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OpenShorts uses environment variables for server-side configuration. These variables control AWS S3 integration, concurrent processing limits, and production deployment settings.

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Configuration File

Create a .env file in the project root directory: 
# AWS S3 (optional — for clip backup/gallery)
AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=your_aws_access_key_here
AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=your_aws_secret_key_here
AWS_REGION=eu-west-3
AWS_S3_BUCKET=your-bucket-name

# YouTube cookies (optional — paste Netscape-format cookies to bypass bot detection)
# YOUTUBE_COOKIES=...

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Environment Variables Reference

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Processing Configuration

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MAX_CONCURRENT_JOBS
integer
default:"5"
Maximum number of video processing jobs that can run simultaneously. Increase this value on powerful servers with multiple CPU cores and sufficient RAM.Recommended values:
  • 2-4 cores: 3
  • 8+ cores: 5-10
  • 16+ cores: 10-15

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AWS S3 Configuration (Optional)

Enable automatic backup of generated clips to AWS S3. All variables must be set for S3 upload to work.
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AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID
string
Your AWS access key ID with S3 write permissions.Example: AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE
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AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
string
Your AWS secret access key corresponding to the access key ID.Security: Never commit this value to version control. Use .env file or environment-specific secrets management.
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AWS_REGION
string
default:"us-east-1"
AWS region where your S3 bucket is located.Common values: us-east-1, us-west-2, eu-west-1, eu-west-3, ap-southeast-1
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AWS_S3_BUCKET
string
default:"openshorts.app-clips"
Name of the S3 bucket where clips will be uploaded. Bucket must exist and be accessible with the provided credentials.Naming rules: Lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens only. No underscores or spaces.

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YouTube Download Configuration

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YOUTUBE_COOKIES
string
Netscape-format cookies file content for bypassing YouTube bot detection and download restrictions.How to get cookies:
  1. Install a browser extension like “Get cookies.txt”
  2. Visit YouTube while logged in
  3. Export cookies in Netscape format
  4. Paste the entire content as a single-line string
Note: This is optional but recommended if you encounter frequent download failures.

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Production Deployment

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VITE_API_URL
string
Override the API URL used by the frontend in production builds.Example: https://api.openshorts.appNote: Only needed when deploying frontend and backend to different domains. Development mode uses Vite proxy.
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VITE_ENCRYPTION_KEY
string
Secret key for encrypting API keys stored in browser localStorage.Default: "OpenShorts-Static-Salt-Change-Me"Security: Change this to a random string in production to prevent unauthorized decryption of stored API keys.Example: VITE_ENCRYPTION_KEY=my-super-secret-random-key-12345

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Loading Environment Variables

OpenShorts automatically loads environment variables from .env using python-dotenv: 
from dotenv import load_dotenv
load_dotenv()
Variables are accessed in app.py:29: 
MAX_CONCURRENT_JOBS = int(os.environ.get("MAX_CONCURRENT_JOBS", "5"))

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Docker Configuration

When using Docker Compose, pass environment variables via:

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Option 1: Environment File

Add to docker-compose.yml: 
services:
  backend:
    env_file:
      - .env

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Option 2: Direct Environment Variables

services:
  backend:
    environment:
      - MAX_CONCURRENT_JOBS=10
      - AWS_REGION=us-east-1

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Option 3: System Environment

export MAX_CONCURRENT_JOBS=10
docker compose up --build

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Security Best Practices

Never commit .env files to version control. Add .env to your .gitignore:
echo ".env" >> .gitignore
Use separate .env files for different environments:
  • .env.development
  • .env.production
  • .env.staging

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Troubleshooting

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S3 Upload Not Working

  1. Verify credentials: Test AWS credentials with AWS CLI: 
    aws s3 ls s3://your-bucket-name --region your-region
  2. Check IAM permissions: Ensure your AWS user has s3:PutObject permission
  3. Bucket must exist: Create bucket before starting OpenShorts

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Concurrent Jobs Not Limiting

  • Check value type: Must be integer, not string
  • Restart required: Changes require backend restart
  • Verify in logs: Check startup logs for “Job Queue Worker started with X concurrent slots”

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