# Managing Heroku

> Use when working with Heroku — heroku platform management covering app inventory, dyno formation and scaling, add-on usage, release history, config var auditing, domain and SSL status, log drain configuration, and metrics analysis. Use for comprehensive Heroku app health and cost assessment.

- Skill: `cloudthinker-ai/managing-heroku` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cloudthinker-ai/managing-heroku`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cloudthinker-ai/managing-heroku/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner WARNING, 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-heroku

---


# Heroku Management

Analyze Heroku apps, dynos, add-ons, and platform health.

## Phase 1: Discovery

```bash
#!/bin/bash
TOKEN="${HEROKU_API_KEY}"
BASE="https://api.heroku.com"
AUTH=(-H "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" -H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3")

echo "=== Apps Inventory ==="
curl -s "${BASE}/apps" "${AUTH[@]}" \
  | jq -r '.[] | "\(.name)\t\(.region.name)\t\(.stack.name)\t\(.web_url)\t\(.updated_at)"' \
  | column -t | head -20

echo ""
echo "=== Dyno Formation ==="
for APP in $(curl -s "${BASE}/apps" "${AUTH[@]}" | jq -r '.[].name'); do
  curl -s "${BASE}/apps/${APP}/formation" "${AUTH[@]}" \
    | jq -r ".[] | \"${APP}\t\(.type)\t\(.size)\t\(.quantity)\t\(.command[0:60])\"" 2>/dev/null
done | column -t | head -20

echo ""
echo "=== Add-ons ==="
for APP in $(curl -s "${BASE}/apps" "${AUTH[@]}" | jq -r '.[].name'); do
  curl -s "${BASE}/apps/${APP}/addons" "${AUTH[@]}" \
    | jq -r ".[] | \"${APP}\t\(.plan.name)\t\(.state)\t\(.billing_entity.name // \"N/A\")\"" 2>/dev/null
done | column -t | head -20

echo ""
echo "=== Custom Domains ==="
for APP in $(curl -s "${BASE}/apps" "${AUTH[@]}" | jq -r '.[].name'); do
  curl -s "${BASE}/apps/${APP}/domains" "${AUTH[@]}" \
    | jq -r ".[] | \"${APP}\t\(.hostname)\t\(.kind)\t\(.acm_status // \"N/A\")\"" 2>/dev/null
done | column -t | head -20
```

## Phase 2: Analysis

```bash
#!/bin/bash
TOKEN="${HEROKU_API_KEY}"
BASE="https://api.heroku.com"
AUTH=(-H "Authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" -H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3")

echo "=== Recent Releases ==="
for APP in $(curl -s "${BASE}/apps" "${AUTH[@]}" | jq -r '.[].name'); do
  curl -s "${BASE}/apps/${APP}/releases?range=version;order=desc" "${AUTH[@]}" \
    | jq -r ".[:3][] | \"${APP}\tv\(.version)\t\(.status)\t\(.description[0:50])\t\(.created_at)\"" 2>/dev/null
done | column -t | head -20

echo ""
echo "=== Dyno Health ==="
for APP in $(curl -s "${BASE}/apps" "${AUTH[@]}" | jq -r '.[].name'); do
  curl -s "${BASE}/apps/${APP}/dynos" "${AUTH[@]}" \
    | jq -r ".[] | \"${APP}\t\(.name)\t\(.state)\t\(.type)\t\(.size)\t\(.updated_at)\"" 2>/dev/null
done | column -t | head -20

echo ""
echo "=== Config Vars (count only) ==="
for APP in $(curl -s "${BASE}/apps" "${AUTH[@]}" | jq -r '.[].name'); do
  COUNT=$(curl -s "${BASE}/apps/${APP}/config-vars" "${AUTH[@]}" | jq 'keys | length' 2>/dev/null)
  echo "${APP}: ${COUNT:-0} config vars"
done

echo ""
echo "=== Log Drains ==="
for APP in $(curl -s "${BASE}/apps" "${AUTH[@]}" | jq -r '.[].name'); do
  curl -s "${BASE}/apps/${APP}/log-drains" "${AUTH[@]}" \
    | jq -r ".[] | \"${APP}\t\(.url[0:50])\t\(.addon.name // \"custom\")\"" 2>/dev/null
done | column -t

echo ""
echo "=== SSL Certificates ==="
for APP in $(curl -s "${BASE}/apps" "${AUTH[@]}" | jq -r '.[].name'); do
  curl -s "${BASE}/apps/${APP}/sni-endpoints" "${AUTH[@]}" \
    | jq -r ".[] | \"${APP}\t\(.name)\t\(.ssl_cert.cert_domains | join(\",\"))\t\(.ssl_cert.expires_at)\"" 2>/dev/null
done | column -t

echo ""
echo "=== Stack & Buildpack Info ==="
for APP in $(curl -s "${BASE}/apps" "${AUTH[@]}" | jq -r '.[].name'); do
  BUILDPACKS=$(curl -s "${BASE}/apps/${APP}/buildpack-installations" "${AUTH[@]}" | jq -r '.[].buildpack.name // .[].buildpack.url' 2>/dev/null | tr '\n' ',')
  STACK=$(curl -s "${BASE}/apps/${APP}" "${AUTH[@]}" | jq -r '.stack.name' 2>/dev/null)
  echo "${APP}: stack=${STACK} buildpacks=${BUILDPACKS}"
done
```

## Output Format

```
HEROKU ANALYSIS
================
App              Region  Stack     Dynos        Add-ons  Domains  Last Release
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
my-app           us      heroku-24 web:2xStd1x  3        2        2h ago v145
worker-app       eu      heroku-22 worker:1xPrf 1        0        1d ago v89
api-gateway      us      heroku-24 web:3xStd2x  5        3        30m ago v210

Dynos: 6 running | Add-ons: 9 total | Config Vars: 45 across 3 apps
Drains: 2 configured | SSL: 3 certs (1 expiring in 30d)
```

## Safety Rules

- **Read-only**: Only use GET endpoints against the Heroku API
- **Never scale dynos**, restart, or modify config vars without confirmation
- **Config vars**: Never output config variable values, only counts
- **Rate limits**: Heroku API allows 4500 requests per hour per token

## 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 |