mold_cost_online_tool/docs/SETUP.md

🚀 Mold Cost Calculator - Setup Guide

📦 Package Contents

This handover package contains a complete, production-ready mold cost calculator application with:

• ✅ Full Application Code - Complete Flask application
• ✅ Database Migrations - PostgreSQL schema and migrations
• ✅ Container Configuration - Podman/Docker setup
• ✅ Deployment Scripts - Production and development environments
• ✅ Documentation - Complete user, admin, and developer guides
• ✅ Test Suite - Comprehensive testing framework

🎯 Quick Start (5 minutes)

1. Prerequisites

# Required software
- Python 3.11+
- Podman or Docker
- Git

2. Initial Setup

# Clone or extract the package
cd mold_cost_online_tool

# Copy environment template
cp .env.example .env

# Edit environment variables
nano .env  # or use your preferred editor

3. Start Development Environment

# Start containers
podman-compose -f podman-compose.development.yml up -d

# Check status
podman ps

# Access application
open http://localhost:5003

4. Create Admin User

# Run database migrations
podman exec mold_cost_tool_development flask db upgrade

# Create admin user (if needed)
podman exec mold_cost_tool_development flask init-db

🔧 Environment Configuration

Required Environment Variables

Edit .env file with your values:

# Database
POSTGRES_USER=postgres
POSTGRES_PASSWORD=your_secure_password
POSTGRES_DB=mold_cost
DATABASE_HOST=db

# Application
SECRET_KEY=your_very_secure_secret_key
FLASK_ENV=production

# Admin Account
ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@yourcompany.com
ADMIN_PASSWORD=your_admin_password

Generate Secure Keys

# Generate secret key
openssl rand -hex 32

# Generate database password
openssl rand -base64 32

🌐 Deployment Options

Option 1: Local Development

podman-compose -f podman-compose.development.yml up -d
# Access at: http://localhost:5003

Option 2: Production Deployment

podman-compose up -d
# Configure nginx and SSL certificates
# Access at: https://yourdomain.com

Option 3: Cloud Deployment

• AWS: Use ECS or EKS with provided Dockerfile
• Azure: Use Container Instances or AKS
• GCP: Use Cloud Run or GKE
• DigitalOcean: Use App Platform or Droplets

📊 System Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• CPU: 2 cores
• RAM: 4GB
• Storage: 20GB
• Network: 100Mbps

Recommended Requirements

• CPU: 4+ cores
• RAM: 8GB+
• Storage: 50GB+ SSD
• Network: 1Gbps

🔒 Security Checklist

Before going live:

• Change default passwords
• Generate secure SECRET_KEY
• Configure HTTPS/SSL
• Set up firewall rules
• Enable rate limiting
• Configure backup strategy
• Set up monitoring

📈 Performance Tuning

Container Optimization

# Adjust worker processes (in gunicorn_config.py)
workers = (2 × CPU_cores) + 1

# Database connection pool
pool_size = 10
pool_recycle = 3600

Monitoring Setup

# Health check endpoint
curl http://localhost:5003/health

# Container logs
podman logs mold_cost_tool

# Database performance
podman exec mold_cost_db psql -U postgres -c "SELECT * FROM pg_stat_activity;"

🚨 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Container won't start:

# Check logs
podman logs mold_cost_tool

# Check port conflicts
netstat -tulpn | grep :5003

# Verify environment
podman exec mold_cost_tool env | grep POSTGRES

Database connection failed:

# Check database container
podman exec mold_cost_db pg_isready -U postgres

# Verify database exists
podman exec mold_cost_db psql -U postgres -l

Application errors:

# Check application logs
podman logs mold_cost_tool

# Test database connection
podman exec mold_cost_tool flask shell

📚 Next Steps

1. Read Documentation:

   • README.md - Overview and features
   • USER_GUIDE.md - End-user instructions
   • ADMIN_GUIDE.md - Administrative operations
   • DEVELOPER_GUIDE.md - Development details

2. Customize Application:

   • Update cost factors in admin panel
   • Configure email settings
   • Customize branding and styling

3. Production Deployment:

   • Set up domain and SSL
   • Configure nginx reverse proxy
   • Set up automated backups
   • Implement monitoring

📞 Support

For technical support:

• Check the documentation files
• Review container logs
• Test the health endpoint
• Contact the original developer

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Package Version: 1.0.0
Last Updated: June 2025
Compatibility: Python 3.11+, PostgreSQL 13+, Podman/Docker