# Openship Multi-Target Architecture: Unifying Cloud, Self-Hosted, and Desktop Deployments > Explore Openship's multi-target architecture for unified cloud, self-hosted, and desktop deployments. Streamline your workflow with a single TypeScript control-plane. - Repository: [oblien/openship](https://github.com/oblien/openship) - Tags: architecture - Published: 2026-08-19 --- **Openship's multi-target architecture unifies cloud, self-hosted, and desktop deployments under a single TypeScript control-plane that executes a five-stage pipeline—detect, build, run, route+secure, and push-to-deploy—regardless of your hosting target.** Openship is an open-source, self-hostable platform that bundles CI/CD, edge routing, and infrastructure automation into a monorepo structure. Its **multi-target architecture** enables the same control-plane to deploy applications from your local desktop, a private server, or the managed Openship Cloud without changing your workflow. ## The Five-Stage Deployment Pipeline Openship implements a **pipeline-driven model** that remains consistent across all deployment targets. The control-plane, written in TypeScript and packaged with Drizzle ORM and SQLite, orchestrates five distinct stages according to the repository source code: ### Detect In the detect stage, Openship reads [`package.json`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/package.json), framework configurations, lockfiles, or an [`openship.json`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/openship.json) manifest to infer the build stack, package manager, start command, and exposed port. This automated detection eliminates manual configuration for standard frameworks. ### Build The build stage compiles the application into either a Docker image (Compose mode) or a bare binary (bare mode). The resolved configuration is frozen into a snapshot for repeatable deployments, ensuring immutable infrastructure across cloud and self-hosted environments. ### Run During the run stage, Openship executes the artifact as either an isolated container bound to loopback or a supervised host process. This flexibility allows the same binary to run on a developer's desktop or in production without modification. ### Route and Secure An **OpenResty** edge instance defined in [`packages/adapters/src/infra/openresty-lua.ts`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/packages/adapters/src/infra/openresty-lua.ts) automatically provisions reverse-proxy vhosts and obtains Let's Encrypt certificates via HTTP-01 challenge. The Lua scripts handle TLS termination and routing only after the application is healthy, surfacing DNS or certificate issues as "action required" states without breaking active deployments. ### Push-to-Deploy The pipeline completes with automatic redeployment via GitHub webhooks. When code is pushed to a tracked branch, Openship rebuilds only changed services and re-executes the pipeline, enabling true CI/CD on self-hosted servers and cloud instances alike. ## Three Deployment Targets The control-plane adapts to three distinct shapes based on your operational requirements: ### Desktop Application For solo operators, Openship runs as a native desktop application with no public surface area. The control-plane lives on your laptop and drives remote servers over SSH. This configuration uses the Electron-based desktop client configured in [`apps/desktop/tsconfig.json`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/apps/desktop/tsconfig.json), providing real-time logs and one-click actions for private workflows. ### Self-Hosted Server For teams requiring always-on CI/CD, Openship runs as a background service on Linux via Docker Compose or bare mode. This shape exposes public URLs for the dashboard and webhook receiver, enabling push-to-deploy from GitHub. Installation instructions in [`docs/installation.md`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/docs/installation.md) cover both Docker Compose and bare-metal setups. ### Openship Cloud The zero-ops option provides a fully managed, auto-scaling instance hosted by the Openship team. This cloud target runs the same five-stage pipeline as self-hosted instances but requires no infrastructure management or manual updates. ## Unified Interfaces Regardless of deployment target, Openship exposes multiple interfaces that connect to the same backend: ### Desktop GUI The native desktop application provides real-time logs and one-click deployment actions. It connects to the same control-plane used by the web interface but operates entirely locally without exposing public endpoints. ### Web Dashboard Served from `apps/web/next.config.mjs`, the web dashboard offers identical functionality to the desktop client but runs in a browser. This interface is ideal for team collaboration on self-hosted or cloud