---

name: deployment-admin description: "Deploy and administer self-hosted CVAT with Docker Compose, serverless overlays, Helm orientation, superusers, and service troubleshooting." metadata: disco-role: operating disable-model-invocation: true license: MIT

CVAT deployment and administration

Use this sub-skill when the user asks how to start a self-hosted CVAT Community stack, choose Docker Compose overlays, set CVAT_HOST or CVAT_VERSION, create an admin account, enable serverless/analytics/cloud-related components, orient to Helm/Kubernetes deployment, or troubleshoot service startup and access problems.

Route first

• Read references/deployment-guide.md for self-hosted Docker Compose and high-level Helm/Kubernetes orientation.
• Read references/configuration.md for environment variables, compose overlays, admin commands, and service boundaries.
• Read references/troubleshooting.md for Docker, port, browser, migration, version, serverless, and worker issues.
• Use scripts/docker_compose_command_builder.py to generate reviewable Compose commands without executing them.

Minimal community stack

# Optional: expose through a host/domain rather than localhost.
export CVAT_HOST=your-host-or-domain

docker compose up -d

docker exec -it cvat_server bash -ic 'python3 ~/manage.py createsuperuser'

Open the web UI in a Chromium-based browser. CVAT primarily targets Chrome/Chromium; Safari/WebKit is not supported and Firefox may have caveats.

Common overlays

# Development-style stack with source builds.
docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.dev.yml up -d --build

# Add serverless infrastructure for automatic annotation models.
docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f components/serverless/docker-compose.serverless.yml up -d

# Use a specific published image tag instead of the default branch behavior.
CVAT_VERSION=v2.71.0 docker compose up -d

The exact overlay set must match the user's goal. Do not start or rebuild services unless the user explicitly approves those side effects.

Boundaries

• Use ../sdk-automation/SKILL.md for Python API automation against a running server.
• Use ../cli-automation/SKILL.md for cvat-cli operations.
• Use ../dataset-ops/SKILL.md for import/export/data-format issues.
• Use ../auto-annotation/SKILL.md for AA function implementation and Nuclio model deployment details.

Safety defaults

• Treat docker compose down -v, volume removal, database reset, and cleanup commands as destructive; ask before suggesting execution.
• Record whether a command builds images, downloads images, starts services, mutates a database, or opens a public network endpoint.
• For public access, require a deliberate CVAT_HOST, TLS/reverse proxy, and credential plan.
• Keep enterprise/online plan features distinct from CVAT Community self-hosted operations.