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Adding Applications

Before we start, there are a couple of terms that you need to get familiar with:

  • Docker application, meant to be used for Docker Compose and Docker Swarm applications, and expecting a Compose file as the deployment recipe, and
  • Kubernetes application, meant to be used for Kubernetes applications, and expecting a Manifest as the deployment recipe.

It all starts in the Apps page.

app-store

First navigate to the “Navigate Apps” tab.

app-store

Projects

If you don’t have any projects, then you’ll need to create one. Projects are used to contain and organise apps.

  1. expand the “All projects” tab, and click “+add”

    add-project

  2. click on “Project” and choose a Name and Description for it. The description can be defined using markdown, which provides you with a great way to document your projects and apps using text, images, etc. Then save.

    create-project

Once inside your project, you’ll see the button “+add”.

  1. Navigate to your project and click on “+add”

    project-page

    add-app

Applications

From the previous “add app” modal, select “Application”.

This will take you to the Application editing page.

For most fields, you’ll find help text to help you configure you Application properly.

edit-app

Quick explanation of most relevant Component fields:

  • Private registries: in case your Docker image is located in a private registry, make sure you select it here
  • URLs: URLs to help you access the Component after it has been launched, remotely. These URLs can contain variables that are dynamically substituted once your deployment has been started. Things like:
    • ${hostname} for getting the endpoint where your Component has been started
    • ${portProtocol.containerPort} for getting the published destination port corresponding to your port mapping
    • ${envVar} for getting any environment you might have defined above
    • ${outputParameter} to map to any of the available output parameters that are dynamically filled it after launching your Component
  • Output Parameters: allows you to add custom output parameters that your container can push back to Nuvla, and thus be used as any other deployment output parameter, like the ones used in your URL above
  • Data Binding: to bind your Component to a Data set. See Managing Data for more info.
  • Files: you can create secrets and configuration files to be used by the containers in your application. This is where you defined those. Make sure the file name matches the one referenced from within the Compose file/Manifest
  • Environment Variables: same as for setting environment variables for a Docker container, here you can define environment variable to be passed to your container. In addition, you can also define a default value and tell whether the variable is mandatory for launching the Component. When launching the Component, you’ll also be able to edit this. However, these variables can also be used from within your Compose file/Manifest. Example: if you define a new env var called myVar, you can use it in you Compose file like this:

     environment:
       - ENV_FROM_NUVLA=$myVar
    
  • Kubernetes manifest: the raw Kubernetes manifest representing your application resources
  • Docker compose: the raw YAML Compose file representing your Docker application resources

Docker subtype compatibility: Docker Compose vs Swarm?

Nuvla allows you to launch Docker applications both as native Docker Compose projects or Docker Swarm stacks.

Depending on your Compose file, Nuvla will automatically infer whether any of your containers requires Docker Compose-specific options or not.

This is how it works…does your application:

  • have Swarm-specific options (like deploy)? Then it will be launched as a Swarm stack

    comp-swarm

  • have Docker Compose-specific options (like devices)? Then it will be launched as a Docker Compose Project

    comp-dc

  • have both Docker Compose and Swarm-specific options? Then it will default to a Swarm stack, and the Docker Compose-specific options will ignored upon launch

    comp-both

  • do not have any Docker Compose or Swarm-specific option? Then it will be launched as a Swarm stack

    comp-dc

For more information about which options are Docker Compose and Swarm-specific, please consult the original Compose reference documentation.

Preparing the app for Marketplace publishing

To publish an app on the marketplace such that you can sell it, you will need to provide the following:

  1. End User License Agreement (EULA)
  2. Pricing

Once this information is provided, once your app is published, users will be able to purchase it.

NOTE: SixSq provides a generic app EULA. Fee free to use it if you do not have yet your own and if it fulfils your requirements.

NOTE: in order to be able to receive payments, you need to register as an app vendor. Please get in touch if you are a new app vendor.