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Installation & Deployment

This guide covers how to install and deploy Conducky in various environments.

Prerequisites​

Before deploying Conducky, ensure you have:

  • Database: PostgreSQL 12+
  • Node.js: Version 18+
  • Environment Variables: Properly configured for both backend and frontend

Environment Variables​

Conducky requires specific environment variables to function properly. See the Developer Docs Introduction for the complete list and detailed explanations.

Quick Reference​

Backend (.env in /backend):

  • DATABASE_URL - PostgreSQL connection string
  • SESSION_SECRET - Secret for session management
  • FRONTEND_BASE_URL - URL of your frontend deployment
  • CORS_ORIGIN - Public URL of frontend for CORS
  • PORT - Backend port (optional, defaults to 4000)
  • NODE_ENV - Set this to "production" when running in a production environment
  • ENCRYPTION_KEY - REQUIRED Encryption key for database field-level encryption. Must be at least 32 characters long. Generate with openssl rand -base64 48. Used to encrypt incident data, comments, contact emails, and system configuration.

Frontend (.env in /frontend):

  • NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL - Backend API URL for client-side calls
  • BACKEND_API_URL - Backend API URL for server-side calls
  • NODE_ENV - Set this to "production" when running in a production environment

Deployment Options​

The easiest way to deploy Conducky is using the included Docker Compose configuration:

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/mattstratton/conducky.git
cd conducky

# Copy and configure environment files
cp backend/.env.example backend/.env
cp frontend/.env.example frontend/.env
# Edit the .env files with your configuration

# Start the services
docker-compose up -d

Deploy with Render​

  1. Fork the Conducky repository to your GitHub account
  2. Connect your Render account to GitHub
  3. Create a new PostgreSQL database in Render
  4. Create two new web services in Render:
    • Backend: Point to /backend, set environment variables
    • Frontend: Point to /frontend, set environment variables
  5. Configure the environment variables as described above

Deploy with DigitalOcean App Platform​

  1. Fork the Conducky repository
  2. Create a new app in DigitalOcean App Platform
  3. Connect your GitHub repository
  4. Configure the app with two components:
    • Backend API: Node.js service from /backend
    • Frontend: Static site from /frontend
  5. Add a managed PostgreSQL database
  6. Set the required environment variables

Deploy on AWS​

For AWS deployment, you can use:

  • AWS App Runner for the backend API
  • AWS Amplify for the frontend
  • Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL
  • Application Load Balancer to route traffic

Detailed AWS deployment instructions coming soon.

Also consider the Pulumi program at mattstratton/conducky-pulumi for AWS deployment.

Database Setup​

  1. Create a PostgreSQL database
  2. Set the DATABASE_URL environment variable
  3. Generate and set encryption key: 
    # Generate a secure encryption key
    openssl rand -base64 48
    # Set ENCRYPTION_KEY environment variable with the generated key
  4. Run database migrations: 
    cd backend
    npx prisma migrate deploy
  5. (Optional) Seed with sample data: 
    npm run seed

Security Considerations​

Encryption Key Management​

Critical Security Requirements:

  • Generate unique keys for each environment (dev/staging/production)
  • Store securely in your deployment platform's environment variable system
  • Never commit encryption keys to version control
  • Backup safely - loss of encryption key means permanent data loss
  • Rotate periodically for enhanced security (requires maintenance window)

Production Security Checklist​

  • Generated strong encryption key (64+ characters)
  • Set NODE_ENV=production in both frontend and backend
  • Enabled HTTPS/TLS for all communications
  • Configured secure session secret
  • Set up proper CORS origins
  • Enabled database SSL connections
  • Configured secure headers and CSP
  • Set up monitoring and audit log review

For detailed security configuration, see the Security Overview Guide.

Initial Setup​

After deployment:

  1. Create the first SystemAdmin user:

    • When you first access the application, you will be prompted to create a SystemAdmin user.

  2. Create your first event via the admin interface

  3. Set up invite links for your team members

Monitoring & Maintenance​

  • Logs: Check application logs regularly
  • Database: Monitor PostgreSQL performance and storage
  • Updates: Keep Conducky updated by pulling the latest changes
  • Backups: Regularly backup your PostgreSQL database

Troubleshooting​

Common deployment issues:

  • Database connection errors: Verify DATABASE_URL format and database accessibility

  • CORS errors: Ensure CORS_ORIGIN matches your frontend URL exactly

  • Session issues: Verify SESSION_SECRET is set and consistent across restarts

  • File upload issues: Check disk space and file permissions

For more troubleshooting help, see the User Guide Troubleshooting section.