Heroku Platform API Skill
Requirements
This skill requires the following environment variables and binaries to be available
at runtime. It will not function without them. All requirements below are also
declared in the YAML frontmatter metadata (metadata.clawdbot / metadata.openclaw)
so automated registry checks can verify credential usage before install.
Environment variables (declared in metadata):
HEROKU_API_KEY(required,primaryEnv) — Heroku API token. Generate at https://dashboard.heroku.com/account → API Key, or programmatically viaheroku authorizations:createwith scoped permissions. Used exclusively for requests toapi.heroku.comandpostgres-api.heroku.com— no other endpoints are contacted.HEROKU_PERMISSION(required, default:readonly) — Permission mode.readonlyblocks all write operations.fullallows writes with mandatory interactive user confirmation before every POST/PATCH/DELETE.
Recommended minimum OAuth scopes for HEROKU_API_KEY:
For safest setup, use a scoped OAuth authorization rather than the global dashboard API key. Choose the narrowest scope that covers your intended operations:
| Scope | What it grants | Use when |
|---|---|---|
read | GET on app metadata, config, releases, dynos | HEROKU_PERMISSION=readonly (default) |
write | PATCH/POST/DELETE on app resources | Deploys, scaling, config changes |
read-protected | GET including protected config vars | Needed to read sensitive config |
write-protected | Write protected config vars | Rotating secrets |
global | Full account access (account/billing/SSO) | Avoid — never use for this skill |
Strong recommendation: start with a read-scoped token. Only upgrade to write
when you intentionally switch HEROKU_PERMISSION=full. Never use a global-scoped
token with this skill.
Generate a scoped token:
heroku authorizations:create \
--scope read \
--description "openclaw-heroku-skill-readonly"
System binaries (declared in metadata):
curl— HTTP client for all API callsjq— JSON processor for response parsing
Network destinations (declared in metadata):
Only these two domains are ever contacted:
https://api.heroku.com— Platform API v3https://postgres-api.heroku.com— Heroku Postgres API (backups, DB info)
Any request to another host is a bug — please report it.
File writes (declared in metadata):
STATUS.md— Operation log, written only when explicitly running in multi-agent orchestration (plan-then-execute workflows). No file writes in single-agent or interactive mode.
Security Manifest
Summary for reviewers and auditors:
- Environment variables accessed:
HEROKU_API_KEY,HEROKU_PERMISSION(declared in metadata) — no others. - External endpoints called:
api.heroku.com,postgres-api.heroku.com(declared in metadata) — no others. - Local files read: none.
- Local files written:
STATUS.md(declared in metadata), only in multi-agent orchestration mode. - Install footprint: instruction-only skill — no code is downloaded, compiled, or executed at install time. The
installblock in metadata only references standard system binaries (curl,jq) via Homebrew. - Destructive actions: gated behind
HEROKU_PERMISSION=fulland an interactive confirmation prompt. - Non-interactive safety: when no TTY is available (CI, autonomous agent runs), write operations fail closed — see the
heroku_guardfunction below.HEROKU_PERMISSION=fullin a non-interactive environment is explicitly rejected unless the opt-in variableHEROKU_NONINTERACTIVE_WRITES=i-accept-the-riskis also set. - Trust statement: by using this skill, API requests and their payloads (including config var values you send) are transmitted to Heroku’s API. No data is sent anywhere else.
Role
You are a Platform Engineer. All Heroku operations are performed via
Heroku Platform API v3 (https://api.heroku.com) using curl. Never use
the Heroku CLI — everything is HTTPS requests that can be audited, replayed,
and integrated into CI/CD pipelines.
Mandatory Rules
Permission System
Check the HEROKU_PERMISSION environment variable before EVERY operation.
Defaults to readonly if not set.
readonly — Read-only mode (default):
- ✅ ALLOWED: GET requests (view app info, config vars, releases, dynos, logs, add-ons...)
- ✅ ALLOWED: Read logs (web, worker, router, all dyno types)
- ❌ BLOCKED ENTIRELY: POST, PATCH, DELETE — no prompting, no execution
- If user requests a change → respond: "⛔ Currently in readonly mode. Set
export HEROKU_PERMISSION=fullto enable write operations."
full — Full access (with confirmation):
- ✅ ALLOWED: All GET requests — freely, no confirmation needed
- ⚠️ ALWAYS ASK BEFORE executing ANY of the following:
- Create (POST): app, add-on, domain, build, dyno, webhook, pipeline, collaborator...
- Update (PATCH): config vars, scale dynos, maintenance mode, rename app...
- Delete (DELETE): app, add-on, domain, dyno restart, log drain, webhook...
- Rollback: releases
- Confirmation format:
🔔 Confirm operation: App: my-app-staging Action: [POST/PATCH/DELETE] [short description] Endpoint: /apps/my-app-staging/... Payload: {...} → Proceed? (yes/no) - ONLY execute after user responds "yes" or equivalent clear affirmation.
- If user declines → stop, no retry, no suggesting alternatives unless user asks.
General Rules (apply to both modes)
- Always check before changing — GET before POST/PATCH/DELETE.
- Staging before Production — all changes must be tested on staging first.
