Skip to content

Deployment

FreezerMan is split into two components:

  • Server -- a NestJS 11 API backed by PostgreSQL 17, published as a multi-arch Docker image (amd64 + arm64).
  • Client -- a Tauri v2 desktop/mobile app distributed as pre-built binaries.

This section covers how to deploy the server and connect clients to it.

Deployment Options

Option Best For Guide
Docker Compose (recommended) Home servers, NAS devices, Raspberry Pi Docker Compose
Kubernetes / Helm Production clusters, multi-replica setups Kubernetes (Helm)
Manual Local development, contributors Getting Started

Which should I choose?

  • Docker Compose -- the simplest path. One docker compose up -d command gives you a fully working server with PostgreSQL. Use this if you're running FreezerMan on a home server, Synology/QNAP NAS, or Raspberry Pi.
  • Kubernetes / Helm -- use this if you already run a Kubernetes cluster and want proper ingress, scaling, and secret management. The Helm chart is published as an OCI artifact.
  • Manual -- only recommended for development. You'll need Bun, PostgreSQL, and the source checkout. See the Getting Started guide.

Client Distribution

The Tauri client app is available from:

  • GitHub Releases -- download the .dmg (macOS) from the Releases page.
  • App Store Connect -- iOS builds are submitted via App Store Connect.
  • Build from source -- see Building the Client.

After installing the client, point it at your server's URL (e.g. https://api.example.com or http://192.168.1.50:3000).

Prerequisites (All Methods)

Regardless of deployment method, you need:

  1. PostgreSQL 17 -- the server requires a PostgreSQL 17 database. Docker Compose bundles one automatically; for Helm you provide an external connection string.
  2. Network access -- the client must be able to reach the server over HTTP(S). For remote access, set up a reverse proxy with TLS.

Environment Variables

The server is configured via environment variables. See the table below for a quick reference; each deployment guide shows where to set them.

Variable Required Description
DATABASE_URL Yes PostgreSQL connection string
JWT_SECRET Yes Secret for signing access tokens
JWT_REFRESH_SECRET Yes Secret for signing refresh tokens
ALLOWED_ORIGINS No Comma-separated CORS origins
APP_BASE_URL No Public URL of the server
PORT No Server listen port (default 3000)
NODE_ENV No Set to production in prod
JWT_ACCESS_EXPIRES_IN No Access token TTL (e.g. 15m)
JWT_REFRESH_EXPIRES_IN No Refresh token TTL (e.g. 7d)

Next Steps