Garden Bros Backend

Overview

The Garden Bros Backend is a robust backend solution for managing a gardening company's website. It is built with Strapi CMS, hosted on a VPS with Dokku, and utilizes PostgreSQL for database management. The setup includes SSL certification and reverse proxy configurations to ensure secure and efficient operations.

Features

• Strapi CMS: Provides a user-friendly interface for content management.
• VPS Hosting: Deployed on a VPS from Forpsi.
• Dokku Environment: Containerized deployment using Dokku.
• PostgreSQL Database: Managed on the same VPS, shared with other projects.
• SSL Certificate: Ensures secure connections.
• Reverse Proxy: Configured for optimized routing and load balancing.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js: Ensure Node.js is installed on your local machine.
• Docker: Required for containerization (optional, if using Dokku).
• VPS Access: SSH access to the VPS where Dokku is set up.
• Strapi CMS: Familiarity with Strapi CMS for content management.

Installation

1. Clone the Repository

   git clone [https://github.com/your-repository/garden-bros-backend.git](https://github.com/your-repository/garden-bros-backend.git)
   cd garden-bros-backend

2. Install Dependencies

   npm install

3. Configure Environment Variables

   Create a .env file in the root directory and add the following environment variables:

   DATABASE_CLIENT=postgres
   DATABASE_NAME=garden_bros
   DATABASE_HOST=localhost
   DATABASE_PORT=5432
   DATABASE_USERNAME=your_username
   DATABASE_PASSWORD=your_password
   

4. Run Strapi

   • For local development:

     npm run develop

   • For production:

     npm run build
     npm start

Deployment

1. Set Up Dokku

   Ensure Dokku is installed and configured on your VPS. Refer to the Dokku documentation for installation and setup instructions.

2. Create PostgreSQL Database

   On your VPS, create a PostgreSQL database for your project:

   dokku postgres:create garden-bros-db

3. Link Database to Your App

   Link the newly created database to your Dokku app:

   dokku postgres:link garden-bros-db your-app-name

4. Deploy to VPS

   On your local machine:

   git remote add dokku dokku@your-vps-ip:your-app-name
   git push dokku main

5. Configure SSL and Reverse Proxy

   Dokku supports SSL and reverse proxy configurations out-of-the-box. You can use the following commands to set them up:

   dokku domains:add your-app-name your-domain.com
   dokku letsencrypt:enable your-app-name
   dokku letsencrypt:cron-job --add

Importing Data to Strapi on VPS

To transfer data from your local Strapi instance to the one running on your VPS, you can use the following command:

npm run strapi transfer -- --to [https://example.com/admin](https://example.com/admin) --to-token my-transfer-token --force

Important:

• Replace https://example.com/admin with the actual URL of your Strapi admin panel on the VPS.
• Replace my-transfer-token with a valid transfer token generated in your Strapi admin settings on the VPS.
• The --force flag will overwrite any existing data on the VPS with the data from your local machine. Use with caution!

Database Management

The PostgreSQL database is hosted on the same VPS. Ensure that your database configuration in the .env file matches the credentials used on the VPS.

Strapi CMS Configuration

• Admin Panel: Access the Strapi admin panel at http://your-domain.com/admin to manage content.
• Content Types: Configure content types and relations via the admin panel.
• Roles & Permissions: Set up roles and permissions according to your project requirements.