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diff --git a/content/blog/2022-06-07-self-hosting-freshrss.md b/content/blog/2022-06-07-self-hosting-freshrss.md index 27e9d09..1ac2127 100644 --- a/content/blog/2022-06-07-self-hosting-freshrss.md +++ b/content/blog/2022-06-07-self-hosting-freshrss.md @@ -7,46 +7,43 @@ draft = false # Why RSS? -After noticing that I have collected 50+ blogs as bookmarks, I decided -to migrate back to using RSS feeds to stay up-to-date with my favorite -websites. Using RSS allows me to read all of these posts in a single app -(on both mobile & desktop) and allows me to be notified when new posts -are available. +After noticing that I have collected 50+ blogs as bookmarks, I decided to +migrate back to using RSS feeds to stay up-to-date with my favorite websites. +Using RSS allows me to read all of these posts in a single app (on both mobile & +desktop) and allows me to be notified when new posts are available. -However, I ran into one issue: syncing subscriptions and read/unread -posts across devices. Since I want to be able to easily read on both -mobile and desktop, I decided to look for a self-hosted RSS solution. +However, I ran into one issue: syncing subscriptions and read/unread posts +across devices. Since I want to be able to easily read on both mobile and +desktop, I decided to look for a self-hosted RSS solution. -Thus, I found [FreshRSS](https://www.freshrss.org/) and was able to -successfully install it on my server in about 30 minutes. +Thus, I found [FreshRSS](https://www.freshrss.org/) and was able to successfully +install it on my server in about 30 minutes. # Documentation -While it\'s certainly not robust, the [FreshRSS -documentation](https://freshrss.github.io/FreshRSS/) is helpful for -figuring out basic information about the service. +While it's certainly not robust, the [FreshRSS +documentation](https://freshrss.github.io/FreshRSS/) is helpful for figuring out +basic information about the service. -However, I wanted to install this service as a Docker container and -stumbled across the [Docker -README](https://github.com/FreshRSS/FreshRSS/tree/edge/Docker) within -the GitHub repository. +However, I wanted to install this service as a Docker container and stumbled +across the [Docker +README](https://github.com/FreshRSS/FreshRSS/tree/edge/Docker) within the GitHub +repository. -This README was the documentation I actually needed. However, as you\'ll -see below, I still had to manually edit one file -(`config.php`) to access the API externally via my RSS apps. +This README was the documentation I actually needed. However, as you'll see +below, I still had to manually edit one file (`config.php`) to access the API +externally via my RSS apps. # Installation ## DNS -The first step, as required by any external web service, was assigning a -domain name to use. I chose to use a subdomain, like -`rss.example.com`. +The first step, as required by any external web service, was assigning a domain +name to use. I chose to use a subdomain, like `rss.example.com`. -To assign this, I created an `A` record in my DNS settings -with the IPv4 address of the server and an `AAAA` record with -the IPv6 address of the server. Note: assigning an IPv6 -(`AAAA`) record is optional, but I like to enable IPV6 for my +To assign this, I created an `A` record in my DNS settings with the IPv4 address +of the server and an `AAAA` record with the IPv6 address of the server. Note: +assigning an IPv6 (`AAAA`) record is optional, but I like to enable IPV6 for my services. ``` config @@ -56,15 +53,13 @@ rss.example.com AAAA xxxx:xxxx: ... :xxxx ## Docker -I initially tried to set up a `docker-compose.yml` file with -a `.env` file because I prefer to have a file I can look back -at later to see how I initially started the container, but it simply -wouldn\'t work for me. I\'m not sure why, but I assume I wasn\'t telling -`docker-compose` where the `.env` file was. +I initially tried to set up a `docker-compose.yml` file with a `.env` file +because I prefer to have a file I can look back at later to see how I initially +started the container, but it simply wouldn't work for me. I'm not sure why, +but I assume I wasn't telling `docker-compose` where the `.env` file was. -Regardless, I chose to simply run the service with -`docker run`. See the following command for my -`docker run` configuration: +Regardless, I chose to simply run the service with `docker run`. See the +following command for my `docker run` configuration: ```sh sudo docker run -d --restart unless-stopped --log-opt max-size=10m \ @@ -77,32 +72,29 @@ sudo docker run -d --restart unless-stopped --log-opt max-size=10m \ freshrss/freshrss ``` -This started the container successfully and allowed me to visit the -FreshRSS instance at `localhost:8080`. +This started the container successfully and allowed me to visit the FreshRSS +instance at `localhost:8080`. ## Fresh RSS Set-Up -I **HIGHLY\*** suggest that you set up your user account prior to -exposing this service to the public. It\'s unlikely that someone is -trying to access the exact domain or IP/port you\'re assigning here, but -as soon as you expose this service, the first person to open the URL -will be able to create the admin user. +I **HIGHLY** suggest that you set up your user account prior to exposing this +service to the public. It's unlikely that someone is trying to access the exact +domain or IP/port you're assigning here, but as soon as you expose this +service, the first person to open the URL will be able to create the admin user. -In order to set up your FreshRSS service, open the -`localhost:8080` URL in your browser (you may need to use a -local IP instead of `localhost` if you\'re