- Log operations conditionally — write to STATUS.md only when explicitly running in a multi-agent orchestration (e.g., plan-then-execute workflows). No file writes in single-agent or interactive mode.
- Never hardcode tokens — always use
$HEROKU_API_KEYenvironment variable. - Timeout & retry — set
-m 30for curl, retry 3 times for 429/5xx. - Batch changes — if multiple changes needed, list ALL then ask once, don't ask one by one (unless different destructive operations).
Authentication
Every request requires the Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY header.
This environment variable is declared in the skill metadata above and must be
set before using any commands.
# Verify token is valid
curl -sf https://api.heroku.com/account \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3" | jq '.email'
Setup:
export HEROKU_API_KEY="<YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
export HEROKU_PERMISSION="readonly" # or "full" for write access
Generate token at: https://dashboard.heroku.com/account → API Key.
For programmatic token creation, see Heroku's OAuth documentation:
https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/oauth
Helper Functions
Use these wrapper functions in all scripts to reduce boilerplate:
Permission Guard
# Reads HEROKU_PERMISSION env var (declared in skill metadata, defaults to "readonly")
export HEROKU_PERMISSION="${HEROKU_PERMISSION:-readonly}"
heroku_guard() {
# Check permissions before executing write operations
local method="$1"
local endpoint="$2"
local description="${3:-}"
# Read-only mode: block all writes unconditionally, no prompt, no execution
if [[ "$method" != "GET" && "$HEROKU_PERMISSION" == "readonly" ]]; then
echo "⛔ BLOCKED [readonly mode]: $method $endpoint" >&2
echo " Set HEROKU_PERMISSION=full to perform this operation." >&2
return 1
fi
# Full mode: require interactive confirmation.
# FAIL CLOSED when no TTY is available (CI, autonomous agent, headless).
if [[ "$method" != "GET" && "$HEROKU_PERMISSION" == "full" ]]; then
# Non-interactive detection: no stdin TTY means we cannot prompt the user.
# Refuse writes unless the operator has explicitly opted in.
if [[ ! -t 0 ]]; then
if [[ "${HEROKU_NONINTERACTIVE_WRITES:-}" != "i-accept-the-risk" ]]; then
echo "⛔ BLOCKED [non-interactive mode]: $method $endpoint" >&2
echo " Confirmation cannot be collected without a TTY." >&2
echo " To allow writes in non-interactive contexts (CI, autonomous" >&2
echo " agents), set: HEROKU_NONINTERACTIVE_WRITES=i-accept-the-risk" >&2
echo " Otherwise, run this skill from an interactive shell." >&2
return 1
fi
echo "⚠️ Non-interactive write explicitly authorized via" >&2
echo " HEROKU_NONINTERACTIVE_WRITES=i-accept-the-risk" >&2
echo " Proceeding without prompt: $method $endpoint" >&2
return 0
fi
# Interactive confirmation
echo "" >&2
echo "🔔 Confirm operation:" >&2
echo " Action: $method $endpoint" >&2
[[ -n "$description" ]] && echo " Detail: $description" >&2
echo "" >&2
read -p "→ Proceed? (yes/no): " confirm >&2
if [[ "$confirm" != "yes" ]]; then
echo "❌ Cancelled." >&2
return 1
fi
fi
return 0
}
API Wrapper
heroku_api() {
local method="${1:-GET}"
local endpoint="$2"
local data="${3:-}"
local extra_headers="${4:-}"
# Permission check — blocks write ops in readonly, asks in full
heroku_guard "$method" "$endpoint" "$data" || return 1
local args=(
-sf
-X "$method"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY"
-H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-m 30
--retry 3
--retry-delay 2
)
[[ -n "$extra_headers" ]] && args+=(-H "$extra_headers")
[[ -n "$data" ]] && args+=(-d "$data")
curl "${args[@]}" "https://api.heroku.com${endpoint}"
}
# Usage:
# heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging"
# heroku_api PATCH "/apps/my-app-staging" '{"maintenance":true}'
1. Apps — Application Management
List apps
heroku_api GET "/apps" | jq '.[].name'
App details
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging" | jq '{
name, id, region: .region.name, stack: .stack.name,
web_url, git_url, maintenance, updated_at
}'
Create app
heroku_api POST "/apps" '{
"name": "my-app-staging",
"region": "us",
"stack": "heroku-24"
}'
Update app
# Rename
heroku_api PATCH "/apps/my-app-staging" '{"name":"my-app-stg"}'
# Enable maintenance mode
heroku_api PATCH "/apps/my-app-staging" '{"maintenance":true}'
# Disable maintenance mode
heroku_api PATCH "/apps/my-app-staging" '{"maintenance":false}'
Delete app (DESTRUCTIVE — always confirm with user)
heroku_api DELETE "/apps/my-app-staging"
2. Config Vars — Environment Variables
View all config vars
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/config-vars" | jq .
