Configuration

Configure Slipway itself separately from the apps it deploys. Instance settings belong to the host; environment and app settings belong to the selected project target.

Server Configuration

Environment Variables

The installer persists server settings in /etc/slipway/.env. Prefer rerunning the installer with explicit environment overrides because it also keeps Docker bindings and active firewall rules consistent.

Variable	Description	Default
PORT	Internal Slipway application port	1337
NODE_ENV	Environment mode	production
SLIPWAY_URL	Public URL of your Slipway instance	Detected
SLIPWAY_INGRESS	public or cloudflare-tunnel	public
SLIPWAY_PROXY_HOST	Host interface for Caddy	Mode-dependent
SLIPWAY_DASHBOARD_HOST	Host interface for the dashboard port	127.0.0.1
SLIPWAY_APP_PORT_HOST	Host interface for allocated app ports	127.0.0.1
SESSION_SECRET	Session-signing secret	Generated
DATA_ENCRYPTION_KEY	Encryption key for stored credentials	Generated

Explicit direct app access

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sailscastshq/slipway/main/install.sh -o /tmp/install-slipway.sh
sudo env SLIPWAY_APP_PORT_HOST=0.0.0.0 bash /tmp/install-slipway.sh

Public boundary

0.0.0.0 means every server interface. It is an explicit opt-in, not a safer replacement for Caddy. Read Ingress and Firewall before opening the app port range at your VPS provider.

Dashboard and project settings

Open Settings for instance, team, developer, and operational configuration. Use Project Configuration for app Dockerfiles, health paths, resources, variables, and deployment sources.

project:update only changes project identity fields. There is no CLI global settings command, log-forwarding configuration command, or settings import/export interface.

App Configuration (config/slipway.js)

sails-hook-slipway is zero-config when deployed by Slipway. Create config/slipway.js only when the app needs identity or telemetry behavior overrides:

// config/slipway.js
module.exports.slipway = {
  bridge: {
    loginPath: '/login',
    identity: {
      model: 'user',
      sessionKey: 'userId',
      emailAttribute: 'email',
      nameAttribute: 'fullName',
      emailStatusAttribute: 'emailStatus',
      verifiedEmailStatuses: ['verified', 'confirmed']
    }
  },

  lookout: {
    enabled: true,
    captureQueries: true,
    captureExceptions: true,
    slowQueryThreshold: 100
  }
}

Enable the app-local /bridge route from the app's Bridge access page and redeploy. Slipway injects its app-scoped credential; never commit it to config/slipway.js. Read Bridge app-local access for the invitation and custom identity-helper flow.

Persist and recover

The installer preserves the instance database volume at /app/db and persists server secrets in /etc/slipway/.env. Keep the database and its encryption keys together in the recovery plan. Use consistent database backups rather than copying a live SQLite file blindly.

Configure application database backups through Database Services and Private Backup Storage. Instance database recovery is a separate operation. Read Updates before changing images or schema compatibility.

For public routes and Caddy behavior, follow Ingress and Firewall, Instance URL, and Custom Domain. Verify the actual route after changing configuration.