accessing the page -from a different machine on the network - e.g., +In order to set up your FreshRSS service, open the `localhost:8080` URL in your +browser (you may need to use a local IP instead of `localhost` if you're +accessing the page from a different machine on the network - e.g., `192.168.1.20:8080`). Once the page loads, set up your default user with a strong username and -password. You may also choose to configure other settings prior to -exposing this service. +password. You may also choose to configure other settings prior to exposing this +service. ## Nginx Reverse-Proxy In order to access this service outside my home, I needed to set up a -reverse-proxy to connect `localhost:8080` to -`rss.example.com`. +reverse-proxy to connect `localhost:8080` to `rss.example.com`. First, I created a new Nginx configuration file: @@ -143,8 +135,7 @@ server { } ``` -Finally, restart Nginx and you will be able to access your service via -HTTP: +Finally, restart Nginx and you will be able to access your service via HTTP: ```sh sudo systemctl restart nginx.service @@ -152,51 +143,46 @@ sudo systemctl restart nginx.service ## HTTPS -However, I don\'t want to access my RSS feeds via HTTP. I want it -available only via HTTPS. In order to do this, I ran the -[certbot](https://certbot.eff.org/) program to generate SSL certificates -for me: +However, I don't want to access my RSS feeds via HTTP. I want it available only +via HTTPS. In order to do this, I ran the [certbot](https://certbot.eff.org/) +program to generate SSL certificates for me: ```sh sudo certbot --nginx ``` -This process will automatically generate an SSL certificate for you and -modify the Nginx configuration file to include a redirect from HTTP to -HTTPS. +This process will automatically generate an SSL certificate for you and modify +the Nginx configuration file to include a redirect from HTTP to HTTPS. # Post-Installation Fixes -At this point, we have a functional FreshRSS website, available from -anywhere and secured with HTTPS. However, attempting to connect this -service to an RSS app resulted in many errors regarding unavailable URLs -and incorrect credentials. +At this point, we have a functional FreshRSS website, available from anywhere +and secured with HTTPS. However, attempting to connect this service to an RSS +app resulted in many errors regarding unavailable URLs and incorrect +credentials. ## API Set-Up -First, you need to open your user profile in FreshRSS -(`Settings` \> `Profile`) and set an API password -in the field at the bottom. This is the password you will need to -provide to your RSS apps. +First, you need to open your user profile in FreshRSS (`Settings` > `Profile`) +and set an API password in the field at the bottom. This is the password you +will need to provide to your RSS apps. -Once that is set and saved, click the link below the API password field -to open the API check tool. It should look something like -`https://localhost:8080/api/` or -`https://rss.example.com/api/`. +Once that is set and saved, click the link below the API password field to open +the API check tool. It should look something like `https://localhost:8080/api/` +or `https://rss.example.com/api/`. -Within this page, you *should* see your correct external URL and -\"PASS\" at the bottom of each API type. This would mean everything is -set up correctly, and you can now move on and login to any RSS apps that -support self-hosted options. +Within this page, you *should* see your correct external URL and "PASS" at the +bottom of each API type. This would mean everything is set up correctly, and you +can now move on and login to any RSS apps that support self-hosted options. In my case, the URL showed an internal URL and I had a warning that the -`base_url` variable may be misconfigured. If this is the -case, see the next section for a fix. +`base_url` variable may be misconfigured. If this is the case, see the next +section for a fix. ## Base URL Fix -In order to fix the `base_url` for the API, I opened up my -docker container with the following command: +In order to fix the `base_url` for the API, I opened up my docker container with +the following command: ```sh sudo docker exec -it freshrss bash @@ -209,17 +195,15 @@ apt-get update apt-get install nano ``` -Finally, open up `config.php` in the `data` -directory: +Finally, open up `config.php` in the `data` directory: ```sh nano data/config.php ``` -Within `config.php`, you will need to update the -`base_url` variable and update it to match your external URL. -In my case, I simply commented-out the incorrect URL with -`//` and added the correct one on a new line: +Within `config.php`, you will need to update the `base_url` variable and update +it to match your external URL. In my case, I simply commented-out the incorrect +URL with `//` and added the correct one on a new line: ``` php <?php @@ -232,9 +216,8 @@ In my case, I simply commented-out the incorrect URL with > ``` -You can now exit the file with `Ctrl + x`, press -`y` to save the file, and then click `Enter` to -keep the same file name. +You can now exit the file with `Ctrl + x`, press `y` to save the file, and then +click `Enter` to keep the same file name. Finally, just exit out of the docker container: @@ -248,8 +231,8 @@ Next, just restart the container: sudo docker restart freshrss ``` -Voilà! Your API check should now \"PASS\" and you should be able to use -one of the API URLs in your RSS apps. +Voilà! Your API check should now "PASS" and you should be able to use one of +the API URLs in your RSS apps. -In my case, I use [NetNewsWire](https://netnewswire.com) on my desktop -and phone. +In my case, I use [NetNewsWire](https://netnewswire.com) on my desktop and +phone. |