Install Dokku on DreamHost Cloud Server with cloud-init

Cloud-init script can be used to automate installation of Dokku on Dreamhost (or any other OpenStack-compatible cloud with minimal changes).

A new server instance can be created on DreamHost Cloud from the command line using OpenStack client or from the web UI and with the same command use a cloud-init script to install Dokku. Install the OpenStack CLI, download the DreamHost Cloud credentials file before proceeding and make sure your public SSH key is added to the cloud.

source openrc.sh # Set the environment variables for DreamHost Cloud

This allows OpenStack client to connect to DreamHost API endpoints. The command below creates a new server instance named my-dokku-instance based on Ubuntu 14.04, with 2 GB RAM and 1 CPU (the flavor called supersonic), opening network port access to HTTP and SSH (the default security group), and the name of the chosen SSH key. This key will be automatically added to the new server in the authorized_keys for the default SSH user (ubuntu), and it will be reused by Dokku.

openstack server create \
  --image Ubuntu-14.04 \
  --flavor gp1.supersonic \
  --security-group default \
  --key-name $YOUR_SSH_KEYNAME \
  --user-data dokku-cloudinit.sh \
  my-dokku-instance

The content of dokku-cloudinit.sh script contains instructions to add Docker and Dokku's apt repositories and install Dokku with the proper debconf options set. Don't forget to add the FQDN for your application server:

#cloud-config
apt_upgrade: true

apt_sources:
 - source: "deb https://packagecloud.io/dokku/dokku/ubuntu/ trusty main"
   key: |
    -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
    Version: SKS 1.1.5
    Comment: Hostname: pgpkeys.eu

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    -----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
   filename: dokku.list
 - source: "deb https://apt.dockerproject.org/repo ubuntu-trusty main"
   key: |
    -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
    Version: SKS 1.1.5
    Comment: Hostname: pgpkeys.co.uk

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   filename: docker.list

package_upgrade: true

debconf_selections: |

    dokku dokku/web_config boolean false
    dokku dokku/vhost_enable boolean true
    # set the domain name of the new Dokku server
    dokku dokku/hostname string $YOUR_FULL_QUALIFIED_DOMAIN
    # this copies over the public SSH key assigned to the server
    dokku dokku/key_file string /home/ubuntu/.ssh/authorized_keys

packages:
   - dokku

Shortly after running the create command you will get a confirmation that the instance has been created, and after about a minute it should be ready to login. Check the IP of the instance through the web UI or by running:

nova list

SSH with the ubuntu username and the public key previously added. Keep in mind that if you logged in quick enough Dokku might still be installing in the background, and not be ready. The installation takes a few minutes.