service_create_from_image

Create a Railway service from a Docker image to deploy custom databases, pre-built containers, or specific image versions.

Instructions

[API] Create a new service from a Docker image

⚡️ Best for: ✓ Custom database deployments ✓ Pre-built container deployments ✓ Specific version requirements

⚠️ Not for: × Standard database deployments (use database_deploy) × GitHub repository deployments (use service_create_from_repo) × Services needing build process

→ Prerequisites: project_list

→ Alternatives: database_deploy, service_create_from_repo

→ Next steps: variable_set, service_update, tcp_proxy_create

→ Related: volume_create, deployment_trigger

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`projectId`	Yes	ID of the project to create the service in
`image`	Yes	Docker image to use (e.g., 'postgres:13-alpine')
`name`	No	Optional custom name for the service

Implementation Reference

src/tools/service.tool.ts:89-119 (registration)

Registration of the 'service_create_from_image' MCP tool, including description, input schema (zod), and handler function that delegates to serviceService.createServiceFromImage

createTool(
  "service_create_from_image",
  formatToolDescription({
    type: 'API',
    description: "Create a new service from a Docker image",
    bestFor: [
      "Custom database deployments",
      "Pre-built container deployments",
      "Specific version requirements"
    ],
    notFor: [
      "Standard database deployments (use database_deploy)",
      "GitHub repository deployments (use service_create_from_repo)",
      "Services needing build process"
    ],
    relations: {
      prerequisites: ["project_list"],
      nextSteps: ["variable_set", "service_update", "tcp_proxy_create"],
      alternatives: ["database_deploy", "service_create_from_repo"],
      related: ["volume_create", "deployment_trigger"]
    }
  }),
  {
    projectId: z.string().describe("ID of the project to create the service in"),
    image: z.string().describe("Docker image to use (e.g., 'postgres:13-alpine')"),
    name: z.string().optional().describe("Optional custom name for the service")
  },
  async ({ projectId, image, name }) => {
    return serviceService.createServiceFromImage(projectId, image, name);
  }
),

src/services/service.service.ts:107-124 (helper)

Helper method in ServiceService that implements the core logic: calls client.services.createService with Docker image source and returns formatted response.

async createServiceFromImage(projectId: string, image: string, name?: string) {
  try {
    const service = await this.client.services.createService({
      projectId,
      name,
      source: {
        image,
      }
    });

    return createSuccessResponse({
      text: `Created new service "${service.name}" (ID: ${service.id}) from Docker image "${image}"`,
      data: service
    });
  } catch (error) {
    return createErrorResponse(`Error creating service: ${formatError(error)}`);
  }
}

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