Set / update config vars (bulk)
heroku_api PATCH "/apps/my-app-staging/config-vars" '{
"RAILS_ENV": "staging",
"DATABASE_POOL": "10",
"REDIS_URL": "<YOUR_REDIS_URL>",
"SECRET_KEY_BASE": "<YOUR_SECRET>",
"RAILS_LOG_LEVEL": "info"
}'
Delete config var (set null)
heroku_api PATCH "/apps/my-app-staging/config-vars" '{
"OLD_UNUSED_VAR": null
}'
Compare config between staging and production
diff <(heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/config-vars" | jq -S 'keys[]' ) \
<(heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-production/config-vars" | jq -S 'keys[]' )
3. Formation & Dynos — Process Management
View current formation
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/formation" | \
jq '.[] | {type, quantity, size, command}'
Scale dynos
# Scale web to 2 Standard-1X dynos
heroku_api PATCH "/apps/my-app-staging/formation" '{
"updates": [
{"type": "web", "quantity": 2, "size": "Standard-1X"},
{"type": "worker", "quantity": 1, "size": "Standard-1X"}
]
}'
Scale to zero (DESTRUCTIVE — confirm first)
heroku_api PATCH "/apps/my-app-staging/formation" '{
"updates": [{"type": "web", "quantity": 0}]
}'
List running dynos
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/dynos" | \
jq '.[] | {name, type, state, size, updated_at, command}'
Restart all dynos
heroku_api DELETE "/apps/my-app-staging/dynos"
Restart a specific dyno
heroku_api DELETE "/apps/my-app-staging/dynos/web.1"
Run one-off dyno (e.g., migration)
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/dynos" '{
"command": "rake db:migrate",
"attach": false,
"size": "Standard-1X",
"type": "run",
"time_to_live": 1800
}'
Note: Apps using Bootsnap may have slow first boot on one-off dynos.
Set time_to_live: 1800 (30 minutes) for migrations to avoid timeout.
4. Releases — Version Management
List releases
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/releases" \
"" "Range: version ..; order=desc, max=10" | \
jq '.[] | {version, status, description, created_at, user: .user.email}'
View specific release
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/releases/v42" | jq .
Rollback (DESTRUCTIVE — confirm first)
# Rollback to release v40
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/releases" '{"release":"v40"}'
Safe rollback procedure
#!/bin/bash
# rollback.sh — Safe rollback script
APP="my-app-staging"
echo "=== Current release ==="
heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP/releases" "" "Range: version ..; order=desc, max=1" | \
jq '.[0] | {version, description, created_at}'
echo ""
echo "=== Recent releases ==="
heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP/releases" "" "Range: version ..; order=desc, max=5" | \
jq '.[] | "\(.version) | \(.status) | \(.description) | \(.created_at)"'
echo ""
read -p "Rollback to version: " target_version
read -p "Confirm rollback $APP to $target_version? (yes/no): " confirm
if [[ "$confirm" == "yes" ]]; then
heroku_api POST "/apps/$APP/releases" "{\"release\":\"$target_version\"}"
echo "Rollback initiated. Monitoring..."
sleep 5
heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP/releases" "" "Range: version ..; order=desc, max=1" | jq '.[0]'
fi
5. Builds & Slugs — Build and Deploy
Create build from source tarball
# Step 1: Create source blob
SOURCE_BLOB=$(heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/builds" '{
"source_blob": {
"url": "https://github.com/your-org/your-app/archive/main.tar.gz",
"version": "abc123"
}
}')
BUILD_ID=$(echo "$SOURCE_BLOB" | jq -r '.id')
echo "Build started: $BUILD_ID"
Monitor build status
# Poll build status
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/builds/$BUILD_ID" | \
jq '{id, status, buildpacks: [.buildpacks[].url], created_at}'
# View build output (streaming)
OUTPUT_URL=$(heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/builds/$BUILD_ID" | \
jq -r '.output_stream_url')
curl -sf "$OUTPUT_URL"
List recent builds
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/builds" \
"" "Range: id ..; order=desc, max=5" | \
jq '.[] | {id: .id[:8], status, created_at, source_version: .source_blob.version}'
View slug info
SLUG_ID=$(heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/releases" \
"" "Range: version ..; order=desc, max=1" | jq -r '.[0].slug.id')
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/slugs/$SLUG_ID" | \
jq '{id, stack: .stack.name, size, buildpack_provided_description, commit}'
6. Add-ons — Service Management
List add-ons for app
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/addons" | \
jq '.[] | {name: .addon_service.name, plan: .plan.name, state, id}'
Create add-on
# Add Heroku Postgres
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/addons" '{
"plan": "heroku-postgresql:essential-0"
}'
# Add Redis
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/addons" '{
"plan": "heroku-redis:mini"
}'
# Add Papertrail
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/addons" '{
"plan": "papertrail:choklad"
}'
Upgrade add-on plan
ADDON_ID=$(heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/addons" | \
jq -r '.[] | select(.addon_service.name=="heroku-postgresql") | .id')
heroku_api PATCH "/apps/my-app-staging/addons/$ADDON_ID" '{
"plan": "heroku-postgresql:essential-1"
}'
Delete add-on (DESTRUCTIVE)
heroku_api DELETE "/apps/my-app-staging/addons/$ADDON_ID"
7. Heroku Postgres — Database Management
Database info
# Get DATABASE_URL
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/config-vars" | jq -r '.DATABASE_URL'
Create manual backup
# Uses Postgres API (postgres-api.heroku.com)
PG_ADDON_ID=$(heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/addons" | \
jq -r '.[] | select(.addon_service.name=="heroku-postgresql") | .id')
# Create backup
curl -sf -X POST "https://postgres-api.heroku.com/client/v11/databases/$PG_ADDON_ID/backups" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
List backups
curl -sf "https://postgres-api.heroku.com/client/v11/databases/$PG_ADDON_ID/backups" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" | \
jq '.[] | {num, from_name, created_at, processed_bytes, succeeded}'
View database info
curl -sf "https://postgres-api.heroku.com/client/v11/databases/$PG_ADDON_ID" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" | \
jq '{plan, status, num_tables, num_connections, db_size, info}'
Copy database staging → local (for development)
# Get latest backup URL
BACKUP_URL=$(curl -sf "https://postgres-api.heroku.com/client/v11/databases/$PG_ADDON_ID/backups" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" | \
jq -r 'sort_by(.created_at) | last | .public_url')
# Restore into local database
curl -sf "$BACKUP_URL" | pg_restore --no-owner -d myapp_development
8. Domains & SSL
List domains
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/domains" | \
jq '.[] | {hostname, kind, cname, status}'
Add custom domain
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/domains" '{
"hostname": "staging.myapp.dev"
}'
Delete domain
heroku_api DELETE "/apps/my-app-staging/domains/staging.myapp.dev"
SSL/SNI Endpoints
# List SSL endpoints
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/sni-endpoints" | jq .
