Using an External Database

Presenton supports connecting to external databases (PostgreSQL or MySQL) via the DATABASE_URL environment variable. If no external database is specified, it defaults to a local SQLite database, ensuring flexibility for both lightweight and scalable deployments. This section explains how to configure an external database and the fallback to SQLite, based on the provided configuration details and Presenton’s architecture.

Configuration Details

DATABASE_URL (Optional)

• Purpose: Defines the connection URL for an external database to store presentation data, user configurations, or other application-related information.
• Behavior: If DATABASE_URL is not provided or is invalid, Presenton defaults to using a local SQLite database for storage.
• Supported Databases:
  • PostgreSQL: A robust, open-source relational database suitable for production environments.
  • MySQL: A widely-used relational database for scalable applications.
• Format: Use standard connection strings for the respective database:
  • PostgreSQL: postgresql://user:password@host:port/dbname
  • MySQL: mysql://user:password@host:port/dbname

Examples

To configure Presenton to use an external database, set the DATABASE_URL environment variable in your environment configuration:

• PostgreSQL Example:

  • user: Database username
  • password: Database password
  • host: Database host (replace with your server’s hostname or IP)
  • 5432: Default PostgreSQL port
  • mydb: Name of the database
    docker run -it --name presenton \
     -p 5000:80 \
     -e DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:password@host:5432/mydb" \
     -v "./user_data:/app/user_data" \
     ghcr.io/presenton/presenton:latest
    

• MySQL Example:

  • user: Database username
  • password: Database password
  • host: Database host
  • 3306: Default MySQL port
  • mydb: Name of the database
    docker run -it --name presenton \
     -p 5000:80 \
     -e DATABASE_URL="mysql://user:password@host:3306/mydb" \
     -v "./user_data:/app/user_data" \
     ghcr.io/presenton/presenton:latest