NodeBB with Docker full chain ( nginx, redis, mongodb )

qgp9

I would like to introduce what I have done with a NodeBB and a docker.

https://github.com/qgp9/nodebb-docker-dev

This docker chain of Nginx, NodeBB, Redis, MongoDB(!!) is based on Alpine Linux and docker-compose.
This design is mainly for developments and small standalone service rather than large distributable/scalable service.

A Major Difference from other many(?) docker implementations is that I don't embed source and config files into images but just mount most of files on a host directory to containers even include NodeBB source and node_modules. There are pros and cons. I'll explain them briefly and we could discuss them.

UPDATE

A MongoDB is added as a default DB !!!
And redis is intened to be used for websock blabla, but I'm not sure it's properly working.

What I know actually, no errors, no warnings and I can see both of mongo and redis at admin web UI.

If anybody would try this docker chain, please let me know results.

!!! WARNING !!!
I haven't checked yet how mongod and redis-server manage SIGTERM which docker send.
This means that in worst case one can loose data !
Does any body know about this?

mongod and redis-serverhas been checked. Safe with docker stop but not with docker kill

Installation

This chain consists of 4 docker containers each of NodeBB, Redis, MongoDB, Nginx.
I don't provide compiled images but 10 mins will be more than enough to build them by yourself with this instructions.
You will get error from a nginx docker if you already have any web server with port 80. I'll explain solutions after lines.

git clone https://github.com/qgp9/nodebb-docker-dev.git nodebb-docker-dev
cd nodebb-docker-dev
git clone -b v1.x.x https://github.com/NodeBB/NodeBB.git nodebb
./bin/com-nodebb npm install
./bin/com-nodebb npm install socket.io-redis connect
./bin/com-nodebb npm setup
./bin/utils jq -M -s add nodebb/config.json conf/example/redis.josn > tmp.json && mv tmp.json nodebb/config.json
./bin/docker-compose up

DB: mongo , DB address: mongodb , DB user: admin , no DB password
If you have a web server already, you have two options
1. Remove a nginx from docker-compose.xml , connect a port 4567 of NodeBB to host, and you may know how you can connect from your webserver to http://127.0.0.1:4567 . Here is a example docker-compose.xml
2. change a external port of a nginx docker ( example is 8080 ) and connect from your web server to http://127.0.0.1:8080. Here is a example docker-compose.xml

Command line Settings, Upgrade, npm and so on

When you want to do ./nodebb setup or ./nodebb upgrade or npm install on your nodebb, don't do it on Host directory. You have a helper script, do next.

./bin/com-nodebb ./nodebb setup
./bin/com-nodebb ./nodebb upgrade
./bin/com-nodebb npm install <package>

Also you can open bash and do whatever you want

./bin/com-nodebb bash

But to edit/add/delete files, git pull, you can do it on the host directory ( or with docker, doesn't matter )

Structure

nodebb-docker-dev
├── bin   
│   ├── com-nodebb      # Helper to control NodeBB docker
│   └── docker-compose  # Docker version of docker-compose for portability
├── conf                # All Dockerfile and configuration.
│   ├── nginx
│   │   ├── Dockerfile
│   │   └── nginx.conf
│   ├── nodebb-dev
│   │   └── Dockerfile
│   └── redis
│       ├── Dockerfile
│       └── redis.conf
├── data
│   ├── nginx
│   │   └── logs         # nginx, site logs
│   ├── nodebb           # Empty. reserved for future plans.
│   └── redis            # dump.rgb ( db data ) , redis.log ( log file ) 
├── docker-compose.yml
└── nodebb               # NodeBB source will be here

All configuration, data( log file ), NodeBB codes are mounted to dockers ( not copied ). So you can just edit them on a host directory.
All configurations are in a conf directory. All data files genereated by nginx, redis are in a data directory.
- Exceptionally config.json and a logfile of NodeBB are in nodebb directory for easy management.
This desigin is aimed to archive easy and best development/management system for small standalone service.
- Every improtant files are just under a main directory on a host and dockers act just like applications,
- so you can remove/rebuild docker containers/images freely without any effect to data.
- Also you can easily migrate this chain to new server. What you need is just copy the main directory to new server and rebuild dockers.
- But large distributing/scaling can meet some side effects.

Project Name

When you build a system by ./bin/docker-compose up, you will see a wired long name of images/container like nodebbdockerdev_nginx by docker images or docker ps -a. This is because docker-compose use a directory name as a project nam.
To get a short/readable name , you have recommontable 2 options.

Change the directory name
Shell variables ( RECOMMENDED but easilly one can make mistakes. smartcd can help )
- export COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME=qgp9
- or you can embed this variable to ./bin/com-nodebb and ./bin/docker-compose
  Then you will see qgp9_nginx.

And

More details will be .. updated at the github repo soon.

