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System Requirements

Before installing WhatDoc, ensure your system meets these requirements:

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Node.js 18 or Higher

WhatDoc requires Node.js version 18 or higher to run both the client and server.
1

Check your Node.js version

node --version
You should see v18.0.0 or higher.
2

Install or update Node.js

If you need to install or update Node.js:
  • macOS/Linux: Use nvm 
    curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash
nvm install 18
nvm use 18
  • Windows: Download from nodejs.org

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MongoDB

WhatDoc uses MongoDB to store user accounts, projects, and generated documentation.
1

Choose your MongoDB setup

You have two options:Option 1: Local MongoDBOption 2: MongoDB Atlas (Cloud)
  • Create a free account at mongodb.com/cloud/atlas
  • Create a cluster and get your connection string
  • Connection string format: mongodb+srv://username:password@cluster.mongodb.net/whatdoc
2

Verify MongoDB is running

For local installations:
mongosh
For Atlas, test your connection string using MongoDB Compass or mongosh.

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Gemini API Key

WhatDoc uses Google’s Gemini API to generate documentation from your code.
1

Get your free Gemini API key

  1. Visit Google AI Studio
  2. Sign in with your Google account
  3. Click “Create API Key”
  4. Copy your key - you’ll need it for configuration
2

Understand API limits

The free tier of Gemini API includes:
  • 15 requests per minute
  • 1 million tokens per minute
  • 1,500 requests per day
This is typically sufficient for self-hosting. Monitor your usage at Google AI Studio.

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GitHub OAuth App

WhatDoc uses GitHub OAuth for authentication and accessing repositories.
1

Create a GitHub OAuth App

  1. Go to GitHub Developer Settings
  2. Click “New OAuth App”
  3. Fill in the application details:
    • Application name: WhatDoc Self-Hosted (or your preferred name)
    • Homepage URL: http://localhost:5173 (for development)
    • Authorization callback URL: http://localhost:3000/api/auth/github/callback
  4. Click “Register application”
2

Get your credentials

After creating the app, you’ll see:
  • Client ID - Copy this value
  • Client Secret - Click “Generate a new client secret” and copy the value
Keep your Client Secret secure! Never commit it to version control or share it publicly.
3

Configure for production (optional)

If deploying to a production domain:
  1. Update the Homepage URL to your domain (e.g., https://docs.yourcompany.com)
  2. Update the Authorization callback URL to your API domain (e.g., https://api.yourcompany.com/api/auth/github/callback)

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Server Requirements

For production deployments, your server should have:
  • CPU: 1+ cores (2+ recommended)
  • RAM: 2GB minimum (4GB recommended)
  • Storage: 10GB minimum (for MongoDB, temporary clones, and application files)
  • OS: Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+), macOS, or Windows Server

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Optional: Redis

While not strictly required for basic operation, WhatDoc uses BullMQ which benefits from Redis for queue management in production environments.

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Next Steps

Once you have all prerequisites ready, proceed to the Installation guide.

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