2016/MIT/installers

Installers was a session at IndieWebCamp MIT 2016.

Notes archived from: http://etherpad.indiewebcamp.com/installers

Participants:

Aaron (session facilitator)
Amy
Tantek
... more, please add yourself if you were here!

wordpress has its "5 minute install" but this ignores the longer setup of the database.

The other option is sqlite, but then you might not even know you are using a database. You don't know to back it up. (backups should be empahsized more anyway).

Amy uses Docker successfully for one of her sites.

First level is that index.php has to know if its installed or not, so it should redirect to the installer.

Some installers ask for root password to your DB, so it will create the database for you.

Many hosting providers support a one-click install now. Write a version for cpanel and you will support a bunch of hosts. Some others like Dreamhost have their own one-click install mechanism

Falcon

three (updated) source files, each maintained fairly independently, can update one without the other usually
- cassis
- falcon.php - serves all views of the website
- falconpost.php - posting UI - would like to merge with the main php file
- also dependent on tmhOauth.php and relmeauth.php
goal is to keep the deploy phase as one file to be easy to install and update
all data is stored in the filesystem, folders and files created as needed
haven't yet figured out:
- modifications to htaccess
- configuration constants in the source files - twitter client credentials

php .phar files, allow you to package a php app in a single file

in general, minimize number of files and dependencies to reduce long-term maintenance