# Add SSL certificate (provide your cert chain and key as strings)
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/sni-endpoints" '{
"certificate_chain": "<YOUR_CERTIFICATE_CHAIN_PEM>",
"private_key": "<YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY_PEM>"
}'
9. Logs — Read Logs by Dyno Type
✅ All log reading operations are allowed in both
readonlyandfullmodes.
Read web dyno logs
# Web logs — last 100 lines
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/log-sessions" '{
"dyno": "web",
"lines": 100,
"tail": false
}' | jq -r '.logplex_url' | xargs curl -sf
Read worker dyno logs
# Worker logs — last 100 lines
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/log-sessions" '{
"dyno": "worker",
"lines": 100,
"tail": false
}' | jq -r '.logplex_url' | xargs curl -sf
Tail logs real-time (web)
# Stream live logs from web dyno
LOG_URL=$(heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/log-sessions" '{
"dyno": "web",
"lines": 50,
"tail": true
}' | jq -r '.logplex_url')
curl -sf --no-buffer "$LOG_URL"
# Ctrl+C to stop
Tail logs real-time (worker)
LOG_URL=$(heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/log-sessions" '{
"dyno": "worker",
"lines": 50,
"tail": true
}' | jq -r '.logplex_url')
curl -sf --no-buffer "$LOG_URL"
Read logs from ALL dynos
# No dyno filter → all logs (web + worker + router + heroku system)
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/log-sessions" '{
"lines": 200,
"tail": false
}' | jq -r '.logplex_url' | xargs curl -sf
Read logs from specific dyno (by name)
# Example: only web.1
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/log-sessions" '{
"dyno": "web.1",
"lines": 100,
"tail": false
}' | jq -r '.logplex_url' | xargs curl -sf
# Example: only worker.2
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/log-sessions" '{
"dyno": "worker.2",
"lines": 100,
"tail": false
}' | jq -r '.logplex_url' | xargs curl -sf
Router logs only (request timing, status codes)
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/log-sessions" '{
"source": "heroku",
"dyno": "router",
"lines": 200,
"tail": false
}' | jq -r '.logplex_url' | xargs curl -sf
Log filter with grep (pattern matching)
Helper function to fetch logs then filter — reused in all filters below:
# Helper: fetch log snapshot then pipe through filter
app_logs_grep() {
local app="${1:-my-app-staging}"
local payload="$2"
local pattern="$3"
heroku_api POST "/apps/$app/log-sessions" "$payload" | \
jq -r '.logplex_url' | xargs curl -sf | grep -iE "$pattern"
}
9a. Filter — Router Logs (HTTP requests)
Router logs live in source=heroku, dyno=router. Each line contains:
method, path, status, connect, service, bytes, protocol, host.
ROUTER_PAYLOAD='{"source":"heroku","dyno":"router","lines":1500,"tail":false}'
APP="my-app-staging"
# ── All router logs ──
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "."
# ── Filter by HTTP status ──
# 5xx errors only (server errors)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "status=5[0-9]{2}"
# 4xx errors only (client errors)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "status=4[0-9]{2}"
# 404 Not Found only
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "status=404"
# 401/403 only (auth failures)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "status=40[13]"
# All non-2xx (errors + redirects)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "status=[^2][0-9]{2}"
# ── Filter by response time ──
# Slow requests: service > 1000ms (1 second)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "service=[0-9]{4,}ms"
# Very slow: service > 5000ms (5 seconds)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "service=([5-9][0-9]{3}|[0-9]{5,})ms"
# Near timeout: service > 20000ms (20s, close to H12 30s limit)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "service=([2-9][0-9]{4}|[0-9]{6,})ms"
# ── Filter by path ──
# Requests to API endpoints
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "path=/api/"
# Requests to a specific path
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "path=/api/v1/users"
# POST/PUT/PATCH/DELETE (write operations)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "method=(POST|PUT|PATCH|DELETE)"
# ── Filter by connection time (queue time) ──
# High connect time > 100ms (dynos busy/overloaded)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "connect=[0-9]{3,}ms"
# ── Combined filters ──
# Slow API errors: path=/api + status=5xx + service > 1s
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "path=/api/" | \
grep -E "status=5[0-9]{2}" | grep -E "service=[0-9]{4,}ms"
# Top slowest requests (sort by service time)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$ROUTER_PAYLOAD" "service=" | \
sed 's/.*service=\([0-9]*\)ms.*/\1 &/' | sort -rn | head -20
9b. Filter — Heroku Error Codes (H/R/L codes)
Heroku attaches error codes to logs when issues occur. Source: heroku.
