Skip to main content
DCDeploy allows you to connect workloads and databases privately within an internal network.
Instead of exposing your service publicly with a domain or TCP proxy, you can use internal links that resolve via private DNS inside your organization and environments. This ensures:
  • Secure communication – no public internet exposure.
  • Low latency – direct private network traffic.
  • Isolation – workloads only talk to what they are allowed to.

​
Overview

  • Every service in DCDeploy can be given an internal hostname.
  • Internal DNS works automatically across services inside the same environment.
  • Supported for applications, APIs, and databases.
  • Works across environments if private networking is enabled.

​
Use Cases

  • Microservices communicating privately (e.g., API ↔ Worker ↔ DB).
  • Databases accessible only from backend services, not the internet.
  • Multi-environment internal communication (e.g., staging → shared DB).
  • Avoiding public endpoints for sensitive workloads.
Each service is automatically available at: 
<service-name>.<environment>.internal

### Examples:

- api: api.dev.internal
- postgres: postgres.prod.internal
- redis: redis.shared.internal

​
Example: Connecting to a Database

Suppose you have a PostgreSQL DB and a Node.js backend in the same environment (prod).
  • DB Internal Hostname:
    postgres.prod.internal
  • Backend Connection String: 
  DATABASE_URL = postgres://user:password@postgres.prod.internal:5432/mydb
The backend will connect to PostgreSQL without needing a public TCP proxy.

​
Example: Private Service-to-Service Communication

Frontend (Next.js) → Backend (Express API) → Database (Postgres)
  • Frontend connects to backend.prod.internal:3000
  • Backend connects to postgres.prod.internal:5432 No public domains are required; traffic stays internal.

​
Best Practices

  • Use internal links by default for all service-to-service communication.
  • Only enable public domains / TCP proxies when external access is required.
  • Keep secrets (DB URLs, API keys) in DCDeploy secrets instead of hardcoding.
  • Test connectivity with:
curl http://<service>.<env>.internal:<port>

​
Troubleshooting

  • Can’t resolve internal hostnames? Ensure both workloads are in the same environment or private networking is enabled for cross-env.
  • Connection refused? Verify the target service is running and listening on the expected port.
  • Need external access temporarily? Use a TCP Proxy or Custom Domain for debugging, then disable when done.