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Docker Compose quick start

Use this path when you want a single portable app container with SQLite and same-origin API + frontend serving.

The board starts private by default. The first time you open it, claim it once with the deploy-created ADMIN_TOKEN, choose the owner email, and then use emailed magic links after that.

What runs in the container​

  • the Node server adapter
  • the existing worker API/crawler logic
  • worker migrations applied against SQLite on startup
  • the built frontend served from the same origin
  • an internal cron scheduler using the same cron string shape as Cloudflare

First run​

npm install
cp .env.docker.example .env.docker
docker compose up --build

Important environment variables​

Set these in .env.docker:

ADMIN_TOKEN=change-me
SESSION_SECRET=replace-me
PORT=8787
DB_PATH=/data/jobpull.sqlite
UPLOADS_DIR=/data/uploads
CRON_SCHEDULE=0 7 * * *
USER_AGENT=JobPullBot/1.0 (+contact:you@example.com)
RESEND_API_KEY=re_xxxxx
EMAIL_FROM=JobPull <digest@example.com>
EMAIL_REPLY_TO=support@example.com
PUBLIC_BASE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8787
STALE_THRESHOLD_DAYS=14

PUBLIC_BASE_URL should match the external URL users will open in the browser. The email digest feature uses it for confirmation and unsubscribe links.

SESSION_SECRET is required for owner sessions and magic-link sign-in. UPLOADS_DIR is where the server stores the owner resume file when you use the Docker path.

Owner auth and browse behavior are env-driven:

  • MAGIC_LINK_DELIVERY=disabled|resend|console
  • BOARD_VISIBILITY_DEFAULT=private|public
  • ALLOW_UNCLAIMED_BROWSE=true|false

For local or demo-style Docker runs, MAGIC_LINK_DELIVERY=console is useful because the UI can open the generated owner link directly without email.

Runtime shape​

  • app URL: http://127.0.0.1:8787
  • persistent DB file: /data/jobpull.sqlite
  • volume mount: ./data:/data

Open the app, claim the board, and finish setup from the browser. While the board is private, only the owner session can browse jobs and use tracker/admin features.

When to choose Docker instead of Cloudflare​

Choose Docker if you want:

  • one service instead of Worker + Pages
  • same-origin API and frontend without extra deployment steps
  • a VPS-friendly deployment target
  • a migration path to other container hosts later

Caveat​

On non-Docker hosts, the Node server adapter shells out to the sqlite3 CLI. Inside Docker, that binary is installed in the image for you.

Email digests​

Subscriber digests are sent only after successful scheduled crawls, never after manual admin crawls. Once the env vars above are set, the public board exposes a "Get the daily digest" signup form and the Admin UI gains a Notifications section for readiness checks and test sends.

Publish later​

After you claim the board, it stays private until you flip it to public from Admin. That keeps the default flow personal-first while still letting you publish the board later.