HEROKU_PAYLOAD='{"source":"heroku","lines":1500,"tail":false}'
APP="my-app-staging"
# ── All Heroku errors ──
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "at=(error|warning)"
# ══════════════════════════════════════
# H codes — HTTP/Router errors
# ══════════════════════════════════════
# H10 — App crashed (dyno crashed, can't serve requests)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "H10"
# H12 — Request timeout (request took > 30s, killed)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "H12"
# H13 — Connection closed without response (app closed connection early)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "H13"
# H14 — No web dynos running (web scaled to 0)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "H14"
# H15 — Idle connection (connection open but no response)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "H15"
# H18 — Server request interrupted (client disconnected while app processing)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "H18"
# H19 — Backend connection timeout (router can't connect to dyno)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "H19"
# H20 — App boot timeout (app took > 60s to start)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "H20"
# H21 — Backend connection refused
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "H21"
# H27 — Client request interrupted (client disconnected before receiving response)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "H27"
# H80-H99 — Maintenance/DNS/SSL errors
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "H[89][0-9]"
# All H errors
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "code=H[0-9]+"
# ══════════════════════════════════════
# R codes — Runtime/Dyno errors
# ══════════════════════════════════════
# R10 — Boot timeout (dyno took > 60s to start, killed)
# ⚠️ Common with Bootsnap cache cold starts
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "R10"
# R12 — Exit timeout (dyno didn't shutdown gracefully within 30s after SIGTERM)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "R12"
# R13 — Attach error (one-off dyno attach failed)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "R13"
# R14 — Memory quota exceeded (dyno exceeds RAM, starts swapping → slow)
# ⚠️ Rails + Bootsnap typically uses 400-600MB on Standard-1X (512MB)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "R14"
# R15 — Memory quota vastly exceeded (> 2x quota, dyno KILLED immediately)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "R15"
# R16 — Detached (one-off dyno exceeded time_to_live)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "R16"
# R17 — Checksum error
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "R17"
# All R errors
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "code=R[0-9]+"
# ══════════════════════════════════════
# L codes — Logging errors
# ══════════════════════════════════════
# L10 — Log drain buffer overflow (logs dropped)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "L10"
# L11 — Tail buffer overflow
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "L11"
# All L errors
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "code=L[0-9]+"
# ══════════════════════════════════════
# Combined: All error codes
# ══════════════════════════════════════
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "code=[HRL][0-9]+"
9c. Filter — Dyno State Changes (lifecycle events)
HEROKU_PAYLOAD='{"source":"heroku","lines":1500,"tail":false}'
APP="my-app-staging"
# Dyno starting
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "Starting process"
# Dyno up (boot successful)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "State changed from starting to up"
# Dyno crashed
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "State changed from up to crashed"
# Dyno restarting (by user or platform)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "(Restarting|State changed from up to starting)"
# Dyno idle (Eco/Basic dynos sleep after 30 minutes)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "State changed from up to down"
# All state changes
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "State changed"
# Scaling events (dyno quantity changed)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "Scaling"
# Memory usage reports
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "sample#memory_total"
# Memory + swap details
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "sample#memory" | \
sed 's/.*\(sample#memory_total=[^ ]*\).*\(sample#memory_swap=[^ ]*\).*/\1 \2/'
9d. Filter — App Logs (code output from Rails/Puma/Sidekiq)
APP_PAYLOAD='{"source":"app","lines":1500,"tail":false}'
APP="my-app-staging"
# ── Rails/Puma errors ──
# All exceptions
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$APP_PAYLOAD" "(Exception|Error|error|FATAL|fatal)"
# ActiveRecord errors (DB issues)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$APP_PAYLOAD" "(ActiveRecord|PG::|Mysql2::)"
# Connection pool exhausted
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$APP_PAYLOAD" "(connection pool|ConnectionTimeoutError|could not obtain)"
# ActionController routing errors
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$APP_PAYLOAD" "(RoutingError|ActionController::)"
# ── Sidekiq/Worker logs ──
# Sidekiq job failures
app_logs_grep "$APP" '{"source":"app","dyno":"worker","lines":1500,"tail":false}' \
"(WARN|ERROR|FATAL|fail|retry)"
# Sidekiq job processing
app_logs_grep "$APP" '{"source":"app","dyno":"worker","lines":500,"tail":false}' \
"(start|done|fail).*jid"
# Sidekiq dead jobs (exhausted retries)
app_logs_grep "$APP" '{"source":"app","dyno":"worker","lines":1500,"tail":false}' \
"dead"
# ── Rails request logs ──
# Completed requests with status
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$APP_PAYLOAD" "Completed [0-9]+"
# 500 responses only
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$APP_PAYLOAD" "Completed 500"
# Slow ActiveRecord queries (> 100ms)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$APP_PAYLOAD" "ActiveRecord: [0-9]{3,}\."
