diff --git a/core/src/config.ts b/core/src/config.ts
index faa655695..ef0e02b53 100644
--- a/core/src/config.ts
+++ b/core/src/config.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   readJSONFile,
 } from "@monitor/util";
 
+export const CORE_SERVER_NAME = getStringFromEnv("CORE_SERVER_NAME", "Monitor Core");
 export const SECRETS = readJSONFile("secrets.json");
 export const LOG = getBooleanFromEnv("LOG", false);
 export const PORT = getNumberFromEnv("PORT", 8000);
@@ -15,3 +16,8 @@ export const MONGO_URL = getStringFromEnv(
 );
 export const TOKEN_EXPIRES_IN = getNumberFromEnv("TOKEN_EXPIRES_IN", 3000);
 export const PASSWORD_SALT_ROUNDS = getNumberFromEnv("PASSWORD_SALT_ROUNDS", 8);
+export const SYSROOT = getStringFromEnv("SYSROOT", "/home/ubuntu/"); // the root folder monitor has access to, prepends volumes mounted using useSysroot
+export const ROOT = getStringFromEnv("ROOT", "/rootDir/"); // the root folder in the container that SYSROOT is mounted on
+export const DEPLOYDATA_ROOT = "deployments/";
+export const REPO_PATH = ROOT + "builds/";
+export const REGISTRY_URL = getStringFromEnv("REGISTRY_URL", "localhost:5000/");
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/main.ts b/core/src/main.ts
index eae1c205d..d15edbfb3 100644
--- a/core/src/main.ts
+++ b/core/src/main.ts
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@ import auth from "./util/auth";
 import { LOG, PORT } from "./config";
 import db from "./util/db";
 import ws from "./util/ws";
+import docker from "./util/docker";
 
 const app = fastify({ logger: LOG })
-	.register(fastifyCors)
+  .register(fastifyCors)
   .register(db)
+  .register(docker)
   .register(auth)
   .register(ws);
 
diff --git a/core/src/util/db/builds.ts b/core/src/util/db/builds.ts
index 2eebe570b..c4342adbe 100644
--- a/core/src/util/db/builds.ts
+++ b/core/src/util/db/builds.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
+import { Build } from "@monitor/types";
 import { FastifyInstance } from "fastify";
 import fp from "fastify-plugin";
 import { Schema } from "mongoose";
 
 const builds = fp((app: FastifyInstance, _: {}, done: () => void) => {
-  const schema = new Schema({
+  const schema = new Schema<Build>({
     name: { type: String, unique: true, index: true },
     /* repo related */
     repo: String,
diff --git a/core/src/util/db/deployments.ts b/core/src/util/db/deployments.ts
index 73694ef49..955c3d9d6 100644
--- a/core/src/util/db/deployments.ts
+++ b/core/src/util/db/deployments.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
+import { Deployment } from "@monitor/types";
 import { FastifyInstance } from "fastify";
 import fp from "fastify-plugin";
 import { Schema } from "mongoose";
 import { Conversion, EnvironmentVar, Volume } from "./misc";
 
 const deployments = fp((app: FastifyInstance, _: {}, done: () => void) => {
-	const schema = new Schema({
+	const schema = new Schema<Deployment>({
     name: { type: String, unique: true, index: true },
+    containerName: { type: String, unique: true, index: true }, // for auto pull of frontend repo as well
     owner: { type: String, index: true },
     serverID: { type: String, index: true },
     buildID: { type: String, index: true }, // if deploying a monitor build
@@ -22,7 +24,6 @@ const deployments = fp((app: FastifyInstance, _: {}, done: () => void) => {
     /* to manage repo for static frontend, mounted as a volume */
     repo: String,
     accessToken: String,
-    pullName: { type: String, index: true }, // for auto pull of repo
     containerMount: String, // the file path to mount repo on inside the container
   });
 
diff --git a/core/src/util/db/index.ts b/core/src/util/db/index.ts
index 594bbdcb5..083993c8d 100644
--- a/core/src/util/db/index.ts
+++ b/core/src/util/db/index.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@ import { FastifyInstance } from "fastify";
 import fp from "fastify-plugin";
 import mongoose, { Model } from "mongoose";
 import { MONGO_URL } from "../../config";
-import { Build, Deployment, Update, User } from "@monitor/types";
+import { Build, Deployment, Server, Update, User } from "@monitor/types";
 import users from "./users";
 import updates from "./updates";
 import deployments from "./deployments";
 import builds from "./builds";
+import servers from "./servers";
 
 declare module "fastify" {
   interface FastifyInstance {
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ declare module "fastify" {
     deployments: Model<Deployment>;
     builds: Model<Build>;
     updates: Model<Update>;
+    servers: Model<Server>;
   }
 }
 
