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Environment Configuration

WhatDoc requires environment variables to be configured for both the server and client. This guide explains each variable and how to set them up.

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Server Configuration

The server requires several environment variables to connect to MongoDB, authenticate users, and interact with external APIs.
1

Navigate to server directory

cd server
2

Create .env file

Create a .env file in the server directory:
touch .env
3

Add environment variables

Open the .env file and add the following configuration:
MONGO_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/whatdoc
JWT_SECRET=your-secret-key
GEMINI_API_KEY=your-gemini-key
GITHUB_CLIENT_ID=your-github-client-id
GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET=your-github-client-secret
PORT=3000
CLIENT_URL=http://localhost:5173
CORS_ORIGINS=http://localhost:5173,http://localhost:4173
APP_DOMAIN=localhost

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Server Environment Variables Explained

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Database Configuration

MONGO_URI
  • Description: MongoDB connection string
  • Required: Yes
  • Local example: mongodb://localhost:27017/whatdoc
  • Atlas example: mongodb+srv://username:[email protected]/whatdoc
  • Notes: Ensure MongoDB is running before starting the server

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Authentication

JWT_SECRET
  • Description: Secret key for signing JWT tokens
  • Required: Yes
  • Example: your-secret-key-change-this-in-production
  • Notes: Use a strong, random string in production. Generate with: 
    node -e "console.log(require('crypto').randomBytes(64).toString('hex'))"
GITHUB_CLIENT_ID
  • Description: GitHub OAuth App Client ID
  • Required: Yes (for GitHub authentication)
  • Example: Iv1.a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8
  • Notes: Obtain from your GitHub OAuth App settings
GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET
  • Description: GitHub OAuth App Client Secret
  • Required: Yes (for GitHub authentication)
  • Example: a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8i9j0k1l2m3n4o5p6q7r8s9t0
  • Notes: Keep this secret! Never commit to version control

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AI Configuration

GEMINI_API_KEY
  • Description: Google Gemini API key for AI-powered documentation generation
  • Required: Yes
  • Example: AIzaSyABC123def456GHI789jkl012MNO345pqr
  • Notes: Get your free key from Google AI Studio

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Server Settings

PORT
  • Description: Port number for the Express server
  • Required: No (defaults to 3000)
  • Example: 3000
  • Notes: Change if port 3000 is already in use
CLIENT_URL
  • Description: URL where the client application is running
  • Required: Yes
  • Development: http://localhost:5173
  • Production: Your frontend domain (e.g., https://docs.yourcompany.com)
  • Notes: Used for CORS and redirect URLs
CORS_ORIGINS
  • Description: Comma-separated list of allowed CORS origins
  • Required: Yes
  • Development: http://localhost:5173,http://localhost:4173
  • Production: Your frontend domains
  • Notes: Port 4173 is Vite’s preview server
APP_DOMAIN
  • Description: Base domain for the application
  • Required: Yes
  • Development: localhost
  • Production: Your domain (e.g., yourcompany.com)
  • Notes: Used for subdomain generation (e.g., project.yourcompany.com)

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Client Configuration

The client requires minimal configuration to connect to the API server.
1

Navigate to client directory

cd client
2

Create .env file

Create a .env file in the client directory:
touch .env
3

Add environment variables

Open the .env file and add:
VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:3000
VITE_APP_DOMAIN=localhost:5173

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Client Environment Variables Explained

VITE_API_URL
  • Description: URL of the backend API server
  • Required: Yes
  • Development: http://localhost:3000
  • Production: Your API domain (e.g., https://api.yourcompany.com)
  • Notes: Must match the server’s PORT configuration
VITE_APP_DOMAIN
  • Description: Domain where the client is running
  • Required: Yes
  • Development: localhost:5173
  • Production: Your frontend domain without protocol (e.g., docs.yourcompany.com)
  • Notes: Used for subdomain-based doc routing

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Start the Services

Once configuration is complete, you can start both services.
1

Start the server

In a terminal, from the server directory:
npm start
You should see:
Server running on port 3000
MongoDB connected successfully
For development with auto-reload, use npm run dev instead.
2

Start the client

In a new terminal, from the client directory:
npm run dev
You should see:
VITE v7.3.1  ready in 450 ms

➜  Local:   http://localhost:5173/
➜  Network: use --host to expose
3

Verify services are running

  1. Open your browser to http://localhost:5173
  2. You should see the WhatDoc landing page
  3. Try signing in with GitHub to verify OAuth is working

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Production Deployment

For production deployments, additional configuration is recommended: 
cd client
npm run build
This creates an optimized production build in the dist directory. Serve these files with nginx, Apache, or a CDN.
Install PM2 to keep your server running:
npm install -g pm2
cd server
pm2 start server.js --name whatdoc-server
pm2 save
pm2 startup
Use nginx or Apache to:
  • Serve the client build files
  • Proxy API requests to the Express server
  • Handle SSL/TLS certificates
  • Enable gzip compression
For production:
  • Use strong, unique JWT_SECRET
  • Point MONGO_URI to a production database
  • Update CLIENT_URL, CORS_ORIGINS, and APP_DOMAIN to your domains
  • Update GitHub OAuth callback URLs
  • Consider using environment variable management tools like Docker secrets or AWS Parameter Store

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Troubleshooting

MongoDB connection failed
  • Verify MongoDB is running: mongosh (local) or test connection string (Atlas)
  • Check MONGO_URI format is correct
  • Ensure network access is allowed (for Atlas, check IP whitelist)
GitHub OAuth not working
  • Verify GITHUB_CLIENT_ID and GITHUB_CLIENT_SECRET are correct
  • Check OAuth callback URL matches: http://localhost:3000/api/auth/github/callback
  • Ensure CLIENT_URL is set correctly for redirects
CORS errors in browser
  • Verify CORS_ORIGINS includes your client URL
  • Check CLIENT_URL matches where your frontend is running
  • Ensure both services are running
Port already in use
  • Change PORT in server .env to an available port
  • Update VITE_API_URL in client .env to match

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Next Steps

Your WhatDoc instance is now running! You can:
  1. Sign in with GitHub
  2. Import a repository
  3. Choose a documentation template
  4. Generate beautiful docs in seconds
For advanced configuration and customization options, explore the source code in the server and client directories.

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