Client: Ponderosa
Ponderosa is a Leeds-based creative digital agency, known for its integrated approach to branding, digital, and performance marketing. With a diverse client portfolio and a focus on results-driven work, deployment reliability is essential to their delivery process. This case study highlights our recent collaboration with their team—particularly Alex—on a transition from DeployBot to DeployHQ.
While migrations can be tricky, this one turned out to be refreshingly straightforward—with a few lessons learned along the way.
Background: A Solid but Aging Setup
For years, DeployBot handled about 95% of this client's deployments. The rest were handled via Bitbucket Pipelines or directly through their hosting provider. Their setup followed a common structure: deploy to staging automatically on commit, then manually deploy to production once everything checks out. Along the way, they'd install dependencies, run builds, symlink directories, set permissions, and restart services.
Over time, though, DeployBot started to feel sluggish.
"The UI became slower, and deployment times were longer than they should've been—especially on cold servers," the client shared.
While it still got the job done, they knew they'd need a better solution eventually.
Why DeployHQ?
They'd already been considering a move to DeployHQ, and the announcement of the DeployBot–DeployHQ merger gave them a push to revisit it.
"We were lucky the timing worked out—it meant we didn't have to do two migrations," Alex said.
The appeal of DeployHQ was immediate: a faster interface, improved deployment speeds, and better visibility into each deployment. Plus, a few team members had already used DeployHQ on other projects, which made buy-in easier.
How the Migration Worked
Despite dozens of projects to move over, the migration process went better than expected. With help from the DeployHQ team, they were able to migrate jobs in small batches and test each one before moving on.
"The process was incredibly smooth," they said. "The DeployHQ Team helped guide things from start to finish, and they were quick to respond when we had questions."
Still, there were a few speed bumps:
- SSH Variable Differences: DeployBot used
$RELEASE, while DeployHQ uses%release_path%. That required some manual updates to commands. - Teams Integration: DeployBot allowed a single webhook setup across all projects. In DeployHQ, each project needed its own Teams integration. "It wasn't a dealbreaker, but it added a bit of repetitive setup."
- Server Groups: DeployHQ automatically creates Server Groups, but the client preferred to manage servers manually—so they had to do a bit of cleanup.
Deployment Workflow (Post-Migration)
Once everything was moved over, the actual deployment process didn't change much—but it got faster and easier to manage. Their typical setup includes:
- Staging deployments triggered automatically on commit
- Manual production deployments for added control
- Build steps like
composer install,npm install, andnpm run prod - Post-deploy tasks like symlinking storage and setting permissions
- Restarting services like NGINX and OPcache
They also appreciated how easy it was to set specific PHP or Node versions per project without messing around with custom containers.
What Improved Most
The biggest changes they noticed right away:
- Speed: Deployment times dropped significantly.
- UI: Faster, more modern, and easier to navigate.
- Clarity: Better logging made it easier to see exactly what's happening at each step.
- Integration Support: The built-in Teams integration was a welcome addition.
What Could Be Better
While they're happy overall, a few things could make the experience even smoother:
- Letting users skip automatic Server Group creation
- Supporting global webhooks (like Teams) instead of per-project setup
- Making variable syntax conversion more automated
Final Thoughts
"This could've been a heavy migration," Alex admitted, "but the way DeployHQ handled it made it feel pretty effortless."
The client called out the hands-on support they received during the process as one of the key reasons everything went so smoothly. A huge part of that success was thanks to Alex. His technical clarity, responsiveness, and collaborative spirit made the process not only smooth but genuinely enjoyable. His deep understanding of Ponderosa's deployment needs ensured that nothing got lost in translation and that every step was tailored for efficiency.
For other teams thinking about making the switch, the takeaway is clear: with a little planning—and the right support—it doesn't have to be a hassle. And the end result? Faster, more transparent deployments and a platform that feels built for the future.
Ready to Make the Move?
Ponderosa's experience demonstrates that migrating from DeployBot to DeployHQ can be a smooth process, unlocking significant improvements in speed, usability, and visibility. If you're considering a similar transition, the benefits of a modern, faster deployment platform are clear.
The DeployHQ team is ready to assist you, just as they supported Ponderosa. For detailed guidance on making the switch, check out our comprehensive migration guide: Migrating from DeployBot to DeployHQ.
With a bit of planning and the support available, your team can also enjoy faster, more transparent deployments and a platform built for the future. Don't let the thought of migration hold you back – the path to a more efficient workflow is clearer than you think.
