Working Directory

What Is the Working Directory?

The working directory (set via -w flag) is where VPS Deployer stores all its data: the SQLite database, log files, reference configs, and project workspaces.

Directory Structure

After running vps-deployer config, your working directory looks like this:

/opt/vps-deployer/
├── vps-deployer.db            # SQLite database (all state)
├── caddy.config               # Generated reverse proxy reference config
├── nginx.config               # Generated reverse proxy reference config
├── vps-deployer.log           # Application log file
└── <project-id>/              # Per-project workspace
    ├── .env                   # Environment variables (from UI)
    └── ...                    # Cloned repository files

Per-Project Workspaces

Each project gets its own subdirectory named after its UUID. This is where:

The repository is cloned or pulled
The .env file is stored (managed through the UI)
Build commands execute (this is the working directory for all commands)

Database

The vps-deployer.db file is a SQLite database in WAL mode. It contains all state:

User accounts
Project configurations
Deployment history
Email settings
Command sequences
Environment variables

Log File

The vps-deployer.log file captures all application events with:

Timestamp (IST timezone)
Log level (INFO, WARN, ERROR)
Source component (SERVER, SYSTEM, DEPLOY, etc.)
Optional metadata (error messages, deployment IDs)

Reference Configs

The caddy.config and nginx.config files are reference only. They show you how to configure a reverse proxy but are not actively applied. Copy the relevant sections into your own proxy configuration.

Backup

To back up your working directory:

tar -czf vps-deployer-backup.tar.gz /opt/vps-deployer/

This captures the database, configs, and all project workspaces in one archive.