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https://github.com/nowtec/nowcrm

Open source CRM with multichannel outreach capabilities and efficient data management at scale
https://github.com/nowtec/nowcrm

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Open source CRM with multichannel outreach capabilities and efficient data management at scale

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README 

          
# nowCRM



**nowCRM** - your open source CRM with multichannel outreach capabilities and efficient data management at scale.



## Watch nowCRM in action



[![nowCRM latest features 2025 - Watch Video](https://cdn.loom.com/sessions/thumbnails/a76ce91ff48c407a94d14866b585dd17-aa4045a8e01c9b24-full-play.gif#t=0.1)](https://www.loom.com/share/a76ce91ff48c407a94d14866b585dd17)



## Screenshots



### Core Features



**Contact Management**

![nowCRM contacts](.github/workflows/screenshots/nowCRM%20contacts.png)



**Contact Details & Communication History**

![nowCRM contact details](.github/workflows/screenshots/nowCRM%20contact%20details.png)



**List Management**

![nowCRM lists](.github/workflows/screenshots/nowCRM%20lists.png)



### Marketing & Outreach



**Journeys - Automated Marketing Workflows**

![nowCRM journeys](.github/workflows/screenshots/nowCRM%20journeys.png)



**Composer - Multi-Channel Outreach**

![nowCRM composer](.github/workflows/screenshots/nowCRM%20composer%20-%20outreach%20via%20anychannel.png)



**Dynamic Variables in Email Campaigns**

![nowCRM dynamic variables](.github/workflows/screenshots/nowCRM%20dynamic%20variables%20in%20email.png)



### Content & Campaign Tools



**Form Builder**

![nowCRM form builder](.github/workflows/screenshots/nowCRM%20form%20Builder.png)



**Social Media Calendar**

![nowCRM social media calendar](.github/workflows/screenshots/nowCRM%20social%20media%20calendar.png)



**Contact Import**

![nowCRM contact import](.github/workflows/screenshots/nowCRM%20contact%20import.png)



---



# nowCRM Developer Guide



**nowCRM** is the central customer relationship management platform developed by **nowtec solutions AG**.  

It connects several microservices (Strapi, Composer, Journeys, and DAL) into one modular solution.  



> Licensed under the [GNU Affero General Public License v3.0](./LICENSE).  

> Attribution required — see [NOTICE](./NOTICE).



---



## 🧩 Architecture Overview



nowCRM relies on the following core services:



| Service | Description |

|----------|-------------|

| **KrakenD API Gateway** | High-performance API gateway providing a single entry point for all backend services, authentication, rate limiting, and request routing. |

| **Strapi 5** | Headless CMS used as the universal data backend, authentication layer, and admin panel. |

| **Composer** | Handles content generation, channel dispatch, and AWS SES event ingestion. |

| **Journeys** | Manages automated multi-step marketing journeys. |

| **DAL (Data Access Layer)** | Orchestrates heavy asynchronous or bulk operations. |

| **nowCRM (Frontend)** | The Next.js 15 web interface connecting users to all backend services. |



### API Gateway Architecture



The KrakenD API Gateway acts as a unified entry point for all backend service requests:



```

Client Request

    ↓

KrakenD Gateway (Port 8080)

    ↓

    ├──→ Composer Service (Port 3020)

    ├──→ Journeys Service (Port 3010)

    ├──→ DAL Service (Port 6001)

    └──→ Strapi CMS (Port 1337)

```



**Key Features:**

- **Single Entry Point**: All API requests route through the gateway

- **Authentication**: Token validation via Strapi before forwarding requests

- **Rate Limiting**: Prevents abuse and ensures fair resource usage

- **CORS Handling**: Manages cross-origin requests

- **Request Routing**: Intelligently routes requests to appropriate backend services

- **Health Checks**: Monitors backend service availability



For detailed API Gateway configuration, see [apps/krakend/README.md](./apps/krakend/README.md).



