---
# nuzlocke-tracker-ahza
title: Deployment Strategy
status: todo
type: epic
priority: normal
created_at: 2026-02-09T14:03:53Z
updated_at: 2026-02-09T16:44:13Z
---

Define and implement a deployment strategy for running the nuzlocke-tracker in production on a local Unraid server while keeping laptop/PC as the development environment.

## Context

- **Components:** API (Python/FastAPI), Frontend (Vite/React), PostgreSQL database
- **Dev environment:** Laptop/PC — continue using the existing `docker-compose.yml` for local development
- **Production host:** Unraid server running Docker containers
- **Networking:** LAN-only access, Nginx Proxy Manager already in place on Unraid
- **Orchestration:** Docker Compose for production (matching dev workflow). Install Portainer for container management and semi-automated deployments.

## Decided Approach

**Docker Compose + Portainer + Gitea (source hosting, container registry, CI/CD)**

1. **Gitea** runs on Unraid behind Nginx Proxy Manager with SSL (e.g., `gitea.yourdomain.com`). It serves as the self-hosted Git remote, container registry, and (optionally) CI/CD via Gitea Actions.
2. **Images are built on the dev machine** and pushed to Gitea's container registry as **user-level packages** (e.g., `gitea.yourdomain.com/julian/nuzlocke-tracker-api:latest`, `gitea.yourdomain.com/julian/nuzlocke-tracker-frontend:latest`).
3. **Production runs docker-compose** on Unraid, pulling images from the Gitea container registry instead of mounting source.
4. **Portainer** is installed on Unraid to manage stacks, provide a web UI, and enable webhook-triggered redeployments.
5. **A deploy script** on the dev machine automates the full flow: build images → push to Gitea registry → trigger Portainer webhook to redeploy.
6. **Nginx Proxy Manager** handles routing on the LAN (e.g., `nuzlocke.yourdomain.com` → frontend container, `gitea.yourdomain.com` → Gitea).
7. **Database** uses a named Docker volume for persistence; migrations run automatically on API container startup.

## Branching Strategy

**`main` + `develop` + feature branches**

- **`main`** — always production-ready. Only receives merges from `develop` when ready to deploy. The deploy script builds from `main`.
- **`develop`** — integration branch for day-to-day work. Features are merged here and tested before promoting to `main`.
- **`feature/*`** — short-lived branches off `develop` for individual features/fixes. Merged back into `develop` via PR or direct merge when complete.

**Workflow:**
1. Create `feature/xyz` from `develop`
2. Work on the feature, commit, merge into `develop`
3. When ready to deploy: merge `develop` → `main`
4. Run `./deploy.sh` (builds from `main`, pushes to Gitea registry, triggers Portainer webhook)

## Checklist

- [ ] **Set up branching structure** — create `develop` branch from `main`, establish the `main`/`develop`/`feature/*` workflow
- [ ] **Update CLAUDE.md with branching rules** — once the branching structure is in place, add instructions to CLAUDE.md that the branching strategy must be adhered to (always work on feature branches, never commit directly to `main`, merge flow is `feature/*` → `develop` → `main`)
- [ ] **Configure Gitea container registry** — create an access token with `read:package` and `write:package` scopes, verify `docker login gitea.yourdomain.com` works, test pushing and pulling an image as a user-level package
- [ ] **Create production docker-compose file** (`docker-compose.prod.yml`) — uses images from the Gitea container registry, production env vars, no source volume mounts, proper restart policies
- [ ] **Create production Dockerfiles (or multi-stage builds)** — ensure frontend is built and served statically (e.g., via the API or a lightweight nginx container), API runs without debug mode
- [ ] **Set up Portainer on Unraid** — install Portainer CE as a Docker container, configure the stack from the production compose file
- [ ] **Configure Portainer webhook for automated redeployment** — add a webhook trigger in Portainer that pulls latest images and restarts the stack
- [ ] **Create deploy script** — a script (e.g., `./deploy.sh`) that builds images from `main`, tags them for the Gitea registry, pushes them, and triggers the Portainer webhook to redeploy
- [ ] **Configure Nginx Proxy Manager** — add proxy host entries for Gitea and the nuzlocke-tracker frontend/API on the appropriate ports
- [ ] **Environment & secrets management** — create a `.env.prod` template, document required variables, decide on secret handling (`.env` file on Unraid, Portainer env vars, etc.)
- [ ] **Database backup strategy** — set up a simple scheduled backup for the PostgreSQL volume/data (e.g., cron + `pg_dump` script on Unraid)
- [ ] **Document the deployment workflow** — README or docs covering how to deploy, redeploy, rollback, and manage the production instance