Machines

Machines represent the servers where your services run. Senate supports deploying to multiple machines, including local and remote servers.

Overview

Senate creates a "Local" machine automatically when installed. You can add additional remote machines via SSH.

Machine Types

Local Machine

The server where Senate is running:

• Created automatically on first run
• Cannot be deleted
• Docker runs directly on this host
• Best for single-server deployments

Remote Machines

Any server accessible via SSH:

• Connect via SSH key or password
• Docker commands executed over SSH
• Supports any Linux distribution with Docker
• Enable multi-server architectures

Adding a Remote Machine

1. Navigate to Machines
2. Click Add Machine
3. Configure the connection:

SSH Key Authentication (Recommended)

For key-based authentication:

1. Generate a key pair in Senate:

   • Click "Generate Key" in the form
   • Copy the public key

2. Add to remote server:

   # On the remote server
   echo "ssh-ed25519 AAAA... senate-generated" >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

3. Test connection by clicking "Add Machine"

Password Authentication

Enter the SSH password directly. Less secure than key authentication.

Machine Resources

View real-time metrics for each machine:

• CPU: Usage percentage and core count
• Memory: Used/total RAM
• Disk: Usage for each mount point
• Network: Bandwidth in/out

Machine Operations

View Details

Click a machine to see:

• System information (OS, kernel, architecture)
• Docker version and configuration
• Resource usage graphs
• List of services deployed

Containers Tab

View all Docker containers on the machine:

• Running, stopped, and all containers
• Container status, image, and ports
• Start/stop/restart operations
• View container logs

Gateway Tab

Manage the reverse proxy (Caddy):

• View configured routes
• Monitor SSL certificates
• Add custom routing rules
• View upstream health

Images Tab

Browse Docker images:

• List all images
• Image size and tags
• Pull new images
• Remove unused images

Volumes Tab

Manage Docker volumes:

• List all volumes
• View volume size
• Delete unused volumes

Networks Tab

View Docker networks:

• List networks
• Inspect network details
• View connected containers

Deploying to Machines

When creating a service, select the target machine:

1. New Service → Select machine from dropdown
2. Service will deploy to that machine
3. Domain routing configured on that machine's Gateway

Removing a Machine

1. Stop all services on the machine
2. Click machine menu (⋮) → Delete
3. Confirm deletion

Related

• Services - Deploy to machines
• Gateway - Machine routing
• Multi-Server Guide - Setup guide