Deployment Fix

Introduction

This document provides guidance on resolving common deployment issues with Citadel Dashboard. It covers typical problems encountered during deployment and their solutions.

Common Deployment Issues

1. Database Connection Problems

Issue: The application fails to connect to the database during deployment.

Solution:

• Verify database credentials in environment variables
• Ensure the database service is running and accessible
• Check network connectivity between application and database
• Validate database connection string format

2. Environment Variable Misconfiguration

Issue: Missing or incorrect environment variables cause application startup failures.

Solution:

• Review all required environment variables in .env.example
• Ensure sensitive variables are properly secured
• Validate variable values (especially URLs, ports, and paths)
• Confirm environment variables are loaded correctly in deployment environment

3. Port Conflicts

Issue: Application fails to start due to port conflicts with other services.

Solution:

• Identify which ports are already in use
• Modify application port configuration
• Update reverse proxy configurations if applicable
• Restart conflicting services or adjust their configurations

4. SSL/TLS Certificate Issues

Issue: HTTPS connections fail due to certificate problems.

Solution:

• Verify certificate validity and expiration dates
• Ensure certificate chain is complete
• Check certificate permissions and ownership
• Validate domain names match certificate SANs

5. Permission and Ownership Problems

Issue: Application fails to access required files or directories due to incorrect permissions.

Solution:

• Verify file and directory permissions for application user
• Ensure proper ownership of application files
• Check permissions on configuration files and directories
• Validate umask settings during deployment

Troubleshooting Steps

Step 1: Review Logs

Examine application logs for specific error messages:

# Check application logs
docker-compose logs citadel-core

# Check database logs
docker-compose logs postgres

# Check reverse proxy logs
docker-compose logs traefik

Step 2: Validate Configuration

Confirm all configuration files are correctly set up:

• Environment variables file (.env)
• Docker Compose configuration (docker-compose.yml)
• Network and volume configurations
• Security configurations

Step 3: Test Connectivity

Verify connectivity between services:

# Test database connectivity
docker-compose exec citadel-core nc -zv postgres 5432

# Test external service connectivity
docker-compose exec citadel-core curl -I https://api.social-platform.com

Step 4: Restart Services

Restart services in the correct order:

# Stop all services
docker-compose down

# Start services in dependency order
docker-compose up -d

Preventive Measures

Regular Maintenance

• Regularly update dependencies and base images
• Monitor application and system logs for anomalies
• Perform security audits and vulnerability scans
• Maintain regular backups of configuration and data

Monitoring and Alerts

• Set up health checks for critical services
• Implement performance monitoring
• Configure alerting for system failures
• Maintain audit logs for security incidents

Getting Help

If you're unable to resolve deployment issues:

• Refer to the Self-Hosting Guide for detailed deployment instructions
• Check the Support page for community and commercial support options
• Open an issue on GitHub with detailed error information
• Contact the development team at founder@nbr.company for enterprise support