aliasvault/docs/setup/1-manually-setup-docker.md

Manual Setup Instructions for AliasVault

This README provides step-by-step instructions for manually setting up AliasVault without using the install.sh script. Follow these steps if you prefer to execute all statements yourself.

Prerequisites

• Docker and Docker Compose installed on your system
• OpenSSL for generating random passwords

Steps

1. Create .env file

   Copy the .env.example file to create a new .env file:

   cp .env.example .env
   

2. Generate and set JWT_KEY

   Update the .env file and set the JWT_KEY environment variable to a random 32-char string. This key is used for JWT token generation and should be kept secure.

   Generate a random 32 char string for the JWT:

   openssl rand -base64 32
   

   Add the generated key to the .env file:

    JWT_KEY=your_32_char_string_here
   
   

3. Set PRIVATE_EMAIL_DOMAINS

   Update the .env file and set the PRIVATE_EMAIL_DOMAINS value the allowed domains that can be used for email addresses. Separate multiple domains with commas.

   PRIVATE_EMAIL_DOMAINS=yourdomain.com,anotherdomain.com
   

   Replace yourdomain.com,anotherdomain.com with your actual allowed domains.

4. Set SMTP_TLS_ENABLED

   Decide whether to enable TLS for email and add it to the .env file:

   SMTP_TLS_ENABLED=true
   

   Or set it to false if you don't want to enable TLS.

5. Generate admin password

   Set the admin password hash in the .env file. The password hash is generated using the InitializationCLI utility.

   Build the Docker image for password hashing:

   docker build -t initcli -f src/Utilities/InitializationCLI/Dockerfile .
   

   Generate the password hash:

   docker run --rm initcli "<your_prefered_admin_password_here>"
   

   Add the password hash and generation timestamp to the .env file:

   ADMIN_PASSWORD_HASH=<output_of_step_above>
   ADMIN_PASSWORD_GENERATED=2024-01-01T00:00:00Z
   

6. Build and start Docker containers

   Build the Docker Compose stack:

   docker-compose build
   

   Start the Docker Compose stack:

   docker-compose up -d
   

7. Access AliasVault

   AliasVault should now be running. You can access it as follows:

   • Admin Panel: http://localhost:8080/

     • Username: admin
     • Password: [Use the ADMIN_PASSWORD generated in step 5]

   • Client Website: http://localhost:80/

     • Create your own account from here

Important Notes

• Make sure to save the admin password (ADMIN_PASSWORD) generated in step 5 in a secure location. It won't be shown again.
• If you need to reset the admin password in the future, you'll need to generate a new hash and update the .env file manually. Afterwards restart the docker containers which will update the admin password in the database.
• Always keep your .env file secure and do not share it, as it contains sensitive information.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues during the setup:

1. Check the Docker logs:

   docker-compose logs
   

2. Ensure all required ports (8080 and 80) are available and not being used by other services.
3. Verify that all environment variables in the .env file are set correctly.

For further assistance, please refer to the project documentation or seek support through the appropriate channels.