Services are the building blocks of your application. They represent running workloads that handle requests, process data, serve web pages, or perform background jobs.
What is a Service?
A service is a running instance of your application code:
- Execution Environment - Where your code runs
- Configurable Resources - CPU, memory, and replicas
- Network Accessible - Public (HTTPS/TCP) or private (service discovery)
- Stateless - Use volumes for persistent storage
Suga supports two types: Containers and Functions.
Containers vs. Functions
| Feature | Container | Function |
|---|
| Runtime | Any (Docker) | Deno only |
| Language | Any | TypeScript/JavaScript |
| Configuration | Image + tag | Code in editor |
| Setup | Docker build externally | Write code directly |
| AI Assistance | No | Yes (Pro) |
| Flexibility | High | Simple and fast |
| Best For | Full applications, databases | APIs, webhooks, prototypes |
Containers
Containers run Docker images from any registry. They provide maximum flexibility for existing applications in any language or framework.
Container Configuration
Image - The Docker image to run:
[registry/]repository:tag
nginx:alpine - Official Nginx from Docker Hubpostgres:16-alpine - PostgreSQL 16ghcr.io/username/myapp:v1.0.0 - GitHub Container Registry
Command (Optional) - Override the container’s default entrypoint.
Ports - Which ports your application listens on inside the container.
Creating a Container
Add Container
Add a blank container or use a template on the canvas.
Configure Image
Set display name, image repository, and tag.
Set Port
If your app listens on a port, specify it. Enable HTTPS or TCP proxy for public access.
Add Environment Variables
Database URLs, API keys (mark as Sensitive), feature flags.
Set Resources
Allocate CPU and memory. Start with defaults (0.25 CPU, 512 MiB).
Deploy
Click “Deploy” to provision the container.
Supported Registries
Public (no credentials):
- Docker Hub:
nginx, postgres, redis
- GitHub Container Registry:
ghcr.io/username/image
- Quay.io:
quay.io/organization/image
Private (with credentials):
- Docker Hub, GHCR, GCR, ECR, ACR, self-hosted
Configure credentials in the Image Configuration section. See Private Registries for setup.
Suga runs on Linux AMD64. If building on Apple Silicon, use --platform linux/amd64.
Always Pull Latest
For active development with the same tag, force fresh pulls:
- Select container → Config tab → Image section
- Check “Always pull image”
- Deploy
Docker Compose Import
Import existing Docker Compose files:
- Right-click canvas → “Import Compose”
- Paste YAML or upload file
- Review parsed services
- Import to canvas
Supported: Services, images, env vars, ports, named volumes, resource limits.
Not supported: Build contexts (use pre-built images), bind mounts, health checks.
Functions
Functions run Deno code. Write TypeScript/JavaScript directly in the dashboard instead of building Docker images.
How Functions Work
Functions start an HTTP server on a configured port. Configuration (env vars, resources, networking, replicas) is identical to containers, but you write code in the Code tab instead of specifying an image.
Default Template
New functions use this Hono-based template:
import { Hono } from "npm:hono@^4";
import { serve } from "https://deno.land/[email protected]/http/server.ts";
const app = new Hono();
app.get("/", (c) => {
return c.json({ message: "Hello from Deno function!" });
});
const port = parseInt(Deno.env.get("PORT") || "8080");
console.log(`Server running on port ${port}`);
serve(app.fetch, { port });
Code Editor
Select function → Code tab → write code → Deploy.
The editor supports TypeScript syntax highlighting and basic completion.
Imports
// npm packages
import { Hono } from "npm:hono@^4";
// Deno standard library
import { serve } from "https://deno.land/[email protected]/http/server.ts";
// Third-party modules
import { Client } from "https://deno.land/x/[email protected]/mod.ts";
Environment Variables
const dbUrl = Deno.env.get("DATABASE_URL");
const apiKey = Deno.env.get("API_KEY");
AI Assistant (Pro)
Pro plan includes the Vibe AI assistant in the code editor (500,000 tokens/month). It can help you write code, debug issues, and explain concepts.
Common Configuration
Both containers and functions share these configuration options:
Resources
Resource limits depend on your plan:
| Resource | Hobby | Pro | Enterprise |
|---|
| Max CPU | 0.25 cores | 4 cores | Unlimited |
| Max Memory | 512 MiB | 8 GiB | Unlimited |
| Max Pods | 3 | 20 | Unlimited |
Networking
Private - Services in the same environment communicate via service names:
http://api:3000
postgres:5432
Environment Variables
Key-value configuration for your services:
- Database connection strings
- API keys and secrets (mark as Sensitive)
- Feature flags and settings
Volumes
Persistent storage that survives restarts and redeployments:
- Mount paths inside the container
- Size limits vary by plan
- Single-mount only (one service per volume)
See Storage Reference for details.
Service Templates
Templates provide pre-configured services for common use cases:
- PostgreSQL - Database with volume and default credentials
- Redis - Cache with persistence options
- MariaDB - MySQL-compatible database
Templates auto-generate secure passwords and configure networking. 
