---
name: codeengine-appdeploy-public
title: Deploying app workloads from images in a public registry
description: Deploy your app with Code Engine. You can create an app from the console or with the CLI.
last-updated: 2026-07-01
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Deploying app workloads from images in a public registry
{: #deploy-app}

Deploy your app with Code Engine. You can create an app [from the console](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-deploy-app&interface=ui&format=markdown) or [with the CLI](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-deploy-app&interface=cli&format=markdown).
{: shortdesc}

## Deploying an app from the console
{: #deploy-app-console}
{: ui}

Deploy an application with an image from a public registry that does not require credentials with the Code Engine console.
{: shortdesc}

This example references the public `icr.io/codeengine/helloworld` image in [IBM Cloud® Container Registry](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-deploy-app-crimage&format=markdown). Alternatively, you can also reference an image in a public Docker Hub or an [image in a private registry](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-deploy-app-private&format=markdown).

1. Open the [Code Engine](https://cloud.ibm.com/codeengine/overview){: external} console.
2. Select **Start creating**.
3. Select a project from the list of available projects. You can also [create a new one](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-manage-project&format=markdown#create-a-project). You must have a selected project to deploy an app.
4. Select **Application**.
5. Enter a name for the application. Use a name for your application that is unique within the project.
6. Specify a container image for your app, for example, `icr.io/codeengine/helloworld`. If you have your own source code that you want to turn into a container image for the app, see [Planning your build](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-plan-build&format=markdown). For more information about the code that is used for this example, see [`helloworld`](https://github.com/IBM/CodeEngine/tree/main/helloworld){: external}.
7. Modify any default values for endpoint or runtime settings. For more information about these options, see [Options for endpoint visibility of apps](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-application-workloads&format=markdown#optionsdeploy) and [Options for deploying an app](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-application-workloads&format=markdown#optionsdeploy).
8. Click **Create**.
9. After the application status changes to **Ready**, you can test the application. Click **Test application** and then click **Send request** in the Test application pane. To open the application in a web page, click **Application URL**.

Now that you have deployed your application, you can view information about application revisions and any running instances, and configuration details.  



## Deploying an app with the CLI
{: #deploy-app-cli}
{: cli}

To create and deploy your app with the CLI, use the **`app create`** command. This command requires a name and an image and also allows other optional arguments. For a complete listing of options, see the [**`ibmcloud ce app create`**](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-cli&format=markdown#cli-application-create) command.
{: shortdesc}

Before you begin

* Set up your [Code Engine CLI](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-install-cli&format=markdown) environment.
* [Create and work with a project](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-manage-project&format=markdown).

The following **`application create`** command creates and deploys an app that is named `myapp` and uses the container image `icr.io/codeengine/hello`.

```txt
ibmcloud ce application create --name myapp --image icr.io/codeengine/hello
```
{: pre}

Example output

```txt
Creating application 'myapp'...
OK
[...]
Run 'ibmcloud ce application get -n myapp' to check the application status.
OK

https://myapp.4idmmq6xpss.us-south.codeengine.appdomain.cloud
```
{: screen}

The following table summarizes the options that are used with the **`app create`** command in this example. For more information about the command and its options, see the [**`ibmcloud ce app create`**](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-cli&format=markdown#cli-application-create) command.

| Option | Description |
| -------------- | -------------- |
| `--name` | The name of the application. Use a name that is unique within the project. This value is required. \n - The name must begin with a lowercase letter. \n - The name must end with a lowercase alphanumeric character. \n - The name must be 55 characters or fewer and can contain letters, numbers, and hyphens (-). |
| `--image` | The name of the image that is used for this application. This value is required. The format is `REGISTRY/NAMESPACE/REPOSITORY:TAG` where `REGISTRY` and `TAG` are optional. If `TAG` is not specified, the default is `latest`. For images in [Docker Hub](https://hub.docker.com/){: external}, you can specify the image with `NAMESPACE/REPOSITORY`, as the default for `Registry` is `docker.io`. For other registries, use `REGISTRY/NAMESPACE/REPOSITORY` or `REGISTRY/NAMESPACE/REPOSITORY:TAG`. |
{: caption="Command description" caption-side="bottom"}




## Next steps
{: #nextsteps-appdeploypub}

* After your app deploys, [access your app](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-access-service&format=markdown) through a URL.

* You can create a [custom domain mapping](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-domain-mappings&format=markdown) and assign it to your app. For more information about deploying apps across multiple regions with a custom domain name, see [Configuring a highly available application](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-deploy-multiple-regions&format=markdown). 

* Now that your app is deployed, consider making your apps event-driven. By using event subscriptions, you can trigger your apps by [periodic schedules](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-subscribe-cron&format=markdown#eventing-cron-existing-app) or set your app to react to events such as [file uploads](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-eventing-cosevent-producer&format=markdown#obstorage_ev_app) or [Kafka messages](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-working-kafkaevent-producer&format=markdown).

After your app is deployed, you can [update your deployed app](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-update-app&format=markdown) and its referenced code by using *any* of the following ways, independent of how you created or previously updated your app:

- If you have a container image, per the [Open Container Initiative (OCI) standard](https://opencontainers.org/){: external}, then you need to provide only a reference to the image, which points to the location of your container registry when you deploy your app. You can deploy your app with an image in a [public registry](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-deploy-app&format=markdown) or [private registry](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-deploy-app-private&format=markdown).

    If you created your app by using the **`app create`** command and you specified the `--build-source` option to build the container image from local or repository source, and you want to change your app to point to a different container image, you must first remove the association of the build from your app. For example, run `ibmcloud ce application update -n APP_NAME --build-clear`. After you remove the association of the build from your app, you can update the app to reference a different image. 
    {: important}

- If you are starting with source code that resides in a Git repository, you can choose to let Code Engine take care of building the image from your source and deploying the app with a **single** operation. In this scenario, Code Engine uploads your image to IBM Cloud® Container Registry. To learn more, see [Deploying your app from repository source code](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-app-source-code&format=markdown). If you want more control over the build of your image, then you can choose to [build the image](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-plan-build&format=markdown) with Code Engine before you deploy your app. 

- If you are starting with source code that resides on a local workstation, you can choose to let Code Engine take care of building the image from your source and deploying the app with a **single** CLI command. In this scenario, Code Engine uploads your image to IBM Cloud® Container Registry. To learn more, see [Deploying your app from local source code with the CLI](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-app-local-source-code&format=markdown). If you want more control over the build of your image, then you can choose to [build the image](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-plan-build&format=markdown) with Code Engine before you deploy your app. 

    For example, you might choose to let Code Engine handle the build of your local source while you evolve the development of your source for the app. Then, after the image is matured, you can update the deployed app to reference the specific image that you want. You can repeat this process as needed.

When you deploy your updated app, the latest version of your referenced container image is downloaded and deployed, unless a tag is specified for the image. If a tag is specified for the image, then the tagged image is used for the deployment. 




Looking for more code examples? Check out the [Samples for IBM Cloud Code Engine GitHub repo](https://github.com/IBM/CodeEngine){: external}.
{: tip}