# Managing Digitalocean App Platform

> Use when working with Digitalocean App Platform — digitalOcean App Platform management via the doctl CLI. Covers apps, components, deployments, logs, domains, alerts, and billing. Use when managing App Platform applications or checking deployment health.

- Skill: `cloudthinker-ai/managing-digitalocean-app-platform` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cloudthinker-ai/managing-digitalocean-app-platform`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cloudthinker-ai/managing-digitalocean-app-platform/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: cloudthinker-ai (https://skillmd.com/u/cloudthinker-ai)
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/cloudthinker-ai/managing-digitalocean-app-platform

---


# Managing DigitalOcean App Platform

Manage DigitalOcean App Platform using the `doctl apps` CLI.

## MANDATORY: Discovery-First Pattern

**Always discover available resources before performing analysis.**

### Phase 1: Discovery

```bash
#!/bin/bash

echo "=== Apps ==="
doctl apps list --format ID,Spec.Name,DefaultIngress,ActiveDeployment.Phase,Region,UpdatedAt --no-header 2>/dev/null | head -20

echo ""
echo "=== App Tiers ==="
doctl apps tier list --format Name,Slug,BuildSeconds,EgressBandwidthBytes --no-header 2>/dev/null | head -10

echo ""
echo "=== App Regions ==="
doctl apps region list --format Slug,Label,Default --no-header 2>/dev/null | head -10
```

### Phase 2: Analysis

```bash
#!/bin/bash

APP_ID="${1:?App ID required}"

echo "=== App Details ==="
doctl apps get "$APP_ID" --format ID,Spec.Name,DefaultIngress,ActiveDeployment.Phase,Region,CreatedAt,UpdatedAt --no-header 2>/dev/null

echo ""
echo "=== App Components ==="
doctl apps get "$APP_ID" -o json 2>/dev/null | jq '{
    services: [.spec.services[]? | {name, http_port, instance_count, instance_size_slug, source: (.github.repo // .git.repo_clone_url // "N/A")}],
    workers: [.spec.workers[]? | {name, instance_count, instance_size_slug}],
    static_sites: [.spec.static_sites[]? | {name, source: (.github.repo // "N/A")}],
    databases: [.spec.databases[]? | {name, engine, version, production}],
    jobs: [.spec.jobs[]? | {name, kind, instance_count}]
}' | head -30

echo ""
echo "=== Recent Deployments ==="
doctl apps list-deployments "$APP_ID" --format ID,Phase,Progress,CreatedAt,UpdatedAt --no-header 2>/dev/null | head -10

echo ""
echo "=== App Logs (Recent) ==="
doctl apps logs "$APP_ID" --type run --follow=false 2>/dev/null | tail -20

echo ""
echo "=== App Domains ==="
doctl apps list-domains "$APP_ID" --format ID,Spec.Domain,Phase --no-header 2>/dev/null | head -10

echo ""
echo "=== Alerts ==="
doctl apps list-alerts "$APP_ID" --format ID,Spec.Rule,Spec.Disabled --no-header 2>/dev/null | head -10

echo ""
echo "=== Deployment Details (Latest) ==="
DEPLOY_ID=$(doctl apps list-deployments "$APP_ID" --format ID --no-header 2>/dev/null | head -1)
if [ -n "$DEPLOY_ID" ]; then
    doctl apps get-deployment "$APP_ID" "$DEPLOY_ID" -o json 2>/dev/null | jq '{
        id, phase, progress,
        services: [.services[]? | {name, source_commit_hash: .source_commit_hash[:8]}],
        created_at, updated_at
    }'
fi
```

## Output Format

```
APP_ID                                NAME        INGRESS                      PHASE    REGION
abc123-def456-ghi789                  my-app      my-app-abc12.ondigitalocean  ACTIVE   nyc
```

## Safety Rules
- Use read-only commands: `list`, `get`, `logs`
- Never run `delete`, `update`, `create` without explicit user confirmation
- Use `--format` and `--no-header` for clean output
- Limit output with `| head -N` and `| tail -N` to stay under 50 lines

## Anti-Hallucination Rules

1. **NEVER assume resource names** — always discover via CLI/API in Phase 1 before referencing in Phase 2.
2. **NEVER fabricate metric names or dimensions** — verify against the service documentation or `--help` output.
3. **NEVER mix CLI commands between service versions** — confirm which version/API you are targeting.
4. **ALWAYS use the discovery → verify → analyze chain** — every resource referenced must have been discovered first.
5. **ALWAYS handle empty results gracefully** — an empty response is valid data, not an error to retry.

## Counter-Rationalizations

| Shortcut | Counter | Why |
|----------|---------|-----|
| "I'll skip discovery and check known resources" | Always run Phase 1 discovery first | Resource names change, new resources appear — assumed names cause errors |
| "The user only asked for a quick check" | Follow the full discovery → analysis flow | Quick checks miss critical issues; structured analysis catches silent failures |
| "Default configuration is probably fine" | Audit configuration explicitly | Defaults often leave logging, security, and optimization features disabled |
| "Metrics aren't needed for this" | Always check relevant metrics when available | API/CLI responses show current state; metrics reveal trends and intermittent issues |
| "I don't have access to that" | Try the command and report the actual error | Assumed permission failures prevent useful investigation; actual errors are informative |