cloudgov-deploy

Skill: cloud.gov Deployment

Deploy a federal application to cloud.gov — the FedRAMP-authorized platform available to all federal employees.

When to Use

• Deploying any federal application
• User says "deploy to cloud.gov" or "push to sandbox"
• PROJECT_PLAN.md lists cloud.gov as the hosting platform

Why cloud.gov

• Free sandbox for anyone with a .gov, .mil, or .fed.us email
• FedRAMP Authorized — inherits ~80% of NIST 800-53 controls
• Zero infrastructure management — no servers, no patches, no OS updates
• cf push deploys in minutes — no Kubernetes, no Terraform required for sandbox

Procedure

Step 1: Sandbox Account Setup

Guide the user through account creation:

# 1. Sign up at https://cloud.gov/sign-up/ with your .gov/.mil email
# 2. Install the CF CLI: https://docs.cloud.gov/platform/getting-started/quickstart-setup/
# 3. Login:
cf login -a api.fr.cloud.gov --sso
# 4. Visit the passcode URL shown, authenticate, paste the code
# 5. Target your sandbox:
cf target -o sandbox-<agency> -s <your-email-prefix>

Note: Sandbox contents are cleared every 90 days. For persistent deployments, the agency needs a cloud.gov organization.

Step 2: Generate manifest.yml

Create a manifest.yml in the project root based on the tech stack from PROJECT_PLAN.md:

Python (FastAPI/Flask/Django):

---
applications:
  - name: <project-name>
    memory: 256M
    instances: 1
    buildpacks:
      - python_buildpack
    command: gunicorn app:app
    env:
      DISABLE_COLLECTSTATIC: 1
    services: []

Node.js/TypeScript:

---
applications:
  - name: <project-name>
    memory: 256M
    instances: 1
    buildpacks:
      - nodejs_buildpack
    command: npm start
    env:
      NODE_ENV: production
    services: []

Go:

---
applications:
  - name: <project-name>
    memory: 128M
    instances: 1
    buildpacks:
      - go_buildpack
    env:
      GOVERSION: go1.22
    services: []

Static site (Astro/Hugo/Jekyll):

---
applications:
  - name: <project-name>
    memory: 64M
    instances: 1
    buildpacks:
      - staticfile_buildpack
    path: dist/