---



## ⚙️ Prerequisites



Before starting local development, ensure you have:



- Node.js, 20+

- pnpm

- Docker + Docker Compose



---



## 🚀 Local Development Setup



### 1. Clone the Repository



```bash

git clone https://github.com/nowtec/nowCRM.git

cd nowCRM

```



### 2. You can start nowCRM in two main ways:



* **Option A**: One step Docker setup with `make up`

* **Option B**: Local step by step setup with `make dev` and per service commands



---



### Option A: Full Docker setup with `make up`



This is the quickest way to get a complete environment running.



1. Make sure Docker and Docker Compose are running on your machine.



2. From the project root, run:



   ```bash

   make up

   ```



3. You will be prompted to enter your **customer domain**

   For example:



   ```text

   Enter your customer domain (e.g. nowtec.solutions):

   ```



4. After you confirm the domain, the full setup will run automatically inside Docker

   All required services will be started and wired together.



---



### Option B: Local development, service by service



If you prefer to run everything locally outside of Docker, you can bring up the environment step by step.



#### 1. Prepare the dev environment



From the project root, run:



```bash

make dev

```



This command prepares the local development environment (dependencies, configs, etc.) for all services.



#### 2. Start backend services



For **DAL**, **Composer** and **Journeys**, go into each service root folder and run:



```bash

pnpm build

pnpm start

```



Examples:



```bash

cd dal

pnpm build

pnpm start

```



```bash

cd composer

pnpm build

pnpm start

```



```bash

cd journeys

pnpm build

pnpm start

```



#### 3. Start nowCRM frontend



From the `nowcrm` (frontend) root folder:



```bash

pnpm dev

```



The frontend will start in development mode and connect to the locally running backend services.



---



## 🚀 Production Deployment



### Prerequisites



Before deploying to production, ensure you have:

- Docker and Docker Compose installed on your production server

- A customer domain configured with DNS pointing to your server

- All required secrets and credentials (SMTP, S3, database, etc.)

- Access to the nowCRM container images from GitHub Container Registry



### 1. Clone the Repository



```bash

git clone https://github.com/nowtec/nowCRM.git

cd nowCRM

```



### 2. Create the External Network



The production compose file uses an external network that must be created first:



```bash

docker network create my_net

```



### 3. Prepare Environment Variables



Copy the sample environment file and configure it with your production values:



```bash

cp .env.sample .env

```



**Important:** Edit `.env` and fill in all required values. Critical variables include:



- `CUSTOMER_DOMAIN` - Your production domain (e.g., `example.com`)

- `STRAPI_DATABASE_*` - PostgreSQL database credentials

- `STRAPI_ADMIN_JWT_SECRET`, `STRAPI_API_TOKEN_SALT`, `STRAPI_APP_KEYS` - Generate secure random values

- `CRM_AUTH_SECRET` - Generate a secure random value for NextAuth

- `CRM_TOTP_ENCRYPTION_KEY` - 32-digit key for 2FA encryption

- `S3_*` - S3-compatible storage credentials for file uploads

- `STRAPI_AWS_*` - AWS S3 credentials for Strapi media storage

- `COMPOSER_OPENAI_API_KEY`, `COMPOSER_ANTHROPIC_KEY` - AI service API keys

- `COMPOSER_SMTP_*`, `DAL_SMTP_*` - SMTP credentials for email sending

- `SSL_EMAIL` - Email address for Let's Encrypt SSL certificate generation

- `KRAKEND_*_URL` - API Gateway backend service URLs (e.g., `KRAKEND_STRAPI_URL`, `KRAKEND_COMPOSER_URL`, `KRAKEND_JOURNEYS_URL`, `KRAKEND_DAL_URL`)

- `API_GATEWAY` - API Gateway base URL (e.g., `https://api.{CUSTOMER_DOMAIN}`)



### 4. Verify Required Files



Ensure the following files are present:

