How to Deploy OpenObserve on Heroku: A Complete Guide
Chaitanya Sistla
May 14, 2025
4 min read
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What is Heroku?
Heroku is a cloud Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) that enables developers to build, run, and scale applications entirely in the cloud. Founded in 2007 and now part of Salesforce, Heroku abstracts away infrastructure complexities, allowing you to focus on your application rather than server management.
Why Heroku for OpenObserve?
- Zero DevOps Overhead: No need to manage servers, operating systems, or infrastructure
- Instant Deployment: Deploy in minutes with Git push
- Automatic Scaling: Scale up or down based on your needs
- Built-in Monitoring: Monitor your application health out of the box
- Free Tier Available: Perfect for testing and small workloads
- Add-ons Ecosystem: Easy integration with databases and other services
Prerequisites
Before starting, ensure you have:
- A Heroku account (sign up at heroku.com)
- Git installed on your local machine
- Heroku CLI installed (download here)
Step-by-Step Deployment Guide
Step 1: Create Your Heroku Application
First, create a new Heroku application:
heroku create openobserve
This command creates a new app named "openobserve" and sets up a Git remote automatically.
Step 2: Clone Your Heroku Repository
Clone the empty Heroku repository to your local machine:
git clone https://git.heroku.com/openobserve.git
cd openobserve
Step 3: Configure the Stack
Set the Heroku stack to the latest version:
heroku stack:set heroku-24 -a openobserve
This ensures you're using the most recent runtime environment.
Step 4: Download OpenObserve Binary
Download the OpenObserve Linux AMD64 binary:
curl -L https://github.com/openobserve/openobserve/releases/download/v0.14.7/openobserve-v0.14.7-linux-amd64.tar.gz -o openobserve.tar.gz
tar -xvf openobserve.tar.gz
rm openobserve.tar.gz
chmod +x openobserve
Step 5: Create Required Files
Create a Procfile
The Procfile tells Heroku how to run your application:
web: ZO_ROOT_USER_EMAIL="$ZO_ROOT_USER_EMAIL" ZO_ROOT_USER_PASSWORD="$ZO_ROOT_USER_PASSWORD" ZO_HTTP_PORT=$PORT ./openobserve
Save this as Procfile (no file extension).
Create package.json
Create a minimal package.json to help Heroku detect the buildpack:
{
"name": "openobserve-heroku",
"version": "1.0.0",
"description": "OpenObserve deployment on Heroku",
"engines": {
"node": "20.x"
}
}
Step 6: Configure Environment Variables
Set the required environment variables:
heroku config:set ZO_ROOT_USER_EMAIL="admin@example.com" -a openobserve
heroku config:set ZO_ROOT_USER_PASSWORD="SecurePassword123!" -a openobserve
heroku config:set ZO_DATA_DIR="/app/data" -a openobserve
Step 7: Deploy to Heroku
Add all files to Git and deploy:
git add .
git commit -m "Deploy OpenObserve on Heroku"
git push
Step 8: Verify Deployment
Check the logs to ensure everything is running correctly:
heroku logs --tail
You should see OpenObserve starting up and listening on the assigned port.
Step 9: Access Your OpenObserve Instance
Visit your Heroku URL:
https://openobserve.herokuapp.com (you will get this as soon as deployment is successful)
Log in with the email and password you configured earlier.
Scaling Your Application
Scale for better performance:
heroku ps:scale web=1:standard-2x -a openobserve
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Binary Format Error
If you see "cannot execute binary file", ensure you're using the Linux AMD64 binary:
file openobserve # Should show: ELF 64-bit LSB executable, x86-64
Memory Issues
For larger workloads, upgrade your dyno:
heroku ps:resize web=performance-m -a openobserve
Port Binding Issues
OpenObserve automatically uses Heroku's PORT environment variable through our Procfile configuration.
Best Practices for Production
- Use External Storage: Configure S3 or compatible object storage
- Enable SSL: Heroku provides automatic SSL for your application
- Set Up Monitoring: Send logs and metrics to OpenObserve
- Configure Backup: Set up regular backups of your data
- Use Performance Dynos: For production workloads, use performance dynos
You can monitor heroku through OpenObserve by following this blog.
Cost Optimization
- Free Tier: Great for testing and development
- Hobby Tier ($7/month): Suitable for small teams
- Professional Tier: For production workloads with auto-scaling
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for large deployments
Conclusion
Deploying OpenObserve on Heroku combines the power of a modern observability platform with the simplicity of cloud deployment. By following this guide, you can have a production-ready OpenObserve instance running in minutes, without the complexity of traditional infrastructure management.
Heroku's platform abstracts away the complexities of deployment, scaling, and maintenance, allowing you to focus on using OpenObserve for your observability needs. Whether you're monitoring applications, analyzing logs, or tracking metrics, this deployment method provides a reliable, scalable solution.
Next Steps
- Explore OpenObserve's features for log analysis and metrics
- Set up data ingestion from your applications
- Configure alerts and dashboards
- Integrate with your existing monitoring stack
Get Started with OpenObserve Today!
Sign up for a free trial of OpenObserve on our website. Check out our GitHub repository for self-hosting and contribution opportunities.
