# Using Templates Templates provide pre-configured deployment setups for common application stacks. They're the fastest way to get started with Hydron — select a template, customize a few settings, and deploy. ## How templates work A template includes: - **Pre-configured services** with optimized settings - **Dockerfiles** tuned for the specific stack - **Environment variable** definitions with sensible defaults - **Health check** configurations - **Recommended server** specifications When you choose a template, Hydron sets up everything automatically. You only need to provide your application-specific values (database passwords, API keys, etc.). ## Available template categories ### Web Applications | Template | Stack | Description | |----------|-------|-------------| | **Node.js + Express** | Node.js, Express, MongoDB | REST API with database | | **React + Node.js** | React, Express, PostgreSQL | Full-stack web application | | **Next.js** | Next.js, PostgreSQL | Server-rendered React application | | **Django** | Python, Django, PostgreSQL | Python web framework | | **Rails** | Ruby on Rails, PostgreSQL | Ruby web framework | | **Laravel** | PHP, Laravel, MySQL | PHP web framework | | **Spring Boot** | Java, Spring Boot, PostgreSQL | Java enterprise application | ### Static Sites | Template | Stack | Description | |----------|-------|-------------| | **React SPA** | React, Nginx | Single-page application with Nginx | | **Vue.js SPA** | Vue.js, Nginx | Vue.js application with Nginx | | **Static HTML** | HTML/CSS/JS, Nginx | Plain static files served by Nginx | ### Databases & Services | Template | Stack | Description | |----------|-------|-------------| | **PostgreSQL** | PostgreSQL 16 | Managed PostgreSQL database | | **MySQL** | MySQL 8 | Managed MySQL database | | **Redis** | Redis 7 | In-memory cache and message broker | | **MongoDB** | MongoDB 7 | Document database | ## Using a template 1. In a new chat, select **Templates** from the deployment options 2. Browse or search the template gallery 3. Select the template that matches your needs 4. Customize the configuration: - Application name - Environment variables - Server location preference 5. Review the generated infrastructure plan 6. Approve and deploy  ## Customizing templates Templates are starting points, not rigid configurations. After selecting a template, you can customize everything through the chat: - "Change the database to MySQL instead of PostgreSQL" - "Add a Redis cache to this stack" - "Use a larger server with 32GB RAM" - "Add an Nginx reverse proxy in front of the API" The AI will update the infrastructure plan to reflect your changes. ## Templates vs. Git deployment | Aspect | Templates | Git deployment | |--------|-----------|---------------| | **Speed** | Fastest — deploy in minutes | Requires code analysis first | | **Customization** | Pre-configured, then customizable | Fully analyzed from your code | | **Best for** | Standard stacks, quick prototypes | Custom applications | | **Code included** | Template starter code | Your existing codebase | You can start with a template and later switch to deploying your own code from Git by adding your repository as a service.