Box Service

The Box service runs application code in an Easypanel-managed container. Instead of supplying a Dockerfile, you choose the runtimes and modules that your application needs. Box can provide Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby, NGINX, managed processes, persistent storage, a browser IDE, and deployment automation.

Use an App service when your repository already has a Dockerfile or should be built with a standard application builder. Use Box when you want to assemble and operate the runtime from the Easypanel interface.

Create a Box service

1. Open a project and select New Service.
2. Select Box and enter a service name.
3. Choose a preset or select No Preset.
4. Create the service.
5. Initialize it by cloning a public or private Git repository, or skip the repository step and add files later through Git, the IDE, or a mount.
6. Open Modules and enable the sections needed by the application.
7. Configure at least one process or NGINX before exposing the service.

Box presets provide a starting configuration. Loading a preset replaces the current Box configuration, rebuilds the image, and deploys the service. Files in /code are not changed. Review the current configuration before applying a different preset.

Modules

Modules control both the generated runtime and the sections shown in the Box sidebar. You can enable only the features the service needs:

• Node.js, PHP, Python, and Ruby install language runtimes.
• NGINX adds a web server and reverse-proxy configuration.
• Processes runs application commands under the Box process supervisor.
• Git and IDE provide ways to manage the code in /code.
• Environment, Mounts, and Ports configure the container.
• Domains, Redirects, and Basic Auth configure public access.
• Deployments and Scripts provide deployment and automation hooks.
• Resources and Advanced control runtime limits and lifecycle scripts.

Changing a runtime module can require a new Box image. Use Rebuild Docker Image after changing installed runtimes or build settings.

Git

The Git section can clone a repository into the service's code directory. Set the repository URL and branch during initialization or clone it later.

For a private repository, add the Box service's SSH key as a deploy key with read access to the repository. The Git settings also let you configure the author name and email used by commands executed inside the service.

IDE

The browser IDE is optional. Its default folder is /code, and access is protected by a generated token. Rotate the token if it is disclosed, and disable the IDE when it is not needed.

Runtime modules

Node.js

Enable Node.js and select the required major version. You can also install Yarn or pnpm alongside npm. Package installation should normally happen in the Build Script, while the application command belongs in Processes.

PHP

The PHP module controls the PHP version, maximum upload size, maximum execution time, OPcache, custom php.ini content, and optional extensions such as ionCube and SQL Server support.

Runtime changes are applied when the Box image is rebuilt.

Python and Ruby

Enable Python or Ruby and select the runtime version required by the application. Install dependencies in the Build Script, then start the application with a managed process.

NGINX

Enable NGINX for applications that serve HTTP traffic directly or through PHP FPM. Configure:

• Document Root: the directory containing public files, usually a path inside /code.
• Configuration: the NGINX server configuration generated for the service.

The default configuration supports the {{ document_root }} and {{ fpm_socket }} placeholders. Keep the listener aligned with the port used by the service's domain.

Processes

A Box service can run one or more supervised processes. Each process has:

• a unique lowercase name;
• a working directory;
• a command;
• an enabled state.

Examples include a web server, a queue worker, or a scheduler. Saving the process configuration reloads it inside the Box container.

Environment

Enter environment variables using .env syntax:

APP_ENV=production
APP_URL=https://example.com

Environment changes affect running processes after the service is restarted or redeployed. Do not commit secrets to the repository.

Mounts

Box supports the same three mount types as App services:

• Volume stores persistent data managed by Easypanel.
• Bind maps an existing server path into the container.
• File creates a file from content stored in the service configuration.

The source or volume name identifies storage on the server; the mount path is the location visible inside the Box container. Use mounts for uploads and other data that must survive image rebuilds.

Named volume mounts can be mirrored to a configured storage provider. See Volume Backups for scheduling, sync behavior, and manual recovery guidance.

Ports

Use Ports for non-HTTP TCP or UDP traffic. Published is the server port and Target is the port inside the container.

For websites and APIs, use Domains instead. Publishing a port bypasses the normal domain, HTTPS, and middleware flow.

Domains

Each domain routes a hostname and path to a port in the Box service. A domain can also configure:

• HTTP or HTTPS;
• the internal HTTP or HTTPS protocol;
• a certificate resolver;
• a wildcard hostname;
• Traefik middlewares.

The target port must match the port used by NGINX or the application's web process. See Custom Service Domain for automatic service hostnames.

Redirects

Redirect rules match a regular expression and send requests to a replacement URL. Rules can be enabled or disabled and can use permanent or temporary HTTP redirects. Test a new expression before using a permanent redirect to avoid cached redirect loops.

Basic Auth

Basic Auth protects every domain attached to the service with an additional username and password prompt. It is useful for staging sites and internal tools, but it does not replace the application's own authorization system.

Scripts

Scripts execute shell content inside the Box service. A script can be run manually, scheduled with a cron expression, or triggered with its webhook token.

Treat webhook tokens as secrets. Rotate a token after accidental disclosure, and design scheduled scripts so that overlapping executions cannot corrupt data.

Deployments

The deployment script runs inside a Box container when a deployment is triggered. Typical steps include pulling the latest Git revision, installing dependencies, running migrations, or clearing caches.

The Deployment URL starts the deployment from an external CI system or webhook. Refreshing the deployment token immediately invalidates the previous URL.

Resources

Set CPU and memory reservations to describe the service's expected baseline. Set limits to prevent the service from consuming all server capacity. A memory limit that is too low can cause the operating system to terminate the application during builds or traffic spikes.

Advanced

The Build Script runs while Easypanel builds the Box image. Use it to install dependencies and customize the image.

The Start Script runs when the service starts. Use it for short initialization tasks. Configure web servers, workers, and other long-running commands in Processes.

Service lifecycle

You can start, stop, restart, rebuild, and destroy a Box service from its overview. Stopping disables the deployment without removing the configuration. Rebuilding regenerates the Box image and redeploys the service.