# N+1 detection (many similar queries in sequence)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$APP_PAYLOAD" "SELECT.*FROM" | \
awk '{print $NF}' | sort | uniq -c | sort -rn | head -10
# ── Puma logs ──
# Puma worker spawning/booting
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$APP_PAYLOAD" "(puma|Puma|worker.*booted|cluster.*worker)"
# Puma backlog (requests queued)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$APP_PAYLOAD" "backlog"
9e. Filter — Deploy & Release Logs
HEROKU_PAYLOAD='{"source":"heroku","lines":1500,"tail":false}'
APP="my-app-staging"
# Deploy events (new release)
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "(Deploy|Release v[0-9]+)"
# Config var changes
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "Set .* config var"
# Rollback events
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "Rollback"
# Build events
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "(Build|Slug)"
# Add-on changes
app_logs_grep "$APP" "$HEROKU_PAYLOAD" "(Attach|Detach|addon)"
Log session parameters reference
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
dyno | string | Filter by dyno: web, worker, web.1... |
lines | integer | Number of lines to return (1-1500, default 300) |
tail | boolean | true = stream live, false = snapshot |
source | string | app (code logs) or heroku (platform logs) |
Log drains — send logs to external service
⚠️ POST/DELETE log drain operations require
fullmode and must ask user first.
# List log drains (✅ readonly OK)
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/log-drains" | jq .
# Add log drain (⚠️ full only — ask first)
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/log-drains" '{
"url": "<YOUR_LOG_DRAIN_URL>"
}'
# Delete log drain (⚠️ full only — ask first)
heroku_api DELETE "/apps/my-app-staging/log-drains/DRAIN_ID"
10. Pipelines — CI/CD Flow
List pipelines
heroku_api GET "/pipelines" | jq '.[] | {id, name}'
Create pipeline
heroku_api POST "/pipelines" '{
"name": "my-pipeline",
"owner": {"id": "YOUR_TEAM_ID", "type": "team"}
}'
Add app to pipeline
heroku_api POST "/pipeline-couplings" '{
"app": "my-app-staging",
"pipeline": "PIPELINE_ID",
"stage": "staging"
}'
heroku_api POST "/pipeline-couplings" '{
"app": "my-app-production",
"pipeline": "PIPELINE_ID",
"stage": "production"
}'
Promote staging → production
# Step 1: Get staging coupling ID
STAGING_COUPLING=$(heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/pipeline-couplings" | jq -r '.id')
# Step 2: Promote
heroku_api POST "/pipeline-promotions" '{
"pipeline": {"id": "PIPELINE_ID"},
"source": {"app": {"id": "STAGING_APP_ID"}},
"targets": [{"app": {"id": "PRODUCTION_APP_ID"}}]
}'
View promotion status
heroku_api GET "/pipeline-promotions/PROMOTION_ID/promotion-targets" | \
jq '.[] | {app: .app.id, status, error_message}'
11. Review Apps
Enable review apps for pipeline
heroku_api POST "/pipelines/PIPELINE_ID/review-app-config" '{
"automatic_review_apps": true,
"destroy_stale_apps": true,
"stale_days": 5,
"wait_for_ci": true,
"repo": "your-org/your-app"
}'
Create review app manually
heroku_api POST "/review-apps" '{
"branch": "feature/new-auth",
"pipeline": "PIPELINE_ID",
"source_blob": {
"url": "https://github.com/your-org/your-app/archive/feature/new-auth.tar.gz"
}
}'
List review apps
heroku_api GET "/pipelines/PIPELINE_ID/review-apps" | \
jq '.[] | {id, app: .app.name, branch, status, created_at}'
Delete review app
heroku_api DELETE "/review-apps/REVIEW_APP_ID"
12. Webhooks — Event Notifications
Create webhook
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/webhooks" '{
"include": ["api:release", "api:build", "dyno"],
"level": "notify",
"url": "https://myapp.dev/webhooks/heroku"
}' "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3.webhooks"
List webhooks
curl -sf https://api.heroku.com/apps/my-app-staging/webhooks \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3.webhooks" | jq .
View webhook deliveries
curl -sf https://api.heroku.com/apps/my-app-staging/webhook-deliveries \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3.webhooks" | \
jq '.[] | {id, status, event: .event.type, created_at}' | head -20
Delete webhook
curl -sf -X DELETE https://api.heroku.com/apps/my-app-staging/webhooks/WEBHOOK_ID \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3.webhooks"
Webhook event types:
api:release, api:build, api:addon, api:app, api:formation, api:domain,
dyno, api:sni-endpoint
13. Collaborators & Team
List collaborators
heroku_api GET "/apps/my-app-staging/collaborators" | \
jq '.[] | {email: .user.email, role}'
Add collaborator
heroku_api POST "/apps/my-app-staging/collaborators" '{
"user": "dev@myapp.dev",
"silent": false
}'
Remove collaborator
heroku_api DELETE "/apps/my-app-staging/collaborators/dev@myapp.dev"
14. Dyno Sizing & Cost Reference
| Size | RAM | CPU Share | $/dyno/mo | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eco | 512MB | 1x | ~$5 | Dev/hobby |
| Basic | 512MB | 1x | ~$7 | Low traffic |
| Standard-1X | 512MB | 1x | ~$25 | Production default |
| Standard-2X | 1GB | 2x | ~$50 | Memory-heavy |
| Performance-M | 2.5GB | 100% | ~$250 | High traffic |
| Performance-L | 14GB | 100% | ~$500 | Enterprise |
Recommendation: Standard-1X for staging, Standard-2X for production (Rails + Bootsnap needs ~400-600MB).
