What to choose
Amvera alternative: Amvera or Netrun for your project
In short
Netrun is an Amvera alternative for people who would rather not describe their environment in a configuration file or set up a repository. Both platforms do the same job: they run your code on their servers and give you a public HTTPS link. The difference is the route: with Amvera it usually goes through git and a configuration file you write yourself, while Netrun has no configuration file and git is optional — you upload a folder of code as an archive, the stack is detected from the project files, and anything missing is asked for in plain words. Stay with Amvera if you like describing your setup in a file, and pick Netrun if you would rather not describe infrastructure at all.
Amvera is a cloud for applications, and people usually get there through git: the code sits in a repository, and a configuration file next to it describes how to build and start the project. It is a sound approach, and people looking for an Amvera alternative are usually not unhappy with it. They simply do not want to set up a repository and describe an environment in a file, which is especially true when the code was written in one evening or generated by an AI and is just a folder on disk.
Normally you have to answer two questions before launch: how to deliver the code and how to describe the environment. With Netrun the second question does not exist. There is no configuration file, git is optional, the stack is detected from the project files, and whatever is missing, such as a token, an API key or a database connection string, is asked for in the dashboard. Below is where the two approaches differ, which one suits whom, and how to move a project across.
Understand the two routes to a public link#
With Amvera the route usually looks like this: your code lives in a repository, and a configuration file next to it describes the environment and the start command. Netrun skips that step entirely: the platform reads the project files — requirements.txt, package.json, go.mod and the like — and works out what the project is written in and how to build it. If you already have your own Dockerfile or docker-compose, it uses them as they are, with nothing to write on top.
Stay with Amvera if a configuration file suits you#
A configuration file is not a drawback, it is a different way of working: it lives next to the code, shows up in your change history and travels with the project. If git is already your daily flow and an update starts with a push, there is no reason to change that for us — in Netrun a code update is an action in the dashboard, and there is no automatic publish on push. The same goes for a managed database ordered as a separate service: we do not offer one, so a database either runs as its own service next to the app through docker-compose, or you use an external one.
Choose Netrun if you would rather skip infrastructure#
Netrun is built for the opposite case: you have a folder of code and want a link, and you do not want to learn how a server works. Git is optional — upload the project as an archive (ZIP, RAR, 7z, tar) or import it from GitHub, including a private repository. From there the platform asks one or two plain questions and hands you a public HTTPS address. You can also check in advance whether the project is recognised and will start, free and without signing up, on the check page.
Take your code and remove the hard-coded port#
Grab the sources whichever way is easier: download the project folder, or leave it on GitHub and import it from there. The one thing to fix before moving is a hard-coded port number — read the PORT environment variable instead, and listen on 0.0.0.0 rather than localhost. A hard-coded port is the number one reason a link shows a blank page after a move.
Move your environment variables into secrets#
Write down every value the project used to receive from outside: a bot token, API keys, a database connection string. During setup Netrun asks for them and puts them into environment variables, so your code reads them exactly as before and needs no changes. They are stored encrypted and never end up in the archive or the repository.
Remember where the data lived, then upload the project#
Check separately what the project wrote to disk: an SQLite database file, uploaded images, a cache. In Netrun anything that has to survive a code update goes into the persistent /data folder — you can see its contents in the Data tab of your dashboard and download or upload files there. Projects with their own docker-compose have no /data folder: persistent storage there means the named volumes from your file. After that, upload the project and take the link — the build and the logs are visible in real time.
The difference between Amvera and Netrun is not about which one is better, it is about how much you want to describe yourself. If a configuration file and updates through git are your normal working process, stay with them: they give you more control and live in your change history alongside the code. If you would rather the infrastructure question never came up at all, upload a folder of code and get a link. Try Netrun.
Common questions
Do I need git to run a project on Netrun?
No. You can upload the project as an ordinary archive — ZIP, RAR, 7z or tar — and that is enough. If you already have a GitHub repository you can import it, including a private one, but it is not required.
Do I have to write a configuration file to run a project on Netrun?
No, Netrun has no configuration file at all. The platform detects the language and the way to start the project from the project files themselves, and asks for the missing values during setup. If you already have a Dockerfile or a docker-compose file, it builds the project from those.
Will the project update itself after a git push?
No, Netrun does not publish automatically on push. Updating the code is an action in the dashboard: upload a new version as an archive, or pull the latest code from GitHub with one button. The public link stays the same.
Can I move a Telegram bot over from Amvera?
Yes, moving one usually means uploading the code and setting the token as a secret, with no rewriting. Keep the running mode in mind: on the free plan a bot or a background script runs for three days and then shuts down, while the code and settings stay in place. Round-the-clock work needs the Pro plan.
What happens to my data after the move?
Data does not travel on its own: a database file or user uploads have to be moved by hand. In Netrun their place is the persistent /data folder, and you can upload files into it straight from the Data tab in your dashboard. If the project uses its own docker-compose, persistent storage stays in the named volumes from your file.
How do I pay for Netrun from Russia?
You top up a balance with a Russian card, through SBP or with cryptocurrency, so no foreign bank card is needed. Prices are shown in dollars and the card is charged in roubles at the current rate, with no conversion on your side. Current prices and limits are visible in your dashboard.
Do I need to know how to work with Docker?
No. Netrun detects which language your project uses and builds it for you. If you already have a Dockerfile or docker-compose, we support them, but you do not need to write them specially.
Which languages and technologies are supported?
Python, Node.js, Go, Rust, Ruby, PHP, Java, .NET, Deno, Bun, Elixir, static sites and bash scripts. You can bring your own Dockerfile or docker-compose, but more often the stack is detected from your code automatically.
Where do I set tokens and other secret values?
Every project has a Secrets tab where you set the values from your code — for example the token from BotFather. We store them encrypted: you can see the variable names, but the values are shown to no one, including you.