> -P <public-port> -u <user> -p <database> > dump.sql
```

On MariaDB 11 or later, the command is `mariadb-dump`.

A recent scheduled backup from Coolify works too. Import the dump into the MySQL component as described under [MySQL export and import](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/platform/mysql/export-import). A PostgreSQL or MongoDB database needs converting to MySQL first, since fortrabbit runs MySQL only.

## 5. Copy the uploads

Uploads sit in a persistent storage volume of the application. Copy them out of the container with `docker cp` on the server, or from the bind mount path, then push them to the environment with [rsync](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/dev/how-to/rsync).

## 6. Switch the DNS

Test the app on its default domain, add the custom domain to the environment and point the records at the domain provider to fortrabbit, see [external domain setup](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/platform/domains/external-domain-setup). Coolify creates DNS records only with a connected Cloudflare token: change those records in Cloudflare.

## What stays on Coolify

- Docker Compose stacks with several services, and services like Redis, Meilisearch or Postgres next to the app.
- Proxy rules for Traefik or Caddy. fortrabbit runs Apache, so rewrites move into [.htaccess](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/dev/htaccess/redirects).

Once the app runs on fortrabbit, delete the resource in Coolify, and the server when no other resource runs on it.

---

- [Migrate to fortrabbit](/dev/how-to/migrate-to-fortrabbit)
- [Coolify alternative](/alternatives/coolify)