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@ const db = fp((app: FastifyInstance, _: {}, done: () => void) => {
 
   app
     .register(users)
+    .register(servers)
     .register(deployments)
     .register(builds)
     .register(updates);
diff --git a/core/src/util/db/servers.ts b/core/src/util/db/servers.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7aab93561
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/util/db/servers.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { Server } from "@monitor/types";
+import { FastifyInstance } from "fastify";
+import fp from "fastify-plugin";
+import { Schema } from "mongoose";
+
+const servers = fp((app: FastifyInstance, _: {}, done: () => void) => {
+  const schema = new Schema<Server>({
+    name: { type: String, unique: true },
+    address: String,
+    password: String,
+    port: String,
+    rootDirectory: String,
+    enabled: Boolean,
+    useHTTP: Boolean,
+  });
+
+  app.decorate("servers", app.mongoose.model("Server", schema));
+
+  done();
+});
+
+export default servers;
diff --git a/core/src/util/db/updates.ts b/core/src/util/db/updates.ts
index f7c41a807..585a8e19b 100644
--- a/core/src/util/db/updates.ts
+++ b/core/src/util/db/updates.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
+import { Update } from "@monitor/types";
 import { FastifyInstance } from "fastify";
 import fp from "fastify-plugin";
 import { Schema } from "mongoose";
 import { Log } from "./misc";
 
 const updates = fp((app: FastifyInstance, _: {}, done: () => void) => {
-	const schema = new Schema({
+	const schema = new Schema<Update>({
     buildID: { type: String, index: true },
     deploymentID: { type: String, index: true },
     serverID: { type: String, index: true },
diff --git a/core/src/util/db/users.ts b/core/src/util/db/users.ts
index d3b7a19ec..1fe43ca9a 100644
--- a/core/src/util/db/users.ts
+++ b/core/src/util/db/users.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
+import { User } from "@monitor/types";
 import { FastifyInstance } from "fastify";
 import fp from "fastify-plugin";
 import { Schema } from "mongoose";
 
