MLZ-ELN Backend

Development Server

System Requirements

• Tested on Ubuntu 22.04.4 Desktop with Python 3.10

Installation Steps

• Install required packages:

  apt install python3-pip 

• Install Node.js v22 and npm via NodeSource

• Install Chromium (in /usr/bin/chromium or in /snap/bin/chromium), adjust executablePath in joeseln_backend/export/render_mathjax.js and install puppeteer with:

  cd joeseln_backend/export && npm install

• Create a virtual environment (e.g. venv)

• Install dependencies from requirements.txt

• Create a PostgreSQL database

• Create a Typesense service, e.g. with:

  docker-compose up typesense

• Create two folders for storing uploaded pictures and files, with its paths PICTURES_BASE_PATH and FILES_BASE_PATH

Optional Services

• For OIDC integration, create a Keycloak service, e.g. with:

  docker-compose up keycloak

• For OIDC integration you must specify the APP_BASE_PATH

Configuration

• Enter all previously generated configuration parameters into: joeseln_backend/conf/base_conf.py

Initialization and Server Start

• Activate the virtual environment:

  source venv/bin/activate

• Start the websocket server:

  python joeseln_backend/ws/ws_server.py

  Please refer to the websocket configuration in joeseln_backend/conf/base_conf.py

• joeseln_backend/main.py creates tables and initial admin users

• cd joeseln_backend

• Due to nested async calls with websockets, use --loop asyncio to start the development server from directory where main.py is located. Here the application will automatically reload if you change any of the source files:

  uvicorn main:app --reload --port 8010 --host 0.0.0.0 --loop asyncio

• For more options, see Uvicorn CLI, e.g. you could start the development server with:

  uvicorn main:app --workers 3 --port 8010 --host 0.0.0.0 --loop asyncio

Access

• Login on MLZ-ELN Frontend with credentials:
  • Username: admin
  • Password: secret

Backend Api

• Swagger: http://localhost:8010/api/docs
• Redoc: http://localhost:8010/api/redoc

Role Model Documentation

• For a full understanding of the role model, please refer to:
  • RoleDocs.md
  • UserRoleModel.pdf

Docker Deployment

• For using a production-like environment or actual deployment, please refer to the build structure and the comments in docker-compose.yml. Specify your environment variables there. It is recommended to start eln-postgres initially, as it provides the necessary database backend for dependent services.

License

License: AGPL 3