App Types — Which One to Choose
Who this is for
Users creating a new site who are unsure which App Type to select.
Overview
When creating a site, CloudAIPilot asks you to choose an app type. This tells the provisioning system which software to install and configure on the server. The right choice depends on what kind of website or application you are building.
Available App Types
WordPress
Select this for WordPress-based websites and blogs.
What CloudAIPilot does:
- Creates the document root directory
- Creates a MySQL/MariaDB database and user
- Downloads and installs the latest WordPress
- Configures Nginx with PHP-FPM
- Optionally provisions SSL after DNS is pointed
Use for: Marketing sites, blogs, eCommerce (WooCommerce), CMS-driven sites
Node.js
Select this for Node.js-based applications.
What CloudAIPilot does:
- Creates the document root directory
- Configures Nginx as a reverse proxy to your application port
Use for: Express, Fastify, Next.js, NestJS, and other Node.js apps
PHP
Select this for PHP-based applications that are not WordPress.
What CloudAIPilot does:
- Creates the document root directory
- Configures Nginx with PHP-FPM
Use for: Laravel, Symfony, CodeIgniter, or custom PHP applications
Static
Select this for static HTML/CSS/JS websites with no server-side processing.
What CloudAIPilot does:
- Creates the document root directory
- Configures Nginx to serve static files
Use for: Landing pages, documentation sites, portfolios, pre-built frontend apps (React, Vue, Svelte builds)
Custom
Select this when your application is not one of the other types.
What CloudAIPilot does:
- Creates the document root directory
- Creates a basic Nginx reverse proxy configuration
Use for: Any non-standard setup where you manage the application process yourself
How App Type Affects Features
| Feature | WordPress | Node.js / PHP / Static / Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic DB setup | Yes | No |
| PHP-FPM config | Yes | PHP only |
| Git deploy (Deployments tab) | No | Yes |
| Environment variables tab | No | Yes |
| SFTP access | Yes | Yes |
| Clone support | Yes | Yes |
Can I Change the App Type After Creation?
No. The app type is set at creation time and determines how the server is configured. To change the app type, you must delete the site and create a new one.