[CapRover](https://caprover.com/) is an easy-to-use app/database deployment and web server manager that works for a variety of applications such as Node.js, Ruby, PHP, Postgres, and MongoDB. It runs fast and is very robust, as it uses Docker, Nginx, LetsEncrypt, and NetData under the hood behind its user-friendly interface.
Here’s a link to CapRover's open source repository on [GitHub](https://github.com/caprover/caprover).
## Features of Caprover
- CLI for automation and scripting
- Web GUI for ease of access and convenience
- No lock-in: Remove CapRover and your apps keep working !
- Docker Swarm under the hood for containerization and clustering.
- Nginx (fully customizable template) under the hood for load-balancing.
- Let’s Encrypt under the hood for free SSL (HTTPS).
- **One-Click Apps** : Deploying one-click apps is a matter of seconds! MongoDB, Parse, MySQL, WordPress, Postgres and many more.
- **Fully Customizable** : Optionally fully customizable nginx config allowing you to enable HTTP2, specific caching logic, custom SSL certs and etc.
- **Cluster Ready** : Attach more nodes and create a cluster in seconds! CapRover automatically configures nginx to load balance.
- **Increase Productivity** : Focus on your apps ! Not the bells and whistles, just to run your apps.
- **Easy Deploy** : Many ways to deploy. You can upload your source from dashboard, use command line caprover deploy, use webhooks and build upon git push
## Prerequisites
- Domain Name:
after installation, you will need to point a wildcard DNS entry to your CapRover IP Address.
Note that you can use CapRover without a domain too. But you won't be able to setup HTTPS or add `Self hosted Docker Registry`.
- TerraForm installed to provision, adjust and tear down infrastructure using the tf configuration files provided here.
- Yggdrasil installed and enabled for End-to-end encrypted IPv6 networking.
- account created on [Polkadot](https://polkadot.js.org/apps/?rpc=wss://tfchain.dev.threefold.io/ws#/accounts) and got an twin id, and saved you mnemonics.
- TFTs in your account balance (in development, Transferer some test TFTs from ALICE account).
## How to Run CapRover on ThreeFold Grid 3
In this guide, we will use Caprover to setup your own private Platform as a service (PaaS) on TFGrid 3 infrastructure.
# SWM_NODE_MODE env var is required, should be "leader" or "worker"
# leader: will run sshd, containerd, dockerd as zinit services plus caprover service in leader mode which start caprover, lets encrypt, nginx containers.
# worker: will run sshd, containerd, dockerd as zinit services plus caprover service in orker mode which only join the swarm cluster. check the wroker terrafrom file example.
"SWM_NODE_MODE" = "leader"
# CAPROVER_ROOT_DOMAIN is optional env var, by providing it you can access the captain dashboard after vm initilization by visiting http://captain.your-root-domain
# otherwise you will have to add the root domain manually from the captain dashboard by visiting http://{publicip}:3000 to access the dashboard
- In `provider` Block, add your `mnemonics` and specify the grid network to deploy on.
- In `resource` Block, update the disks size, memory size, and cores number to fit your needs or leave as it is for testing.
- In the `PUBLIC_KEY` env var value put your ssh public key .
- In the `CAPROVER_ROOT_DOMAIN` env var value put your root domain, this is optional and you can add it later from the dashboard put it will save you the extra step and allow you to access your dashboard using your domain name directly after the deployment.
- save the file, and execute the following commands:
```bash
terraform init
terraform apply
```
- wait till you see `apply complete`, and note the VM public ip in the final output.
[+] caprover: Please wait at least 60 seconds before trying to access CapRover.
[+] caprover: ===================================
[+] caprover: **** Installation is done! *****
[+] caprover: CapRover is available at http://captain.newapps.grid.tf
[+] caprover: Default password is: captain42
[+] caprover: ===================================
```
Wait until you see \***\* Installation is done! \*\*\*** in the caprover service log.
#### Step 2: Connect Root Domain
After the container runs, you will now need to connect your CapRover instance to a Root Domain.
Let’s say you own example.com. You can set \*.something.example.com as an A-record in your DNS settings to point to the IP address of the server where you installed CapRover. To do this, go to the DNS settings in your domain provider website, and set a wild card A record entry.
For example: Type: A, Name (or host): \*.something.example.com, IP (or Points to): `110.122.131.141` where this is the IP address of your CapRover machine.
```yaml
TYPE: A record
HOST: \*.something.example.com
POINTS TO: (IP Address of your server)
TTL: (doesn’t really matter)
```
To confirm, go to https://mxtoolbox.com/DNSLookup.aspx and enter `somethingrandom.something.example.com` and check if IP address resolves to the IP you set in your DNS.
##### Note
`somethingrandom` is needed because you set a wildcard entry in your DNS by setting `*.something.example.com` as your host, not `something.example.com`.
#### Step 3: CapRover Root Domain Configurations
skip this step if you provided your root domain in the TerraFrom configuration file
Once the CapRover is initialized, you can visit `http://[IP_OF_YOUR_SERVER]:3000` in your browser and login to CapRover using the default password `captain42`. You can change your password later.
In the UI enter you root domain and press Update Domain button.
#### Step 4: Access the Captain Dashboard
Once you set your root domain as caprover.example.com, you will be redirected to captain.caprover.example.com.
Now CapRover is ready and running in a single node.
##### To allow cluster mode
- Enable HTTPS
- Go to CapRover `Dashboard` tab, then in `CapRover Root Domain Configurations` press on `Enable HTTPS` then you will asked to enter your email address
- Docker Registry Configuration
- Go to CapRover `Cluster` tab, then in `Docker Registry Configuration` section, press on `Self hosted Docker Registry` or add your `Remote Docker Registry`
