Skip to main content

Rollback & Deploy History

Every time you deploy an application, AstroPulse records an immutable, secret-free snapshot of that version. If a release misbehaves, you can return the app to any previous good version — from the console, the astroctl CLI, or Nova. Use whichever fits your workflow; the behavior is identical. Rollback is always diff-first: you see exactly what will change and confirm before anything is applied.

How it works​

  • Versioned on every deploy. Each deploy is captured as a numbered version (v1, v2, …) with its source identity — image tag, chart version, or Git revision. Snapshots are stored without secrets, so they are safe to keep and safe to show.
  • Diff-first and confirmed. A rollback first produces a plan: the current → target version and a sanitized before/after of what changes. Nothing is applied until you confirm.
  • Forward-only history. Rolling back to v3 deploys that version's source and records a new version on top. Your history is never rewritten, so you can always move again.
  • Git apps are pinned. If an app tracks a moving branch (for example main), a rollback pins it to the exact revision it rolled back to so it cannot drift forward. You return to tracking the branch with resume.
  • Eligibility is explicit. Each version states whether it can be rolled back to. If it cannot, the reason is shown — for example, a version whose deploy never succeeded, or one superseded by a newer deploy.

From the console​

Open an application and select the History tab. Each version shows its source, when and by whom it shipped, its state, and whether it is rollback-eligible.

Application deploy history in the console

Expand any version to see exactly what shipped — source, image, who deployed it, when, and whether it is rollback-eligible:

Choose Roll back on an eligible version to see the plan — the exact before/after diff and any warnings — then confirm.

Diff-first rollback confirmation

For a Git-tracked app that has been pinned, the History tab shows a Resume tracking action to return to following the branch.

From the CLI​

astroctl app history myapp                    # full version timeline (add -o json or -o yaml)
astroctl app rollback myapp --dry-run         # preview the current → target diff, nothing applied
astroctl app rollback myapp                   # roll back to the previous version (asks to confirm)
astroctl app rollback myapp --to v4 --yes     # target a specific version, skip the prompt
astroctl app resume myapp                     # resume tracking the branch (Git-tracked apps)

Add --reason "..." to record an audit reason with the operation.

With Nova​

Ask in plain language, for example "show the deploy history for myapp" or "roll myapp back to the last good version." Nova returns the rollback plan first and applies it only after you confirm, so the same diff-first, governed flow applies no matter how you ask.

Good to know​

Rollback reverts the deployed version, not your data

A rollback returns your application to a previous version, but it does not undo database migrations or other data changes. Plan data-affecting changes accordingly.

  • Secrets must be references. A deploy is rejected if the spec contains a raw secret value, because versions are stored secret-free. Use secret references instead.
  • Some fields are fixed. An application's profile and source type cannot change once set, so a rollback to a version that used a different one is not allowed.

Reference​