nerf-herder is a Web-based tool for managing developer summits. It is a system of shining parts: Flask, Bootstrap, Material Design, WTForms with CSRF protection... all the latest toys.
- Python
- either v2 or v3 should be fine with nerf-herder itself
- the full set of package dependencies works with v2, v3 may come in time?
- a database
- Postgres is recommended for production use
- SQLite is suitable for local prototyping
- Python packages:
- docopt
- flask
- flask-bootstrap
- flask-nav
- flask-wtf
- flask-DotEnv
- peewee
- psycopg2 (for use with Postgres)
- python-dotenv
- sqlite3 (for use with SQLite)
- WSGI hosting software
Configuration of nerf-herder itself is done via either environment variables
or a .env file.
A sample .env file has been included at samples/dot-env.
Copy this file into the directory you want to run nerf-herder from
(i.e., your source directory on the production server)
and customize it as appropriate.
This file contains a secret key: don't forget chmod 400 .env!
When running the Cambridge DevSummit, we use Postgres as our production
database.
We initialize the database as follows, assuming a username me for yourself,
www for the Nginx user and a registration cost of £65.00
(or $65.00, or €65.00, or...):
[me@bsdcam]$ sudo su - pgsql
$ psql postgres
psql (9.2.20, server 9.2.19)
Type "help" for help.
postgres=# create database bsdcam_2017;
CREATE DATABASE
postgres=# create role me with login;
CREATE ROLE
postgres=# create role www with login;
CREATE ROLE
postgres=# grant all privileges on database foo to me;
GRANT
postgres=# grant connect on database foo to www;
GRANT
postgres=# \q
$ exit
[me@bsdcam]$ cd /usr/local/www/nerf-herder
[me@bsdcam]$ ./nerfherd init
[me@bsdcam]$ psql bsdcam_2017
bsdcam_2017=> grant select, update, insert on all tables in schema public to www;
GRANT
bsdcam_2017=> grant usage, select on all sequences in schema public to www;
GRANT
bsdcam_2017=> update product set cost=6500 where name='Registration'
UPDATE 1
bsdcam_2017=> \q
[me@bsdcam]$First, we need to arrange for uWSGI to run nerf-herder.
Copy samples/uwsgi.ini to somewhere handy
(/usr/local/etc/ngix, /var/www, etc.) and customize it.
For example, to run the Cambridge DevSummit we use:
[uwsgi]
chdir = /usr/local/www/nerf-herder
wsgi-file = /usr/local/www/nerf-herder/wsgi.py
uid = www
gid = wheel
socket = 127.0.0.1:3031
stats = 127.0.0.1:9191On FreeBSD, we add the following to /etc/rc.conf:
uwsgi_enable="YES"
uwsgi_flags="--ini /usr/local/www/nerf-herder.ini"Then we start uWSGI with service uwsgi start.
Progress will be logged to the default location,
/var/log/uwsgi.log (but this can be customized with the logto directive
in your uWSGI INI file).
Once that's done, Nginx configuration is very simple.
Inside the relevant server section:
location / {
uwsgi_pass 127.0.0.1:3031;
include uwsgi_params;
}
Then we start Nginx with service nginx start.
The first user to register will be treated as an administrator.
To make sure that first user is you, run the server without any
REGISTRATION_IS_OPEN keys in your .env file:
./nerfherd run --port=5000
You can see the preregistration code on console, then goto
http://localhost:5000/register?preregistration=<code>
The organiser's interface is at /org/
Yes, it's a Star Wars reference. According to Wookiepedia:
Nerfs were a species of furry, non-sentient animals [...]. Despite their usefulness, nerfs were often regarded as disgusting because of their strong body odor.
Software developers are useful people but sometimes a bit unwieldy to herd without proper tools. Also, at least in the FreeBSD context, they can sometimes be a bit furry. Any further comparisions between developers and nerfs are disclaimed.