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Overview

TikTok Miner requires several environment variables for database connections, API integrations, and application configuration. This guide documents all available variables, their purposes, and whether they are required or optional.

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Quick Setup

Copy the example environment file: 
cp app/.env.example app/.env
Then configure the variables below based on your deployment needs.

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Database Configuration

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PostgreSQL Connection

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DATABASE_URL
string
required
Connection string for the PostgreSQL database. Used for connection pooling.Format: postgresql://USER:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT/DATABASE?pgbouncer=true&connection_limit=1&pool_timeout=0Example:
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://tiktok_miner_user:your-password@localhost:5432/tiktok_miner?pgbouncer=true&connection_limit=1"
For Supabase users, this should use the pooler URL with port 6543.
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DIRECT_URL
string
required
Direct connection to PostgreSQL, used for running migrations.Format: postgresql://USER:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT/DATABASEExample:
DIRECT_URL="postgresql://tiktok_miner_user:your-password@localhost:5432/tiktok_miner"
For Supabase, use port 5432 (not the pooler port) for migrations.
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PASSWORD
string
required
Database password used in connection strings.Example:
PASSWORD=your-secure-database-password

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Redis Configuration

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REDIS_URL
string
required
Redis connection URL for job queues and caching.Format: redis://[username][:password]@host:port[/database]Example:
REDIS_URL="redis://:your-redis-password@localhost:6379"
The REDIS_URL is automatically configured in docker-compose.yml but needs to be set for local development.

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Supabase Configuration

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NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL
string
required
Your Supabase project URL.Example:
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL=https://your-project-ref.supabase.co
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NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY
string
required
Supabase anonymous/public API key.Example:
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...
This key is safe to use in client-side code as it has limited permissions.

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AI & LLM Configuration

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OpenAI

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OPENAI_API_KEY
string
required
OpenAI API key for AI-powered features like creator analysis and content categorization.Example:
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-proj-...
Never commit this key to version control. Keep it secret.
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OPENAI_MODEL
string
default:"gpt-4o"
OpenAI model to use for text generation.Options: gpt-4o, gpt-4-turbo, gpt-4, gpt-3.5-turboExample:
OPENAI_MODEL=gpt-4o
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OPENAI_TEMPERATURE
number
default:"0.7"
Controls randomness in AI responses. Range: 0.0 to 2.0
  • Lower values (0.0-0.3): More focused and deterministic
  • Medium values (0.4-0.7): Balanced creativity
  • Higher values (0.8-2.0): More creative and varied
Example:
OPENAI_TEMPERATURE=0.7
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OPENAI_MIN_CONFIDENCE
number
default:"0.5"
Minimum confidence threshold for AI predictions. Range: 0.0 to 1.0Example:
OPENAI_MIN_CONFIDENCE=0.5

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Perplexity AI

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PERPLEXITY_API_KEY
string
Perplexity API key for enhanced research and discovery features.Example:
PERPLEXITY_API_KEY=pplx-...

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GitHub Integration

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GITHUB_TOKEN
string
required
GitHub personal access token for API access and rate limit management.Permissions needed: public_repo, read:userExample:
GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_...
Generate tokens at: https://github.com/settings/tokens
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GITHUB_TOKENS
string
Multiple GitHub tokens for load balancing (comma-separated).Example:
GITHUB_TOKENS=ghp_token1,ghp_token2,ghp_token3
Using multiple tokens helps avoid rate limits on high-traffic deployments.
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GITHUB_TOKEN_LB_STRATEGY
string
default:"ROUND_ROBIN"
Load balancing strategy for multiple GitHub tokens.Options: ROUND_ROBINExample:
GITHUB_TOKEN_LB_STRATEGY=ROUND_ROBIN

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Social Media API Keys

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TikTok

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TIKTOK_CLIENT_KEY
string
required
TikTok API client key for accessing TikTok data.Example:
TIKTOK_CLIENT_KEY=your-client-key
Register your app at: https://developers.tiktok.com/
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TIKTOK_CLIENT_SECRET
string
required
TikTok API client secret.Example:
TIKTOK_CLIENT_SECRET=your-client-secret

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Instagram

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INSTAGRAM_CLIENT_ID
string
Instagram/Facebook Graph API client ID.Example:
INSTAGRAM_CLIENT_ID=your-instagram-client-id
Create an app at: https://developers.facebook.com/
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INSTAGRAM_CLIENT_SECRET
string
Instagram/Facebook Graph API client secret.Example:
INSTAGRAM_CLIENT_SECRET=your-instagram-secret

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Twitter/X

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TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN
string
Twitter API v2 bearer token for read-only access.Example:
TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMLheAAAAAAA...
Get your bearer token from: https://developer.twitter.com/

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YouTube

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YOUTUBE_API_KEY
string
YouTube Data API v3 key.Example:
YOUTUBE_API_KEY=AIzaSy...
Create API credentials at: https://console.cloud.google.com/

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Email Configuration

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Azure Email Service

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AZURE_EMAIL_CONNECTION_STRING
string
Azure Communication Services connection string for sending emails.Format: endpoint=https://...;accesskey=...Example:
AZURE_EMAIL_CONNECTION_STRING="endpoint=https://your-communication.communication.azure.com/;accesskey=your-key"