- `docker-compose.prod.yaml` - Production compose configuration

- `caddy/Caddyfile` - Caddy reverse proxy configuration

- `rabbitmq/rabbitmq_delayed_message_exchange-4.1.0.ez` - RabbitMQ plugin

- `apps/krakend/krakend.json` - API Gateway configuration



### 5. Pull Required Images



Pull the latest production images from GitHub Container Registry:



```bash

docker pull ghcr.io/nowtec/nowcrm/strapi:latest

docker pull ghcr.io/nowtec/nowcrm/nowcrm:latest

docker pull ghcr.io/nowtec/nowcrm/journeys:latest

docker pull ghcr.io/nowtec/nowcrm/composer:latest

docker pull ghcr.io/nowtec/nowcrm/dal:latest

docker pull ghcr.io/nowtec/nowcrm/krakend:latest

```



Or specify a version with the `VERSION` environment variable:



```bash

VERSION=v0.4.7 docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml pull

```



### 6. Start Production Services



Start all services in detached mode:



```bash

docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml up -d

```



### 7. Verify Deployment



Check that all services are running:



```bash

docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml ps

```



Verify service logs:



```bash

docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml logs -f

```



### 8. Access Your Services



Once running, your services will be accessible at:



- **CRM**: `https://crm.{CUSTOMER_DOMAIN}`

- **Strapi Admin**: `https://admin.{CUSTOMER_DOMAIN}`

- **API Gateway**: `https://api.{CUSTOMER_DOMAIN}` (KrakenD - routes to all backend services)

- **Strapi API**: `https://api.{CUSTOMER_DOMAIN}/strapi/api/*` (via API Gateway)

- **Journeys**: `https://api.{CUSTOMER_DOMAIN}/journeys/*` (via API Gateway)

- **Composer**: `https://api.{CUSTOMER_DOMAIN}/composer/*` (via API Gateway)

- **DAL**: `https://api.{CUSTOMER_DOMAIN}/dal/*` (via API Gateway)

- **RabbitMQ Management**: `https://rabbitmq.{CUSTOMER_DOMAIN}`



**Note**: In production, backend services are accessed through the API Gateway rather than directly. The gateway handles authentication, rate limiting, and request routing automatically.



### 9. Post-Deployment Setup



1. **Create Strapi Admin User**: Access `https://admin.{CUSTOMER_DOMAIN}` and create the initial admin user

2. **Configure Channels**: Set up email, SMS, and other channels in the CRM admin panel

3. **Verify Health Checks**: Run through the [Installation Verification Protocol](#installation-verification-protocol)

4. **Configure Backups**: Set up automated backups for PostgreSQL and Redis volumes



### Managing Production Services



**View logs:**

```bash

docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml logs -f [service_name]

```



**Restart a service:**

```bash

docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml restart [service_name]

```



**Stop all services:**

```bash

docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml down

```



**Update to a new version:**

```bash

VERSION=v0.4.8 docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml pull

docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml up -d

```



### Troubleshooting



**Services fail to start:**

- Check that the `my_net` network exists: `docker network ls`

- Verify all environment variables are set in `.env`

- Check service logs: `docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml logs`



**SSL certificate issues:**

- Ensure `SSL_EMAIL` is set correctly in `.env`

- Check Caddy logs: `docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml logs caddy`

- Verify DNS is properly configured for your domain



**Database connection issues:**

- Verify PostgreSQL container is healthy: `docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml ps postgres`

- Check database credentials in `.env`

- Review PostgreSQL logs: `docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yaml logs postgres`



---



## 🌐 API Gateway (KrakenD)



The KrakenD API Gateway provides a unified entry point for all backend service requests, handling authentication, rate limiting, CORS, and request routing.



### Key Features



- **Single Entry Point**: All API requests route through port 8080

- **Authentication**: Token validation via Strapi before forwarding requests

- **Rate Limiting**: Prevents abuse and ensures fair resource usage

- **CORS Handling**: Manages cross-origin requests automatically

- **Request Routing**: Intelligently routes requests to appropriate backend services

- **Health Checks**: Monitors backend service availability



### API Gateway Endpoints



All backend services are accessible through the API Gateway:



