catalyst-appsail

name	catalyst-appsail
description	Catalyst AppSail — persistent backend PaaS with managed runtimes (Node.js, Java, Python) and custom Docker containers. Trigger on 'AppSail', 'persistent server', 'Docker on Catalyst', 'X_ZOHO_CATALYST_LISTEN_PORT', or 'long-running process on Catalyst'. Do NOT use for stateless request/response handlers, event-driven functions, or scheduled jobs — use catalyst-functions instead.
compatibility	Requires Catalyst CLI (`npm install -g zcatalyst-cli`). Custom Docker deployments additionally require Docker Desktop.
metadata	{"version":"2.0.0"}

How It Works

1. Identify the runtime — Managed runtime (Node.js, Java, Python) or custom Docker container.

2. Load references/appsail-basics.md — for PORT config, environment variables, Dockerfile requirements, and deploy commands.

3. PORT rule — Always use process.env.X_ZOHO_CATALYST_LISTEN_PORT, never hardcode PORT or 3000.

4. AppSail vs Functions decision — If the user is unsure which to use, apply this matrix:

   	Catalyst Functions	AppSail
   Code structure	Catalyst-specific templates required	Any framework, any format, fully independent
   Use case	HTTP handlers, events, cron, Zoho integrations	Persistent servers, WebSockets, long-running processes, Docker
   Billing	Per API call	Per instance uptime
   Dependency management	Handled by Catalyst	You manage all libraries and frameworks

Triggers

Use this skill for: "AppSail", "persistent server", "Docker on Catalyst", "backend hosting", X_ZOHO_CATALYST_LISTEN_PORT, appsail:add, "catalyst managed runtime", "deploy Express app", "WebSockets on Catalyst", "AppSail vs Functions", "long-running process on Catalyst", or "containerized app on Catalyst".

References

Reference	Load when the query is about…
references/appsail-basics.md	Runtimes, Docker setup, PORT env var, env variables, deploy commands, AppSail vs Functions decision table