Apps
Everything you deploy lives in a project. This page covers what you can configure and how you run, pause, and observe your apps from the dashboard. For how to create and manage projects themselves, see Projects.
Two ways to deploy
- Apps — Deploy your own service from a container image (e.g. your API, frontend, worker). You set the image, how many instances, variables, CPU/memory, plus optional auto-scale or helpers. Ideal for services you build.
- Managed services — Add a database, cache, or tool (e.g. PostgreSQL, Redis, Grafana) from Kaja's curated catalog. Kaja installs and maintains it for you — no charts to wrangle. See Managed services.
Apps live in your project; your apps connect to managed services running on the same cluster. Each app has a unique name within its project.
Apps (from images)
What is an app?
An app is your service, deployed from a container image with your settings: how many instances, which variables, how much CPU/memory, health checks, and optional auto-scale or helper containers. You create it in a project; Kaja deploys it to the right cluster and keeps status, logs, and metrics in one place.
Creating an app
- Open a cluster and a project in Kaja.
- Go to Apps in that project and create a new one.
- Set a name, an image (e.g.
myreg.io/myapp:v1), and how many instances you want. - Optionally add variables, CPU/memory limits, ports, health checks (liveness and readiness), auto-scale (min/max instances based on load), helpers (extra containers alongside your app), and private registry credentials if your image is private.
- Submit. Kaja deploys the app; you see status, instances, and can view Logs and Metrics.
Key features
| Feature | What you get |
|---|---|
| Image & scale | Run any container image; set instance count or let auto-scale manage it. |
| Variables | Set variables per app; reference secrets and config. |
| CPU & memory | Set CPU and memory limits so the cluster schedules and caps your app. |
| Health checks | Liveness (is the process alive?), readiness (is it ready for traffic?), optional startup check. Kaja uses these to know when to send traffic and when to restart. |
| Auto-scale | Min/max instances and a target (e.g. CPU %). The cluster scales your app based on load. |
| Helpers | Add extra containers alongside your app (e.g. proxy, log shipper). Same lifecycle as your main app. |
| Pause | Scale to zero when you're not using the app — saves cost without deleting. Resume when you need it. |
| Revisions | Each update creates a revision; view history and roll back when needed. |
| Logs & metrics | Live logs and per-instance CPU/memory in the dashboard. See Logs & metrics. |
Updating and rolling out
Change the image, instances, variables, or any other setting and save. Kaja rolls out the change. You see status and instance states; if something fails, you can fix and redeploy from the same place. Revisions help you track what was deployed when.
Status and health
The app detail view shows overall status (Running, Deploying, Paused, Error), the number of running instances, and any messages that explain what's happening. So you can debug without leaving Kaja.
Managed services
Beyond your own apps, most projects need a database, a cache, or a dashboard. Instead of writing charts, you add these from Kaja's curated catalog of managed services — Kaja installs and maintains each one, and your apps connect to it.
- Add from the catalog — Pick a service (e.g. PostgreSQL, Redis, Grafana), give it a name, and add it. Sensible defaults are filled in for you.
- Status & logs in one place — See whether a service is healthy and open its logs, just like your apps.
- Connect from your apps — Use the service's in-cluster address, with credentials kept in secrets.
- Advanced — Power users can still tune the underlying Helm values when they need to.
For the catalog and the full workflow, see Managed services.
When to use an app vs a managed service
- Use an app when deploying your own service (API, frontend, worker) and you want control over instances, variables, health checks, and auto-scale.
- Use a managed service for off-the-shelf infrastructure (database, cache, tooling) you want Kaja to install and maintain.
One place for everything you run — your apps and the services they depend on. For projects (where your apps run), see Projects. For the service catalog, see Managed services. For logs and metrics, see Logs & metrics.
Next steps
- Projects — Where your apps run; spin up and pause projects.
- Managed services — Add databases, caches, and tools from the catalog.
- Logs & metrics — View logs and metrics for your apps.