Any questions/comments/ideas/criticizing/WOW/BOO~ ?

qgp9

I could successfully migrate my old nodebb system to a dockrized chain.
It was ubuntu based and I got some troubles with nginx configurations and ssl keys from letsencrypt, but in the end every things are fine now without large modifications from my orignal github repo.

If some body needs/wants, I'll post it and also update the github repo.

qgp9

UPDATE

A MongoDB is added as a default DB !!!
And redis is intened to be used for websock blabla, but I'm not sure it's properly working.

What I know actually, no errors, no warnings and I can see both of mongo and redis at admin web UI.

If anybody would try this docker chain, please let me know results.

Роман Алексеев

Hi! I tried installing your docker container. After executing the instruction "./bin/docker-compose up" I put the nodebb setting in my browser, but then I got one of these errors in the terminal where I ran the docker-container:
error: Error: Redis connection to 127.0.0.1:6379 failed - connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:6379
or
error: NodeBB could not connect to your Mongo database. Mongo returned the following error: connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:27017

One of full logs:
nodebb_1  | Welcome to NodeBB!
nodebb_1  | 
nodebb_1  | This looks like a new installation, so you'll have to answer a few questions about your environment before we can proceed.
nodebb_1  | Press enter to accept the default setting (shown in brackets).
nodebb_1  | 
nodebb_1  | 26/5 16:52 [50] - info: Now configuring redis database:
nodebb_1  | Configuration Saved OK
nodebb_1  | Populating database with default configs, if not already set...
nodebb_1  | 26/5 16:52 [50] - error: Error: Redis connection to 127.0.0.1:6379 failed - connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:6379
nodebb_1  |     at Object.exports._errnoException (util.js:870:11)
nodebb_1  |     at exports._exceptionWithHostPort (util.js:893:20)
nodebb_1  |     at TCPConnectWrap.afterConnect [as oncomplete] (net.js:1063:14)

or

nodebb_1  | Welcome to NodeBB!
nodebb_1  | 
nodebb_1  | This looks like a new installation, so you'll have to answer a few questions about your environment before we can proceed.
nodebb_1  | Press enter to accept the default setting (shown in brackets).
nodebb_1  | 
nodebb_1  | 26/5 19:27 [32] - info: Now configuring mongo database:
nodebb_1  | Configuration Saved OK
nodebb_1  | 26/5 19:27 [32] - error: NodeBB could not connect to your Mongo database. Mongo returned the following error: connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:27017
nodebb_1  | 26/5 19:27 [32] - warn: NodeBB Setup Aborted.
nodebb_1  |  Error: connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:27017
nodebb_1  |     at Object.exports._errnoException (util.js:870:11)
nodebb_1  |     at exports._exceptionWithHostPort (util.js:893:20)
nodebb_1  |     at TCPConnectWrap.afterConnect [as oncomplete] (net.js:1063:14)

osirisguitar

I tried you repo, but unfortunately the Mongo container fails:

mongodb_1  | Error relocating /usr/bin/mongod: _ZNK5boost16re_detail_10600031cpp_regex_traits_implementationIcE17transform_primaryEPKcS4_: symbol not found

mongodb_1  | Error relocating /usr/bin/mongod: _ZNK5boost16re_detail_10600031cpp_regex_traits_implementationIcE9transformEPKcS4_: symbol not found

nodebbdockerdev_mongodb_1 exited with code 127

Searching StackOverflow it seems this is an issue with Mongo on Alpine...

(I using Docker beta for MacOS, but I don't think this is the issue)

ficofer

When Running the first config command it failes like:

$ ./bin/com-nodebb npm install

ERROR: oci runtime error: container_linux.go:247: starting container process caused "exec: \"npm\": executable file not found in $PATH"

Is that normal ?

ficofer

@qgp9 Any idea about that ^^

PitaJ

npm either isn't installed or is installed incorrectly.

alphaGao

I try to this docker chain, and got some error after exec sudo ./bin/com-nodebb npm install:

Successfully built ee060087bd12
Successfully tagged nodebbdockerdev_nodebb:latest
npm WARN saveError ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '/opt/nodebb/package.json'
npm notice created a lockfile as package-lock.json. You should commit this file.
npm WARN enoent ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '/opt/nodebb/package.json'
npm WARN nodebb No description
npm WARN nodebb No repository field.
npm WARN nodebb No README data
npm WARN nodebb No license field.

and idea?

PitaJ

Don't use sudo. What tutorial or guide are you using?

alphaGao

@pitaj just follow you guide, if without sudo, I may not have permission to exec this command , you had suggest?

PitaJ

@alphagao link me whatever guide you're using. If you don't know what to do, use this guide:

Ubuntu (Recommended) - NodeBB Documentation

Documentation portal for NodeBB Forum Software

(docs.nodebb.org)