- **Composer**: `/composer/*` → Routes to Composer service

- **Journeys**: `/journeys/*` → Routes to Journeys service

- **DAL**: `/dal/*` → Routes to DAL service

- **Strapi**: `/strapi/api/*` → Routes to Strapi CMS API



### Environment Variables



```bash

# API Gateway Configuration

FC_ENABLE=1  # Enable Flexible Configuration (required)

KRAKEND_STRAPI_URL=http://strapi:1337  # Strapi service URL

KRAKEND_COMPOSER_URL=http://composer:3020  # Composer service URL

KRAKEND_JOURNEYS_URL=http://journeys:3010  # Journeys service URL

KRAKEND_DAL_URL=http://dal:6001  # DAL service URL

```



### Running Locally



The API Gateway is included in the Docker Compose setup:



```bash

# Start all services including API Gateway

make up



# Or start individually

docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml up krakend

```



The gateway will be available at `http://localhost:8080`.



### Configuration



For detailed configuration options, endpoint management, and advanced features, see [apps/krakend/README.md](./apps/krakend/README.md).



---



## 🔨 Queueing System (DAL)



DAL uses **BullMQ** queues backed by Redis.



### Queues



| Queue | Purpose |

|--------|----------|

| `masssendQueue` | Defines bulk mailings with throttle intervals and target lists. |

| `sendQueue` | Dispatches individual messages respecting rate limits and retries. |



### Example Workflow



1. `masssendQueue` creates jobs for each recipient with delay = `index × throttleMs`.

2. `sendQueue` processes each contact job, sending messages and applying exponential backoff on failure.



**Observability:**

- New Relic, or Prometheus + Graphana



---



## 🧠 Composer Overview



### Core Functions



| Route | Description |

|--------|--------------|

| `/createReference` | Generates the base message composition. |

| `/createAdditionalResult` | Adds additional channel-specific content. |

| `/createComposition` | Builds complete multi-channel compositions. |



### Environment Variables



All variables are prefixed with `COMPOSER_`.



Example `.env` (shortened):



```env

COMPOSER_PORT=3020

COMPOSER_REDIS_HOST=localhost

COMPOSER_STRAPI_API_URL=http://localhost:1337/api/

COMPOSER_OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-..."

COMPOSER_SMTP_HOST="email-smtp.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com"

```



### SES Event Handling



SES → SNS → Webhook → Composer endpoint

`https://COMPOSER.customerdomain.com/webhook/ses-event-to-strapi`



**Manual Configuration Steps:**

1. **Set up SNS Topic** in AWS SNS Console to receive SES events

2. **Create SNS Subscription** with HTTPS endpoint pointing to your Composer service

3. **Configure SES Configuration Set** to publish events to your SNS topic

4. **Set the configuration set** in AWS SES Console to use your SNS topic



**Required Environment Variables:**

- `COMPOSER_CRM_REDIRECT_HEALTH_CHECK` - URL for health check redirects

- `CUSTOMER_DOMAIN` - Your customer domain for webhook URL generation

- `COMPOSER_STRAPI_API_TOKEN` - Strapi API token for event processing



---



## 🧰 Strapi Setup



**Purpose:** Central content hub and backend API for all apps.



### Key Features



- Content types for CRM data

- API endpoints for entities

- Admin panel for managing users, lists, and compositions

- Custom plugins for reporting and forms



### Running Locally



```bash

cd strapi-app

pnpm develop

```



Production mode:

```bash

pnpm build

pnpm start

```



### Docker Notes



PostgreSQL service configured in `docker-compose.yaml` with:



```yaml

command: -c 'max_connections=500'

shm_size: 256mb

```



Database pool (`config/database.js`):



```js

pool: { min: 10, max: 500, acquireTimeoutMillis: 60000 }

```



---



## 🧩 Code Quality



Before pushing:



```bash

pnpm lint:fix

pnpm build

```



---



## 🧠 Developer Tips



- Always use environment variable prefixes (`COMPOSER_`, `DAL_`, `STRAPI_`, `KRAKEND_`, etc.)

- Avoid hardcoding API URLs; read from `.env`

- When using the API Gateway, configure `API_GATEWAY` environment variable instead of direct service URLs

- Monitor Redis queues actively during development

- Keep your `.npmrc` configured for private package registry access

- For API Gateway configuration details, see [apps/krakend/README.md](./apps/krakend/README.md)



---



# nowCRM Configuration Guide



This guide provides a comprehensive summary of the installation verification protocol, channel configuration, and environment configuration for the nowCRM platform.



