# What is Tokay?

Tokay is a platform for running application code without building a separate deployment system around it. You bring a repository, folder, or set of files. We identify how the application should run, show you the setup, and operate it on your Workspace's dedicated virtual machine.

The goal is not to hide the application. It is to remove the server and release work that does not need to live in your code while keeping the important choices visible.

## Services describe how each process receives work

Tokay runs four Service types.

- A **web app** answers HTTP requests for a site, dashboard, or API.
- A **scheduled job** starts on a timer, completes work, and exits.
- A **webhook** receives events from another service and records each request.
- A **background worker** stays alive to watch, poll, or consume a queue.

One application can use several Service types. A web app and its queue worker can share a Project while deploying as separate processes. See [Which Service type is my code?](which-service-type.md).

## Code can come from the workflow you already use

Paste or upload files when the code is not in a repository. Push to a Tokay hosted git repository when local git should be the source of truth. Connect GitHub when the repository should stay there.

All three paths lead to the same analysis, review, build, and deployment system. Your AI agent can also operate that path through the GraphQL API. See [Deploy with an AI agent](deploy-with-an-ai-agent.md).

## Projects keep related parts together

A Project groups the Services, databases, secrets, access rules, and members that belong to one application. Related Services share the Project's private network and resources. Separate Projects create clear boundaries between unrelated applications.

The Workspace owns the Projects, code, members, and one dedicated virtual machine. See [How Tokay is organized](how-tokay-is-organized.md) for the full mental model.

## Tokay operates the production environment

We build each Service, keep long running processes available, run scheduled work, provide HTTPS, record logs and incidents, and protect web updates with health checks. Supported databases are created when the code expects them.

Every Workspace receives reserved CPU, memory, and storage on a KVM isolated virtual machine. See [Your server](your-server.md) for capacity and [Security](security.md) for the isolation and access model.

Tokay has a very generous free tier with no credit card. Start with [Your first deploy](your-first-deploy.md) when you have code ready.