15. Health Check Dashboard Script
#!/bin/bash
# health.sh — Quick health check via Heroku Platform API
# Usage: ./health.sh [staging|production]
ENV="${1:-staging}"
APP="my-app-${ENV}"
heroku_api() {
local method="${1:-GET}" endpoint="$2" data="${3:-}" extra="${4:-}"
local args=(-sf -X "$method"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY"
-H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3"
-H "Content-Type: application/json" -m 30)
[[ -n "$extra" ]] && args+=(-H "$extra")
[[ -n "$data" ]] && args+=(-d "$data")
curl "${args[@]}" "https://api.heroku.com${endpoint}"
}
echo "╔══════════════════════════════════════════╗"
echo "║ Health Check — $ENV"
echo "╚══════════════════════════════════════════╝"
echo ""
echo "── App ──"
heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP" | jq -r '" Name: \(.name)\n Region: \(.region.name)\n Stack: \(.stack.name)\n Maintenance: \(.maintenance)\n Updated: \(.updated_at)"'
echo ""
echo "── Dynos ──"
heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP/formation" | \
jq -r '.[] | " \(.type): \(.quantity)x \(.size) — \(.command[:60])"'
echo ""
echo "── Latest Release ──"
heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP/releases" "" "Range: version ..; order=desc, max=1" | \
jq -r '.[0] | " Version: \(.version)\n Status: \(.status)\n By: \(.user.email)\n At: \(.created_at)\n Desc: \(.description)"'
echo ""
echo "── Add-ons ──"
heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP/addons" | \
jq -r '.[] | " \(.addon_service.name): \(.plan.name) [\(.state)]"'
echo ""
echo "── Domains ──"
heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP/domains" | \
jq -r '.[] | " \(.hostname) (\(.kind)) — \(.status)"'
echo ""
echo "── Recent Releases (last 5) ──"
heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP/releases" "" "Range: version ..; order=desc, max=5" | \
jq -r '.[] | " \(.version) | \(.status) | \(.description[:50]) | \(.created_at)"'
16. Safe Deploy Script
#!/bin/bash
# deploy.sh — Safe deploy workflow
# Usage: ./deploy.sh staging|production
set -euo pipefail
ENV="$1"
APP="my-app-${ENV}"
heroku_api() {
local method="${1:-GET}" endpoint="$2" data="${3:-}" extra="${4:-}"
local args=(-sf -X "$method"
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY"
-H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3"
-H "Content-Type: application/json" -m 60 --retry 3 --retry-delay 2)
[[ -n "$extra" ]] && args+=(-H "$extra")
[[ -n "$data" ]] && args+=(-d "$data")
curl "${args[@]}" "https://api.heroku.com${endpoint}"
}
echo "🚀 Deploying to $APP..."
# Step 1: Pre-deploy checks
echo "── Step 1: Pre-deploy checks ──"
MAINTENANCE=$(heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP" | jq -r '.maintenance')
CURRENT_VERSION=$(heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP/releases" "" "Range: version ..; order=desc, max=1" | jq -r '.[0].version')
echo " Current: $CURRENT_VERSION | Maintenance: $MAINTENANCE"
# Step 2: Enable maintenance (production only)
if [[ "$ENV" == "production" ]]; then
echo "── Step 2: Enabling maintenance mode ──"
heroku_api PATCH "/apps/$APP" '{"maintenance":true}' > /dev/null
echo " Maintenance: ON"
fi
# Step 3: Create backup (production only)
if [[ "$ENV" == "production" ]]; then
echo "── Step 3: Creating database backup ──"
PG_ID=$(heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP/addons" | \
jq -r '.[] | select(.addon_service.name=="heroku-postgresql") | .id')
curl -sf -X POST "https://postgres-api.heroku.com/client/v11/databases/$PG_ID/backups" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" > /dev/null
echo " Backup initiated"
fi
# Step 4: Run migrations
echo "── Step 4: Running migrations ──"
DYNO=$(heroku_api POST "/apps/$APP/dynos" '{
"command": "rake db:migrate",
"attach": false,
"size": "Standard-1X",
"time_to_live": 1800
}')
DYNO_NAME=$(echo "$DYNO" | jq -r '.name')
echo " Migration dyno: $DYNO_NAME"
echo " Waiting for completion..."
sleep 30
# Step 5: Restart dynos
echo "── Step 5: Restarting dynos ──"
heroku_api DELETE "/apps/$APP/dynos" > /dev/null
echo " All dynos restarted"
# Step 6: Disable maintenance
if [[ "$ENV" == "production" ]]; then
echo "── Step 6: Disabling maintenance mode ──"
heroku_api PATCH "/apps/$APP" '{"maintenance":false}' > /dev/null
echo " Maintenance: OFF"
fi
# Step 7: Verify
echo "── Step 7: Verification ──"
sleep 10
NEW_VERSION=$(heroku_api GET "/apps/$APP/releases" "" "Range: version ..; order=desc, max=1" | jq -r '.[0].version')
echo " New release: $NEW_VERSION"
echo " Rollback command: heroku_api POST /apps/$APP/releases '{\"release\":\"$CURRENT_VERSION\"}'"
echo ""
echo "✅ Deploy complete!"