---



## Installation Verification Protocol



The Installation Verification Protocol outlines a step-by-step process to ensure proper deployment and functionality of the nowCRM platform and its associated services.



### Prerequisites

- Customer domain information

- Administrative credentials

- Test data (CSV files for imports)



### 1. Strapi Setup and Verification



#### 1.1 Verify Strapi Installation

- [ ] Confirm Strapi is running and accessible

- [ ] Check Strapi admin panel is responding



#### 1.2 Admin User Management

- [ ] Create Strapi admin user if necessary

- [ ] Create dedicated user for nowCRM with admin rights

- [ ] Verify user exists and has proper permissions



### 2. Strapi Token Access Rights Verification



#### 2.1 Public Token Verification

- [ ] Verify public token has appropriate access rights

- [ ] Test token functionality



#### 2.2 Service-Specific Token Verification

Verify tokens have proper access for:

- [ ] **DAL** (Data Access Layer)

- [ ] **Journeys** service

- [ ] **Composer** service



### 3. nowCRM Access Verification

- [ ] Verify nowCRM platform is accessible

- [ ] Confirm Admin user created in step 1.2 user **can** login, and with a wrong password it CAN NOT

- [ ] Verify forget and reset password functionality

- [ ] Document any access issues



### 4. Service Domain and Deployment Verification



#### 4.1 Domain Accessibility

Verify the following domains are accessible:

- [ ] `dal(-demo).CUSTOMERDOMAIN`

- [ ] `journeys(-demo).CUSTOMERDOMAIN`

- [ ] `composer(-demo).CUSTOMERDOMAIN`



#### 4.2 Service Health Check

For each service, verify:

1. Check service logs for:

   - [ ] **API Gateway (KrakenD)** - no crashes or critical errors

   - [ ] **DAL service** - no crashes or critical errors

   - [ ] **Journeys service** - no crashes or critical errors

   - [ ] **Composer service** - no crashes or critical errors



2. Verify API Gateway health endpoints:

   - [ ] `/composer/health-check` - accessible via API Gateway

   - [ ] `/journeys/health-check` - accessible via API Gateway

   - [ ] `/dal/health-check` - accessible via API Gateway



### 5. nowCRM Functional Testing



#### 5.1 Contact and Organization Management

- [ ] **Create** a contact with organization

- [ ] **Edit** the contact information

- [ ] **Delete** a contact

- [ ] **Filter verification**: Find the contact using search/filter functionality



#### 5.2 Unsubscribe Functionality

- [ ] Verify unsubscribe link works correctly

- [ ] Test unsubscribe process end-to-end



#### 5.3 Composition Generation and Sending

- [ ] **Default channel**: Generate and send email composition

- [ ] **Other channels**: Test only if specific configurations are required

- [ ] Verify delivery and formatting



#### 5.4 Import Functionality



**Production environment:**

- [ ] Import CSV with a few test lines

- [ ] Verify import success



**Demo environment:**

- [ ] Import CSV with 100k records

- [ ] Monitor performance and completion



**Actions Import:**

- [ ] Repeat import process for actions

- [ ] **Filter verification**: Find imported actions using search/filter functionality



#### 5.5 Event Recording and Analytics

- [ ] Verify events are properly recorded

- [ ] Confirm event streaming is functional

- [ ] Check stats collection from Composer service

- [ ] Validate analytics data accuracy



### 6. Form Creation and Management



#### 6.1 Form Setup

- [ ] Create a new form

- [ ] Configure form sharing/distribution

- [ ] Test form accessibility



#### 6.2 Form Submission Testing

- [ ] Fill out the form completely

- [ ] Submit form data

- [ ] **Results verification**: Confirm form results are processed and stored correctly



