The words the console and these guides use, in plain language. Each entry links to the guide that goes deeper.
Your app#
App#
An app is one website, API or service you run on Nimbus Land, built from one repository or folder. Its name gives it its address, https://<name>.nimbusapps.ca, and app names are unique across Nimbus Land. Each app has its own pages in the console, such as Overview, Resources, Deployments and Monitoring. See Apps.
Environment#
Every app has a production environment: the one at its main address. You can add others to try changes before they reach production: a preview for each pull request, or one you create yourself, such as staging, from the Environments card on the Deployments tab. Each environment runs your code with its own secrets and its own empty copy of any managed database, so nothing it does touches production's data. See Secret environment variables.
Deploy plan#
Before anything builds, Nimbus Land reads your code and tells you what will run and whether the deploy will work. The plan gives one verdict: Ready, Check this (notes that never block) or Blocked (a certain failure, refused before anything is created). The deploy wizard, nimbus detect and nimbus deploy all use it. See The deploy plan.
Build#
A build turns your source code into something ready to run: Nimbus Land installs your dependencies, compiles what needs compiling and packages the result. A build starts each time you deploy, whether from the console, with nimbus deploy or by pushing to GitHub. Its output, the build log, is on the build's page in the console, or run nimbus logs --build. See How your stack is chosen.
Release#
A release is one version of your app going live: a build together with the app's settings at that moment. Each deploy creates a release, and so does a change that restarts the app, such as saving a secret. The Deployments tab lists releases and builds newest first. To go back, choose Deploy on the Overview and pick an earlier version: it goes live again from its existing build, without rebuilding.
Running it#
Instance#
An instance is one running copy of your app. Web traffic is shared between instances, so more instances can handle more visitors. Set how many run, and the Instance size of each, on the Resources tab: Web App, then Edit. The Monitoring tab lists each one under Instances.
Release command#
A release command runs before each new release goes live, inside your built app with the same settings. Database migrations belong here, such as php artisan migrate --force or python manage.py migrate. The deploy wizard suggests one for common frameworks, and you can change it later on the Deployments tab, in the On every deploy row. If it fails, the release fails and the console shows its exit code. See Release command.
Background worker#
A background worker runs alongside your web app without serving web pages: a queue worker or a scheduler, for example. It runs from the same build, with the same environment variables. Add one with Add worker in Background workers on the Resources tab, giving it a Name, a Start command and a number of Instances. See Commands, workers and one-off runs.
One-off command#
A one-off command runs once against your deployed app and then ends, for a migration, a data fix or a console session. Use nimbus run -- <command>, or Run a command on the Monitoring tab. It runs inside your built app with the app's environment variables, and it doesn't count as an instance.
What it uses#
Environment variable#
Environment variables hold settings your app reads when it runs, such as API_URL or STRIPE_KEY. Set them on the Resources tab under Environment Variables, or with nimbus env set. A plain variable's value stays visible, and plain variables also reach the build. A secret variable is write-only: your app reads it like any other, but nobody can read it back, and it never reaches a build unless the deploy passes it. Use secrets for passwords, tokens and API keys. See Secret environment variables and Environment variables.
Dependency#
A dependency is something your app relies on: a managed database, a bucket, a volume, AI access or another of your apps. They're listed on the Resources tab, where Add dependency adds one. Adding a dependency gives your app its connection details as environment variables, such as DATABASE_URL, and Nimbus Land keeps those values current. See App dependencies.
Volume#
A volume is disk storage that keeps its files across restarts and deploys. Anything else your app writes to its own disk is lost when a new release starts. Add one with Add dependency → Volume on the Resources tab, mounted at a folder such as /data. Volumes are mounted in production only. See Volumes.
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