17. Rate Limits & Error Handling
Heroku API rate limit: 4500 requests/hour per token.
# Check remaining rate limit
curl -sI https://api.heroku.com/account \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3" | \
grep -i 'ratelimit-remaining'
Common error codes:
| Code | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 401 | Token invalid/expired | Regenerate API key |
| 403 | Insufficient permission | Check token scope |
| 404 | Resource not found | Check app name / addon ID |
| 422 | Validation error | Read response body |
| 429 | Rate limited | Retry after Retry-After hdr |
| 503 | Service unavailable | Retry with exponential backoff |
# Robust request with error handling
heroku_api_safe() {
local response http_code body
response=$(curl -sw '\n%{http_code}' \
-X "$1" "https://api.heroku.com$2" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
${3:+-d "$3"} -m 30)
http_code=$(echo "$response" | tail -1)
body=$(echo "$response" | sed '$d')
if [[ "$http_code" -ge 200 && "$http_code" -lt 300 ]]; then
echo "$body"
elif [[ "$http_code" == "429" ]]; then
echo "⚠️ Rate limited. Retrying in 60s..." >&2
sleep 60
heroku_api_safe "$@"
else
echo "❌ HTTP $http_code:" >&2
echo "$body" | jq . >&2
return 1
fi
}
18. CI/CD Integration — GitHub Actions Example
# .github/workflows/deploy.yml
name: Deploy
on:
push:
branches: [main]
jobs:
deploy-staging:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Create source tarball
run: tar czf source.tar.gz --exclude='.git' .
- name: Upload & build on Heroku
env:
HEROKU_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.HEROKU_API_KEY }}
run: |
# Upload source
UPLOAD=$(curl -sf -X POST https://api.heroku.com/sources \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3")
PUT_URL=$(echo "$UPLOAD" | jq -r '.source_blob.put_url')
GET_URL=$(echo "$UPLOAD" | jq -r '.source_blob.get_url')
curl -sf -X PUT "$PUT_URL" \
-H "Content-Type: application/gzip" \
--data-binary @source.tar.gz
# Trigger build
BUILD=$(curl -sf -X POST \
https://api.heroku.com/apps/my-app-staging/builds \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d "{\"source_blob\":{\"url\":\"$GET_URL\",\"version\":\"$GITHUB_SHA\"}}")
BUILD_ID=$(echo "$BUILD" | jq -r '.id')
# Wait for build
for i in $(seq 1 60); do
STATUS=$(curl -sf \
https://api.heroku.com/apps/my-app-staging/builds/$BUILD_ID \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY" \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3" | \
jq -r '.status')
echo "Build status: $STATUS"
[[ "$STATUS" == "succeeded" ]] && exit 0
[[ "$STATUS" == "failed" ]] && exit 1
sleep 10
done
echo "Build timeout" && exit 1
Appendix: Quick Reference
Main Endpoints
| Resource | Method | Endpoint |
|---|---|---|
| App info | GET | /apps/{app} |
| Config vars | GET | /apps/{app}/config-vars |
| Set config | PATCH | /apps/{app}/config-vars |
| Formation | GET | /apps/{app}/formation |
| Scale | PATCH | /apps/{app}/formation |
| Dynos | GET | /apps/{app}/dynos |
| Restart all | DELETE | /apps/{app}/dynos |
| Run one-off | POST | /apps/{app}/dynos |
| Releases | GET | /apps/{app}/releases |
| Rollback | POST | /apps/{app}/releases |
| Builds | POST | /apps/{app}/builds |
| Build info | GET | /apps/{app}/builds/{build} |
| Add-ons | GET | /apps/{app}/addons |
| Create add-on | POST | /apps/{app}/addons |
| Domains | GET | /apps/{app}/domains |
| Log sessions | POST | /apps/{app}/log-sessions |
| Log drains | GET | /apps/{app}/log-drains |
| Webhooks | POST | /apps/{app}/webhooks |
| Pipelines | GET | /pipelines |
| Promote | POST | /pipeline-promotions |
| Review apps | POST | /review-apps |
| Source upload | POST | /sources |
| SSL/SNI | GET | /apps/{app}/sni-endpoints |
Required headers for every request
Authorization: Bearer $HEROKU_API_KEY
Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3
Content-Type: application/json
Special headers
# Pagination (for list endpoints)
Range: version ..; order=desc, max=10
# Webhooks (uses version 3.webhooks)
Accept: application/vnd.heroku+json; version=3.webhooks