Installation Guide

Prerequisites

Before installing Litestore, ensure you have the following:

System Requirements

Node.js 18.17.0 or later (Node.js 23.1 may have issues with Next.js production builds)
Git for version control
PostgreSQL 13+ for the database
4GB RAM minimum (8GB recommended for development)

Optional but Recommended

Redis for session storage and caching (development and production)
OpenAI API Key for AI features
Cloudinary Account for image storage and optimization
SMTP Service for email notifications

A minimum version of Node.js 18.17.0 is required. We recommend using the latest LTS version for the best experience.

Installation Options

Litestore offers multiple installation methods to fit your development workflow and deployment needs.

Quick Start (Recommended)

Using the CLI

The fastest way to get started is with our interactive CLI:

npx create-litestore-app@latest my-store

pnpm create litestore-app@latest my-store

yarn create litestore-app@latest my-store

bun create litestore-app@latest my-store

The CLI will guide you through:

Project naming
Database configuration (PostgreSQL recommended)
AI service setup (OpenAI API key)
Initial admin user creation

Manual Installation

For advanced users or custom setups:

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/your-org/litestore.git
cd litestore

2. Install Dependencies

npm install
# or
pnpm install
# or
yarn install
# or
bun install

3. Environment Configuration

Create a .env.local file in the root directory:

# Database
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://username:password@localhost:5432/litestore"

# Authentication
NEXTAUTH_SECRET="your-secret-key-here"
NEXTAUTH_URL="http://localhost:3000"

# AI Services (Optional)
OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-your-openai-key"

# Email (Optional)
SMTP_HOST="smtp.gmail.com"
SMTP_PORT="587"
SMTP_USER="your-email@gmail.com"
SMTP_PASS="your-app-password"

# Payment (Optional)
STRIPE_SECRET_KEY="sk_test_..."
STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY="pk_test_..."

# File Storage (Optional)
CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME="your-cloud-name"
CLOUDINARY_API_KEY="your-api-key"
CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET="your-api-secret"

4. Database Setup

# Generate Prisma client
npx prisma generate

# Run database migrations
npx prisma migrate dev

# (Optional) Seed with sample data
npx prisma db seed

5. Start Development Server

npm run dev

Visit http://localhost:3000 to access your store.

Production Deployment

Environment Variables

For production, ensure these additional variables are set:

NODE_ENV="production"
NEXTAUTH_URL="https://yourdomain.com"
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:pass@prod-host:5432/litestore"

Build and Deploy

# Build for production
npm run build

# Start production server
npm start

Recommended Hosting Platforms

Vercel (Recommended)

Connect your GitHub repository
Set environment variables in Vercel dashboard
Deploy automatically on git push

Railway

Connect GitHub repo
Database is auto-provisioned
Environment variables set in dashboard

Docker

FROM node:18-alpine

WORKDIR /app

COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci --only=production

COPY . .

RUN npm run build

EXPOSE 3000

CMD ["npm", "start"]

docker build -t litestore .
docker run -p 3000:3000 litestore

Configuration Options

Database Configuration

Litestore supports PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM:

// prisma/schema.prisma
datasource db {
  provider = "postgresql"
  url      = env("DATABASE_URL")
}

AI Services Configuration

Configure AI features in config/ai.config.ts:

export const aiConfig = {
  openai: {
    apiKey: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY,
    models: {
      contentGeneration: "gpt-4",
      moderation: "gpt-3.5-turbo",
      analysis: "gpt-4"
    }
  },
  rateLimits: {
    contentGeneration: 10, // requests per minute
    moderation: 100,
    analysis: 50
  }
}

File Storage Configuration

Choose from multiple storage providers:

// config/storage.config.ts
export const storageConfig = {
  provider: "cloudinary", // or "aws-s3", "vercel-blob"
  cloudinary: {
    cloudName: process.env.CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME,
    apiKey: process.env.CLOUDINARY_API_KEY,
    apiSecret: process.env.CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET
  }
}

Email Configuration

Set up email delivery for notifications:

// config/email.config.ts
export const emailConfig = {
  provider: "smtp", // or "sendgrid", "mailgun", "resend"
  smtp: {
    host: process.env.SMTP_HOST,
    port: parseInt(process.env.SMTP_PORT || "587"),
    auth: {
      user: process.env.SMTP_USER,
      pass: process.env.SMTP_PASS
    }
  }
}

Post-Installation Setup

Admin User Creation

Visit your store at http://localhost:3000
Click "Sign Up" to create the first admin account
The first user automatically becomes an admin

Basic Store Configuration

Store Settings: Set store name, description, and branding
Payment Setup: Configure Stripe or other payment providers
Shipping Rules: Set up shipping zones and rates
Tax Configuration: Configure tax rates and rules

Creator System Setup

Creator Registration: Enable creator sign-ups
Verification Settings: Configure domain and social verification
Commission Rules: Set up default commission structures
Content Guidelines: Create submission guidelines for creators

AI Feature Configuration

API Keys: Add OpenAI API key for AI features
Content Templates: Configure AI content generation settings
Moderation Rules: Set up automated content moderation
Rate Limits: Configure API usage limits

Troubleshooting

Common Installation Issues

Database Connection Failed

# Check if PostgreSQL is running
brew services list | grep postgresql

# Reset database
npx prisma migrate reset

# Regenerate client
npx prisma generate

Build Errors

# Clear Next.js cache
rm -rf .next

# Clear node_modules and reinstall
rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json
npm install

# Check Node.js version
node --version # Should be 18+

Environment Variables Not Loading

# Check if .env.local exists
ls -la .env.local

# Restart development server
npm run dev

Performance Optimization

Database Indexing

-- Add recommended indexes
CREATE INDEX idx_products_category ON products(category_id);
CREATE INDEX idx_content_creator ON creator_content(creator_id);
CREATE INDEX idx_reviews_product ON reviews(product_id);

Caching Setup

// config/cache.config.ts
export const cacheConfig = {
  redis: {
    url: process.env.REDIS_URL
  },
  ttl: {
    products: 3600, // 1 hour
    content: 1800,  // 30 minutes
    analytics: 300  // 5 minutes
  }
}

Next Steps

After successful installation:

Explore the Dashboard: Familiarize yourself with the admin interface
Add Products: Create your first products with AI-generated descriptions
Invite Creators: Set up creator accounts and content submission
Configure Analytics: Set up tracking and reporting
Customize Design: Modify themes and layouts to match your brand

Getting Help

Documentation: Explore our comprehensive guides
Community: Join Discord for support
GitHub: Report issues and contribute on GitHub
Professional Services: Contact us for custom development and consulting

Need Help?

If you encounter issues during installation, check our troubleshooting guide or ask the community on Discord.

Installation Guide

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