 const users = fp((app: FastifyInstance, _: {}, done: () => void) => {
-	const schema = new Schema({
+	const schema = new Schema<User>({
     username: { type: String, index: true, required: true },
     permissions: { type: Number, default: 0 }, 
     password: String,
diff --git a/core/src/util/docker/build.ts b/core/src/util/docker/build.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8799e7cf5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/util/docker/build.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import { Build } from "@monitor/types";
+import { REGISTRY_URL, REPO_PATH } from "../../config";
+import { toDashedName } from "../helpers";
+
+export function createDockerBuild({
+  name,
+  buildPath,
+  dockerfilePath,
+  pullName,
+}: Build) {
+  return `cd ${REPO_PATH}${pullName}${
+    buildPath ? (buildPath[0] === "/" ? buildPath : "/" + buildPath) : ""
+  } && docker build -t ${
+    REGISTRY_URL + toDashedName(name)
+  } -f ${dockerfilePath} . && docker push ${
+    REGISTRY_URL + toDashedName(name)
+  }`;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/util/docker/container.ts b/core/src/util/docker/container.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1c014eef6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/util/docker/container.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import { ContainerStatus, Deployment } from "@monitor/types";
+import { objFrom2Arrays } from "@monitor/util";
+import { FastifyInstance } from "fastify";
+
+export async function allContainerStatusLocal(
+  app: FastifyInstance,
+  deploymentsAr: Deployment[]
+) {
+  const statusAr = await app.dockerode.listContainers({ all: true });
+  const statusNames = statusAr.map((stat) =>
+    stat.Names[0].slice(1, stat.Names[0].length)
+  ); // they all start with '/'
+  const status = objFrom2Arrays(
+    statusNames,
+    statusAr.map((stat, i) => ({
+      name: statusNames[i],
+      Status: stat.Status,
+      State: stat.State as "running" | "exited",
+    }))
+  );
+  return objFrom2Arrays(
+    statusNames,
+    statusNames.map((name) => {
+      const tryDeployment = getDeployment(status[name], deploymentsAr);
+      const _id = tryDeployment ? tryDeployment._id : "none";
+      return {
+        ...status[name],
+        deploymentID: _id,
+      };
+    })
+  );
+}
+
+function getDeployment(
+  status: ContainerStatus,
+  deploymentsAr: Deployment[]
+) {
+  for (let i = 0; i < deploymentsAr.length; i++) {
+    if (deploymentsAr[i].containerName === status.name) {
+      return deploymentsAr[i];
+    }
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
+
+
diff --git a/core/src/util/docker/index.ts b/core/src/util/docker/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f6509d13d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/util/docker/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import Dockerode from "dockerode";
+import { FastifyInstance } from "fastify";
+import fp from "fastify-plugin";
+
+declare module "fastify" {
+	interface FastifyInstance {
+		dockerode: Dockerode;
+	}
+}
+
+const docker = fp((app: FastifyInstance, _: {}, done: () => void) => {
+	app.decorate("dockerode", new Dockerode());
+	done();
+});
+
+export default docker;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/src/util/docker/run.ts b/core/src/util/docker/run.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..91cbc1c54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/util/docker/run.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+import { Build, Conversion, Deployment, EnvironmentVar, Volume } from "@monitor/types";
+import { FastifyInstance } from "fastify";
+import { DEPLOYDATA_ROOT, REGISTRY_URL, SYSROOT } from "../../config";
+
+export async function createDockerRun(
+	app: FastifyInstance,
+  {
+    buildID,
+    image,
+    latest,
+    ports,
+    environment,
+    network,
+    volumes,
+    restart,
+    postImage,
+    containerName,
+    containerUser,
+  }: Deployment,
+) {
+  const _image = buildID
+    ? REGISTRY_URL +
+      ((await app.builds.findById(buildID)) as any as Build).imageName
+    : image;
+  return (
+    `docker pull ${_image}${buildID || latest ? ":latest" : ""} && ` +
+    `docker run -d --name ${containerName}` +
+    containerUserString(containerUser) +
+    portsString(ports) +
+    volsString(containerName!, volumes) +
+    envString(environment) +
+    restartString(restart) +
+    networkString(network) +
+    ` ${_image}${buildID || latest ? ":latest" : ""}${
+      postImage ? " " + postImage : ""
+    }`
+  );
+}
+
+function portsString(ports?: Conversion[]) {
+  return ports && ports.length > 0
+    ? ports
+        .map(({ local, container }) => ` -p ${local}:${container}`)
+        .reduce((prev, curr) => prev + curr)
+    : "";
+}
+
+function volsString(folderName: string, volumes?: Volume[]) {
+  return volumes && volumes.length > 0
+    ? volumes
+        .map(({ local, container, useSystemRoot }) => {
+          const mid = useSystemRoot ? "" : `${DEPLOYDATA_ROOT}${folderName}/`;
+          const localString =
+            local.length > 0
+              ? local[0] === "/"
+                ? local.slice(1, local.length)
+                : local
+              : "";
+          return ` -v ${SYSROOT + mid + localString}:${container}`;
+        })
+        .reduce((prev, curr) => prev + curr)
+    : "";
+}
+
+function restartString(restart?: string) {
+  return restart
+    ? ` --restart=${restart}${restart === "on-failure" ? ":10" : ""}`
+    : "";
+}
+
+function envString(environment?: EnvironmentVar[]) {
+  return environment && environment.length > 0
+    ? environment
+        .map(({ variable, value }) => ` -e "${variable}=${value}"`)
+        .reduce((prev, curr) => prev + curr)
+    : "";
+}
+
+function networkString(network?: string) {
+  return network ? ` --network=${network}` : "";
+}
+
+function containerUserString(containerUser?: string) {
+  return containerUser && containerUser.length > 0
+    ? ` -u ${containerUser}`
+    : "";
+}
diff --git a/core/src/util/helpers.ts b/core/src/util/helpers.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f2ecc14b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/util/helpers.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { Deployment, Server } from "@monitor/types";
+import { FastifyInstance } from "fastify";
+
+export function toDashedName(name: string) {
+  return name.toLowerCase().replaceAll(" ", "-");
+}
+
+export async function getDeploymentAndServer(
+  app: FastifyInstance,
+  deploymentID: string
+) {
+  const deployment = (await app.deployments.findById(
+    deploymentID
+  )) as Deployment;
+  return {
+    deployment,
+    server: (await app.servers.findById(deployment.serverID)) as Server,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/core/tsconfig.json b/core/tsconfig.json
index 63c3dc0ec..6f7cc354a 100644
--- a/core/tsconfig.json
+++ b/core/tsconfig.json
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
       "es2019",
       "es2020.promise",
       "es2020.bigint",
-      "es2020.string"
+      "es2020.string",
+      "ESNext"
     ],
     "module": "commonjs",
     "target": "es2019",
diff --git a/types/types.d.ts b/types/types.d.ts
index b349bdb3a..7cb88a87d 100644
--- a/types/types.d.ts
+++ b/types/types.d.ts
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ export type Deployment = {
   /* to manage repo for static frontend, mounted as a volume */
   repo?: string;
   accessToken?: string;
-  pullName?: string; // for auto pull of repo
+  containerName?: string; // also for auto pull of frontend repo
   containerMount?: string; // the file path to mount repo on inside the container
 };
 
diff --git a/util/helpers.ts b/util/helpers.ts
index 08d3a1a14..2070d626a 100644
--- a/util/helpers.ts
+++ b/util/helpers.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { Collection } from "@monitor/types";
 import { readFileSync } from "fs";
 
 export function readJSONFile<T = any>(path: string): T {
@@ -19,3 +20,11 @@ export function getBooleanFromEnv(varName: string, defaultValue: boolean) {
   else if (variable === "false") return false;
   else return defaultValue;
 }
+
+export function objFrom2Arrays<T>(keys: string[], entries: T[]): Collection<T> {
+  return Object.fromEntries(
+    keys.map((id, index) => {
+      return [id, entries[index]];
+    })
+  );
+}