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This guide explains how to deploy Oxy using Docker containers, providing an alternative to the traditional server-based deployment approach.
Using Docker simplifies the deployment process and environment setup, making it easier to run Oxy in a consistent environment across different platforms.

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Prerequisites

Before you start, ensure you have:
  • Docker installed on your host system
  • An Oxy workspace with your configuration files, agents, and workflows
  • Required API keys and environment variables for your deployment
We recommend your Docker host machine have a minimum of 4GB RAM for optimal performance of Oxy and related services.

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Quick Start

The fastest way to get started with Oxy on Docker is to use the pre-built image from GitHub Packages: 
# Pull the latest Oxy Docker image
docker pull ghcr.io/oxy-hq/oxy:0.2.3

# Run Oxy with a mounted workspace
docker run -d \
  --name oxy-instance \
  -p 3000:3000 \
  -v /path/to/your/workspace:/app \
  -e OPENAI_API_KEY=your-api-key \
  -e OXY_STATE_DIR=/var/lib/oxy/data \
  ghcr.io/oxy-hq/oxy:0.2.3

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Why Use Docker Compose?

Docker Compose lets you define and manage multi-container applications with a single YAML file. For Oxy, Compose makes it easy to:
  • Start Oxy and related services (like databases or proxies) with one command
  • Configure environment variables, volumes, and ports in one place
  • Ensure all containers are networked and started in the right order
  • Reproduce your deployment setup easily across machines or teams
In short: Docker Compose simplifies running Oxy in production or development, especially when you need more than one container.

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Reference Architecture Diagram

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Detailed Deployment Steps

1

Prepare Your Workspace

Before deploying, ensure you have an Oxy workspace ready with your configuration files. Your workspace directory should typically include:
  • config.yml - Main configuration file
  • Your agent definitions (.agent.yml files)
  • Your workflow definitions (.workflow.yml files)
  • Any other resources your agents and workflows need
# Example workspace structure
workspace/
├── config.yml
├── my-agent.agent.yml
├── my-workflow.workflow.yml
└── resources/
    └── data.json
2

Create a Docker Compose File

For easier management, create a docker-compose.yml file:
version: '3'
services:
  oxy:
    image: ghcr.io/oxy-hq/oxy:0.2.3
    container_name: oxy-instance
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    working_dir: /workspace
    volumes:
      - ./workspace:/workspace
      - ./oxy-data:/var/lib/oxy/data
    environment:
      - OPENAI_API_KEY=your-openai-api-key
      - OXY_STATE_DIR=/var/lib/oxy/data
    restart: unless-stopped
    command: ["oxy", "serve", "--host", "0.0.0.0", "--port", "3000"]
Replace your-openai-api-key with your actual OpenAI API key. For production deployments, consider using Docker secrets or environment files to avoid storing sensitive data in your compose file.
3

Start the Container

Launch your Oxy container:
docker-compose up -d
By default, the container’s working directory is /app. If you want to use /workspace as your working directory (as in the example above), make sure to set working_dir: /workspace in your Docker Compose file and mount your workspace to /workspace.Your Oxy instance will be available at http://localhost:3000 once the container starts.

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Volume Mounting Explained

When running Oxy in Docker, you’ll typically need to mount two types of directories:
  1. Workspace Mount: Maps your local Oxy workspace to the container 
    -v /path/to/your/workspace:/workspace
    This allows Oxy to access your configuration, agents, and workflows.
  2. Data Mount: Provides persistent storage for Oxy’s state
-v /path/to/persistent/data:/var/lib/oxy/data 
This ensures your data is preserved even if the container is restarted.

## Data Persistence

Oxy uses SQLite for data storage by default, which means proper volume mounting is essential for maintaining your data across container restarts or updates.

### Storage Location

- By default, Oxy stores its data in `~/.local/share/oxy/` on the host system
- When using Docker, you should explicitly set the `OXY_STATE_DIR` environment variable (typically to `/data`) and mount a volume to that location

### What Data Is Stored

Oxy stores several types of data that need to be persisted:

- SQLite database files containing state information
- Semantic information from synchronized databases
- Cached query results and intermediate data
- Workflow execution history and checkpoints

### Example Docker Setup with Proper Data Persistence

```yaml
version: '3'
services:
oxy:
 image: ghcr.io/oxy-hq/oxy:0.2.3
 container_name: oxy-instance
 ports:
   - "3000:3000"
 working_dir: /workspace
 volumes:
   - ./workspace:/workspace
   - ./oxy-data:/var/lib/oxy/data  # Essential for data persistence
 environment:
   - OPENAI_API_KEY=your-openai-api-key
   - OXY_STATE_DIR=/var/lib/oxy/data  # Points to the mounted volume
 restart: unless-stopped
 command: ["oxy", "serve", "--host", "0.0.0.0", "--port", "3000"]
For production deployments, ensure your data volume is backed by reliable storage. In cloud environments, consider using:
  • Amazon EBS volumes (AWS)
  • Persistent Disks (Google Cloud)
  • Azure Disk Storage
  • Network-attached storage (NAS) for multi-node setups
When using Docker Compose, your data will persist as long as you don’t remove the volumes. Use docker-compose down -v with caution as it will delete the volumes.

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Environment Variables

Common environment variables to configure in your Oxy container:
VariableDescriptionExample
OPENAI_API_KEYYour OpenAI API keysk-...
OXY_STATE_DIRDirectory for Oxy state persistence/var/lib/oxy/data
DATABASE_URLConnection URL if using a databasepostgres://...
PORTOverride the default port8080

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Advanced Configuration

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Custom Docker Images

If you need to extend the official Oxy image with additional dependencies or configuration, you can create your own Dockerfile: 
FROM ghcr.io/oxy-hq/oxy:0.2.3

# Add custom dependencies
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y your-package

# Add custom files
COPY ./custom-config.yml /default-config.yml

# Override the default command if needed
CMD ["oxy", "serve", "--config", "/default-config.yml"]

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Health Checks

Add health checks to ensure your container is running properly: 
services:
  oxy:
    # ...existing configuration...
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://localhost:3000"]
      interval: 30s
      timeout: 10s
      retries: 3
      start_period: 40s

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Troubleshooting

For further help or to ask questions, join our community on Discord.

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Next Steps

Once your Docker deployment is up and running, you can:
  • Set up CI/CD pipelines to automatically update your Oxy instance
  • Implement monitoring and logging solutions
  • Configure backups for your persistent data
  • Scale horizontally for higher availability
For more information on using Oxy, refer to the main documentation.
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