Deploying to Render

Render can host a Leaf app on its free plan, deploying automatically from your git repository. Leaf CLI prepares everything Render needs; you connect the repository once and every push deploys.

Prerequisites

• A Render account
• Your app in a git repository on GitHub or GitLab

Prepare your app

From your app's root directory:

php leaf deploy --to render

This writes two things into your project:

• A production Dockerfile (shared with the Fly setup, it also builds your JavaScript assets)
• A render.yaml blueprint describing your service: docker runtime, free plan and a health check

Render picks its default region unless you choose one (oregon, virginia, ohio, frankfurt or singapore):

php leaf deploy --to render --region frankfurt

Commit and push them:

git add . && git commit -m "add render deployment files" && git push

Connect the repository

1. Open dashboard.render.com
2. Click New → Blueprint
3. Connect your repository

Render reads render.yaml and creates the service. From here on, every push to your default branch deploys automatically.

Production secrets

Your .env file is never uploaded. The CLI lists the keys your app needs in production; add them under your service's Environment tab in the Render dashboard. APP_ENV and APP_DEBUG are already set by the blueprint.

About the free plan

Free Render services sleep after 15 minutes without traffic and wake on the next request, which takes a few seconds. That's fine for side projects and demos; upgrade the plan in render.yaml when you need an always-on app.