# Hosting and DevOps from One Team: Coolify, GitLab and hostflex.de

How the right hosting, Coolify and self-run GitLab servers with build pipelines make websites and web apps go live reliably and predictably.

by Alexander Herling Published 28 October 2026 5 min read

![Abstract illustration: three stacked white servers with a branching line of nodes leading to a dark blue container, in front of soft clouds](https://degoya.digital/blog/hosting-devops.svg)

A website is not finished at launch. It needs a server that suits it, updates that arrive reliably and a way to put changes live without risk. This is often where things get stuck: the agency develops, a hosting company runs the server, and in between files are uploaded by FTP. Here is how hosting and DevOps work together when they come from one team, and the role our hosting service hostflex.de, the Coolify platform and our own GitLab servers play in it.

## Why hosting and development belong together

Whoever builds a website knows its requirements best: which PHP or Node version it needs, how much load a release will bring, which data has to be backed up. When development and operations sit with different partners, this knowledge easily gets lost. Many teams know the result: updates that behave differently on the server than locally, errors nobody feels responsible for, and deployments only one person knows how to do.

With both in one team, the environment becomes part of the project. Servers, configuration and delivery are documented, repeatable and planned just like the code itself.

## hostflex.de: hosting that fits the project

With hostflex.de we run our own hosting service. Instead of a one-size-fits-all package, we choose the environment based on what a project actually needs:

| Project                                         | Suitable environment                                        |
| ----------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| Static website, for example generated with Nuxt | Lean web server with caching, little maintenance            |
| Website or shop with a CMS and PHP              | Web server with the right PHP version, database and backups |
| Web app with its own back end                   | Cloud server with containers, managed through Coolify       |
| Business communication                          | Mailboxes and DNS, managed in one place                     |

Because we run the servers ourselves, we can set up configuration, security headers or redirects exactly the way the website expects them, without a support ticket at a third party.

## Coolify: platform convenience on your own servers

Platforms like Vercel or Netlify have shown how pleasant deployments can be: push code to the repository, wait a moment, done. Coolify brings this convenience to servers you choose yourself. The open-source platform manages applications, databases and services in Docker containers and offers, among other things:

- **Deployments from Git:** Coolify pulls the code from the repository, builds it with a Dockerfile, Docker Compose or automatic detection and starts the new version.
- **SSL certificates:** Let's Encrypt certificates are issued and renewed automatically.
- **Databases:** PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis and more can be set up in a few clicks, including scheduled backups to S3-compatible storage.
- **Multiple servers:** Coolify controls several servers over SSH, so projects can be spread out as needed.

The advantage over the big cloud platforms: you know where your data lives, and costs do not depend on requests or build minutes. The price is that someone has to run the servers. That part is our job.

## Our own GitLab servers: code and pipelines under control

The source code of our projects lives on GitLab servers we run ourselves. GitLab combines version control, code review through merge requests, a container registry and CI/CD in one system. A project's pipeline is described in a file in the repository, the `.gitlab-ci.yml`, and runs on our own runners.

This has several advantages:

- **Data ownership:** code, deployment credentials and build artifacts stay on infrastructure we control.
- **Clear access:** who may see, change or deploy which project is managed in one place.
- **No minute quotas:** our own runners build and test as often as needed without running out of pipeline minutes.
- **Traceability:** every change is linked to its merge request, pipeline run and deployment.

## One pipeline from commit to live

A typical flow, as we set it up for client projects:

1. **Merge request:** a change is developed in its own branch and submitted for review.
2. **Build:** the pipeline builds front end and back end, as a Docker image for container projects.
3. **Tests:** linting, type checks and automated tests run on every change, plus accessibility and browser tests where needed.
4. **Staging:** the new version is deployed to a staging environment and signed off together.
5. **Live:** after approval, exactly the version tested on staging goes live.
6. **Rollback:** if something still turns up after going live, the previous version is back in no time.

When several teams work in parallel, a mock API helps: it returns the responses of an interface that is still being built. Front-end work can start before the back end is finished, and the pipeline tests against realistic data from day one.

## In practice

For the sneaker platform [deadstock](https://degoya.digital/en/work/deadstock), besides the move away from WordPress, we built the complete hosting setup and the build pipelines, and we run the servers including tracking. For [netbid](https://degoya.digital/en/work/netbid) we built the Docker containers for front end and back end and a mock API for parallel development, and we advise the team on hosting, web infrastructure and security.

## Checklist for hosting and operations

- Is it documented which server the website runs on and who has access?
- Are updates for the system, runtime and CMS applied regularly?
- Are there backups, and has restoring one ever been tested?
- Does every deployment run automatically and the same way, rather than by hand?
- Is there a staging environment where changes are checked before going live?
- Can a faulty version be rolled back quickly?
- Is there a data processing agreement with the hosting provider?

## The takeaway

Good hosting goes unnoticed, and that is the point: the website runs, changes arrive safely, and when problems occur it is clear who takes care of them. When development, servers and pipeline come from one team, operations become predictable. Find out more about our [hosting & servers](https://degoya.digital/en/services/hosting) and [DevOps & GitLab](https://degoya.digital/en/services/devops) services, or [get in touch](https://degoya.digital/en/contact).

## Frequently asked questions

Does a small website need a build pipeline?

A simple pipeline pays off even for small projects: it builds the site the same way every time, checks it automatically and deploys it at the push of a button. The effort is small, and mistakes from manual uploads disappear.

Is Coolify an alternative to Vercel or Netlify?

For many projects, yes. Coolify offers similar convenience, such as deployments straight from the Git repository and automatic SSL certificates, but runs on servers you choose. In return, someone has to run and maintain those servers.

Can I keep my existing hosting?

Yes. Pipelines and deployments can be set up for existing hosting as well. Moving is mainly worth it when the current environment no longer fits the load, the technology or the security requirements.

## About the author: Alexander Herling

Founder and owner of DEGOYA.digital. A deep affinity for technology since early childhood and his first contact with 8-bit computers make him a digital native from day one. The command line is his friend. 35 years of experience in marketing and web development, specialising in SEO techniques.

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Source: https://degoya.digital/en/blog/hosting-devops-coolify-gitlab