[Bug]: Preview deployment doesn't pick up compose file changes unless already merged into main

[DoccyB]

Error Message and Logs

You have to merge compose changes into the main branch before they are reflected in the preview deployment

Steps to Reproduce

1. Make a PR with compose changes
2. See changes aren't applied in preview deployment
3. Merge compose changes into main
4. Restart container and see compose changes reflected in preview deployment

Example Repository URL

No response

Coolify Version

v4.0.0-beta.462

Are you using Coolify Cloud?

No (self-hosted)

Operating System and Version (self-hosted)

Ubuntu 24.04.3

Additional Information

No response

[coderabbitai]

⚠️ Possible Duplicate Issue(s)

• [Bug]: docker compose env var added in a branch is not picked up on preview deployments #7957

🔗 Related PRs

#4771 - fix: pull latest image from registry when using build server [merged]
#6689 - v4.0.0-beta.430 [merged]
#7145 - Fix(Documenso): Resolve pending status issue for Documenso deployments (fixes #1767 [merged]
#7164 - Cancel active deployments when a pull request is closed [merged]
#7271 - fix: inject environment variables into custom Docker Compose build commands [merged]

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[djsisson]

i think this was intentional, in that only the branch compose is used, the pr is only for a different build image + env

[kmaid]

I am struggling with this too. The problem is I want to change my compose.yaml file (like adding new env vars or services) along side my code changes. It feels like a bug to me that preview deployments are built against the compose file in the main/master branch rather than the one within the preview branch.

[djsisson]

coolify does not keep multiple compose files on the host, only the initial one, this is what is used for subsequent builds either normally or via pr, by amending it with coolify specific keys/labels before injecting it into the build container, and finally running it on the host. This would only get updated when the branch gets updated.
different env can be added in the ui under the env preview section

[kmaid]

This feels like a significant limitation of preview deployments. Preview environments are typically expected to represent the full PR state, including infrastructure changes like compose.yaml. This makes it impossible to QA changes that modify services, env vars, ports, or volumes before merge, which defeats the main value of PR previews. I really want to test my infra (compose.yml) with my code changes before we merge it and find out it doesn't work as expected and blocks other prs/deployments

[djsisson]

there is an environment section in your project to do just this (prod-test-staging-dev etc), where you would pick a different branch to test infra changes, previews are not meant for that.

[kmaid]

It seems like allot of work to setup an env for each env var we add or rename and then deleting it immedately afterwards. What are your reservations against always using the current branches context?

I will give it a try next time it comes up regardless and thanks for the support! Love coolify, way better than solutions i have had to write in the past!

[DoccyB]

Agree with this guy, Coolify is a fantastic tool, makes CI much more robust! Just a shame about preview deployments not picking up the compose file, in a fast-paced startup most PRs have some sort of infra changes and it makes it quite fiddly.. Would be an amazing feature in the future! Thanks for your hard work coolify <3