Static Sites and Workers

Static sites and workers are both source or Docker image services with a different runtime shape than a normal web app.

Static Sites

A static site is a web service with a Static output directory. Aeroplane builds the source service, creates an image, copies the static output directory from that image into DATA_DIR/static-sites/{serviceId}, and serves the files through Caddy.

Set Static output to the directory created by your build, for example:

• dist
• build
• .output/public
• apps/web/dist

If the folder does not contain index.html, Aeroplane treats it as a failed static deployment. That usually means the app is server-rendered or the output directory is wrong.

Static Output Detection

Leave Static output blank when the app should run as a server. Set it only when the deployment should serve files directly.

For custom commands, Aeroplane expects the static output path to match the output inside the built image. For auto-detected builds, use the framework’s output folder.

Workers

Workers run background processes without public traffic. Use workers for queues, schedulers, job processors, event consumers, or any process that should stay alive but not listen behind Caddy.

Worker services:

• Do not need an internal port.
• Do not receive generated public web routes.
• Are considered healthy when the container stays running.
• Still have deployments, runtime logs, environment variables, and settings.

Choosing the Right Mode

Use web when users, APIs, or webhooks need to reach the service.

Use worker when the process should run privately in the background.

Use web plus Static output when the result is static files, not a long-running server process.