Zook is a single-binary deployment controller for Docker Compose stacks and native/systemd binaries. The name comes from Ghanaian pidgin: to zook means to hold / to manage. Zook holds your deployments — it manages the release lifecycle (deploy, health-gate, roll back) of your stacks, sitting alongside Docker and systemd rather than replacing them.
Zook supports two runtimes: docker (Docker Compose, the default) and native (prebuilt binaries under systemd). Both runtimes share the same commands, health-gated deploy flow, and auto-rollback guarantees.
Pages
| Page | What it covers |
|---|---|
| concepts.md | Mental model: one binary, many stacks; two runtimes, one interface |
| layout.md | On-disk layout for docker and native stacks; zook.yaml; state.json; ZOOK_STACKS_ROOT |
| native.md | Native/systemd runtime guide: zook.yaml, artifact model, deploy flow, operator setup |
| deploy-contract.md | Immutable tags, healthchecks required, fail-closed, migrations |
| commands.md | Full CLI reference with worked examples and transcripts |
| stacks.md | How to lay out a stack directory and experiment locally |
| architecture.md | Engine, Runtime interface, package boundaries |
| roadmap.md | V2 (done), V3, and later plans |
Quick start
# Deploy a versioned stack
zook deploy my-app v1.2.3
# Check health across all stacks
zook status
# View the most recent deploy log
zook logs my-app
See commands.md for the full reference.