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SMTP Configuration

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SMTP_HOST
string
SMTP server hostname.Example:
SMTP_HOST=smtp.gmail.com
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SMTP_PORT
number
SMTP server port.Common values:
  • 465: SSL/TLS
  • 587: STARTTLS
  • 25: Unencrypted (not recommended)
Example:
SMTP_PORT=465
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SMTP_USER
string
SMTP authentication username (usually your email address).Example:
SMTP_USER=[email protected]
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SMTP_PASSWORD
string
SMTP authentication password or app-specific password.Example:
SMTP_PASSWORD=your-app-password
For Gmail, use an app-specific password, not your account password.
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SMTP_SECURE
boolean
default:"true"
Use SSL/TLS for SMTP connection.
  • true: Port 465 (SSL)
  • false: Port 587 (STARTTLS)
Example:
SMTP_SECURE=true
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SMTP_AUTH_METHOD
string
default:"login"
SMTP authentication method.Options: login, plain, cram-md5Example:
SMTP_AUTH_METHOD=login

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Application Configuration

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NODE_ENV
string
default:"development"
Node.js environment mode.Options: development, production, testExample:
NODE_ENV=production
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PORT
number
default:"3000"
Port number for the application server.Example:
PORT=3000
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NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL
string
required
Public URL where the application is hosted. Used for OAuth redirects and email links.Example:
# Development
NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=http://localhost:3000

# Production
NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=https://your-domain.com
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LOG_LEVEL
string
default:"info"
Logging verbosity level.Options: debug, info, warn, errorExample:
LOG_LEVEL=debug
Use debug for development and info or warn for production.

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pgAdmin Configuration (Development)

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PGADMIN_EMAIL
string
default:"[email protected]"
Email for pgAdmin login (development only).Example:
PGADMIN_EMAIL=admin@localhost
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PGADMIN_PASSWORD
string
default:"admin"
Password for pgAdmin login (development only).Example:
PGADMIN_PASSWORD=secure-password

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Environment-Specific Examples

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Development Environment

# Database
PASSWORD=dev_password
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://tiktok_miner_user:dev_password@localhost:5432/tiktok_miner"
DIRECT_URL="postgresql://tiktok_miner_user:dev_password@localhost:5432/tiktok_miner"
REDIS_URL="redis://localhost:6379"

# Supabase (if using)
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL=http://localhost:54321
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=your-local-anon-key

# OpenAI
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
OPENAI_MODEL=gpt-4o

# GitHub
GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_...

# Application
NODE_ENV=development
PORT=3000
NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=http://localhost:3000
LOG_LEVEL=debug

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Production Environment

# Database - Use strong passwords!
PASSWORD=<generate-strong-password>
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://tiktok_miner_user:<password>@db.example.com:5432/tiktok_miner?pgbouncer=true&connection_limit=1"
DIRECT_URL="postgresql://tiktok_miner_user:<password>@db.example.com:5432/tiktok_miner"
REDIS_URL="redis://:<redis-password>@redis.example.com:6379"

# Supabase
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL=https://your-project.supabase.co
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=eyJ...

# OpenAI
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-proj-...
OPENAI_MODEL=gpt-4o
OPENAI_TEMPERATURE=0.7

# GitHub - Use multiple tokens for load balancing
GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_...
GITHUB_TOKENS=ghp_token1,ghp_token2,ghp_token3
GITHUB_TOKEN_LB_STRATEGY=ROUND_ROBIN

# Social Media APIs
TIKTOK_CLIENT_KEY=...
TIKTOK_CLIENT_SECRET=...
INSTAGRAM_CLIENT_ID=...
INSTAGRAM_CLIENT_SECRET=...
TWITTER_BEARER_TOKEN=...
YOUTUBE_API_KEY=...

# Email
SMTP_HOST=smtp.gmail.com
SMTP_PORT=465
SMTP_USER=[email protected]
SMTP_PASSWORD=<app-specific-password>
SMTP_SECURE=true

# Application
NODE_ENV=production
PORT=3000
NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=https://yourdomain.com
LOG_LEVEL=warn

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Security Best Practices

Never commit .env files to version control!Always add .env to your .gitignore:
echo ".env" >> .gitignore
  1. Use strong passwords: Generate secure random passwords for databases and Redis
  2. Rotate API keys: Regularly rotate sensitive API keys and tokens
  3. Limit permissions: Use API keys with minimum required permissions
  4. Environment isolation: Use different keys for development and production
  5. Secret management: Consider using secret management services like:
    • AWS Secrets Manager
    • HashiCorp Vault
    • Azure Key Vault
    • Google Secret Manager

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Validation

Validate your environment configuration: 
cd app
bun run validate-apis
This script checks:
  • Database connectivity
  • Redis connection
  • API key validity
  • Required vs optional variables

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Troubleshooting

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Database Connection Errors

  • Verify PostgreSQL is running: docker-compose ps postgres
  • Check DATABASE_URL format and credentials
  • Ensure database port (5432) is accessible
Add ?sslmode=require to your DATABASE_URL:
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:pass@host:5432/db?sslmode=require"
Use DIRECT_URL for migrations, not the pooler URL:
  • Supabase: Port 5432 (not 6543)
  • No pgbouncer parameters

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API Key Issues

  • Use multiple tokens with GITHUB_TOKENS
  • Enable GITHUB_TOKEN_LB_STRATEGY=ROUND_ROBIN
  • Check rate limit status in application logs

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Next Steps

Docker Deployment

Deploy with Docker Compose

Database Setup

Configure Prisma and run migrations

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