instances. ### CLI and Programmatic APIs The [`apps/cli/package.json`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/apps/cli/package.json) defines scriptable commands for CI pipelines and automation tasks. Additionally, **MCP (Machine-Control-Protocol)** endpoints and a REST API expose functionality for programmatic integration, with permission checks enforced on every call according to the source in [`README.md`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/README.md). ## Extending the Architecture Because Openship is structured as a monorepo, every component can be swapped or extended: - **Docker Compose**: The raw stack in [`docker/docker-compose.yml`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/docker/docker-compose.yml) pulls ready-made images from `ghcr.io/oblien/*`, including Postgres, Redis, and the OpenResty edge. - **Database Schema**: Drizzle ORM configurations in [`packages/db/drizzle.config.ts`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/packages/db/drizzle.config.ts) manage migrations and schema definitions for the embedded control-plane database. - **Edge Routing**: Custom Lua scripts in [`packages/adapters/src/infra/openresty-lua.ts`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/packages/adapters/src/infra/openresty-lua.ts) power the reverse-proxy and TLS automation logic, allowing custom routing rules. ## Getting Started with Openship Install the CLI and deploy your first application: ```bash # Install the CLI globally curl -fsSL https://get.openship.io | sh # Initialize a project configuration openship init # Deploy (auto-detects stack, builds image, starts container) openship deploy # View live logs openship logs $(openship deployment list -q) -f ``` For a **self-hosted server** with public access: ```bash openship up --public-url https://ops.example.com --managed-edge ``` To run the raw **Docker Compose** stack without the CLI: ```bash git clone https://github.com/oblien/openship.git && cd openship cp .env.example .env docker compose --env-file .env -f docker/docker-compose.yml up -d ``` ## Summary - Openship's **multi-target architecture** unifies desktop, self-hosted, and cloud deployments through a single TypeScript control-plane. - The **five-stage pipeline** (detect → build → run → route+secure → push-to-deploy) remains consistent regardless of hosting target. - Three **deployment shapes** (desktop, self-hosted server, cloud) adapt to solo operators, teams, or zero-ops requirements. - Multiple **interfaces** (desktop GUI, web dashboard, CLI, REST API) provide flexibility without configuration drift. - Source files including [`docker/docker-compose.yml`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/docker/docker-compose.yml), [`packages/adapters/src/infra/openresty-lua.ts`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/packages/adapters/src/infra/openresty-lua.ts), and [`apps/cli/package.json`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/apps/cli/package.json) demonstrate the extensible monorepo structure. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What infrastructure services does Openship include? Openship bundles **Postgres**, **Redis**, mail delivery, backups, CDN capabilities, and an OpenResty edge for TLS termination and routing. These services are defined in [`docker/docker-compose.yml`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/docker/docker-compose.yml) and can be deployed as a complete stack or integrated with existing infrastructure. ### Can I use Openship without installing the desktop application? Yes. The **self-hosted server** and **Openship Cloud** targets provide web dashboards accessible via browser, while the **CLI** ([`apps/cli/package.json`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/apps/cli/package.json)) enables scriptable deployments from any terminal. The desktop application is optional and intended for solo developers managing private workflows. ### How does Openship handle TLS certificates on self-hosted servers? Openship uses an **OpenResty** edge instance ([`packages/adapters/src/infra/openresty-lua.ts`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/packages/adapters/src/infra/openresty-lua.ts)) to automatically provision Let's Encrypt certificates via HTTP-01 challenge. Routing and TLS termination occur only after the application passes health checks, preventing deployment failures from certificate issues. ### Is the database schema customizable in self-hosted deployments? Yes. Openship uses **Drizzle ORM** with SQLite for the control-plane database. Schema definitions live in [`packages/db/drizzle.config.ts`](https://github.com/oblien/openship/blob/main/packages/db/drizzle.config.ts) and can be extended or modified when building from source, though the default configuration requires no manual database setup.