### 7. Terms of Use Verification

- [ ] Verify Terms of Use page is accessible

- [ ] Confirm content is properly displayed

- [ ] Test acceptance functionality if applicable



### 8. Admin Settings Verification

- [ ] Access admin settings panel

- [ ] Verify all configuration options are available

- [ ] Test critical settings functionality

- [ ] Confirm permissions are working correctly



### 9. Journey Creation and Execution



#### 9.1 Journey Setup

- [ ] Create a simple journey workflow

- [ ] Configure journey triggers and actions

- [ ] Verify journey configuration is saved



#### 9.2 Journey Execution

- [ ] Run the created journey

- [ ] Monitor **Journeys service** for proper execution

- [ ] Verify **Composer service** handles journey actions correctly

- [ ] Check for any errors or failures in the workflow



### 🚀 Bonus: End-to-End Quick Verification

**Complete E2E Test:**

- [ ] Create a journey triggered by form completion

- [ ] Submit the form

- [ ] Verify the journey executes automatically

- [ ] Confirm all services work together seamlessly



---



## Channel Configuration



The Composer module in nowCRM supports multi-channel messaging, including Email, SMS, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Twitter(X), Telegram, and WordPress. Each channel requires specific configuration in the CRM Admin Panel and, in some cases, external setup.



### General Channel Configuration Steps



1. **Navigate to the Admin Panel:**

   Go to the CRM Admin Panel and select the **Channels** section.



2. **Select the Channel:**

   Click on the channel you wish to configure (e.g., Email, WhatsApp, SMS, Telegram, Twitter(X), WordPress, LinkedIn, Unipile).



3. **Enter Required Credentials:**

   Fill in the required fields such as API keys, tokens, client IDs, secrets, or other authentication details as prompted.



4. **Authorize Access (if required):**

   For channels that require OAuth or similar authorization (e.g., LinkedIn), follow the provided link to authorize the CRM application to access your account.



5. **Save Credentials:**

   After entering all necessary information, click **Save Credentials**.



6. **Validate Connection:**

   Click the **Run Health Check** button for each channel. The status will update to show if the connection is active or if there are issues.



### Channel-Specific Configuration



#### 1. Email (Default Channel)

- Navigate to **Channels > Email** in the Admin Panel

- Click **Save Credentials**

- Click **Run Health Check** to verify the connection



#### 2. WhatsApp

- Set up a WhatsApp Business Account and register for [Meta for Developers](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp)

- Go to the [Meta App Dashboard](https://developers.facebook.com/apps/) and create or select your app

- Under **WhatsApp > API Setup**, generate a **WhatsApp Access Token** and retrieve your **WhatsApp Business Account ID**

- In the CRM Admin Panel, go to **Channels > WhatsApp**

- Enter the **WhatsApp Access Token** and **Business Account ID**

- Click **Save Credentials**

- Click **Run Health Check** to verify the connection



#### 3. SMS (AWS SNS)

- Sign in to the [AWS Management Console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/)

- Go to the [IAM Console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/iam/) and create or use an IAM user with SNS permissions

- Generate an **Access Key ID** and **Secret Access Key**

- Identify your **SNS region** (e.g., eu-central-1, us-east-1)

- In the CRM Admin Panel, go to **Channels > SMS**

- Enter the **Access Key ID**, **Secret Access Key**, and select the **SNS region**

- Click **Save Credentials**

- Click **Run Health Check** to verify the connection



#### 4. Telegram

- Open Telegram and search for [@BotFather](https://t.me/botfather)

- Use `/newbot` to create a new bot and follow the instructions to get your **Bot API Token**

- Add your bot to the desired group or channel as an administrator

- To get the **Channel ID**, use [userinfobot](https://t.me/userinfobot) or send a message to your bot and use the Telegram API to retrieve the chat ID

- In the CRM Admin Panel, go to **Channels > Telegram**

- Enter the **Bot API Token** and **Channel ID**

- Click **Save Credentials**

- Click **Run Health Check** to verify the connection



#### 5. Twitter (X)

- Register your application in the [Twitter Developer Portal](https://developer.twitter.com/en/portal/dashboard)

- Create a Project and an App to obtain your **API Key**, **API Secret Key**, **Bearer Token**, and **Access Tokens**

- In the CRM Admin Panel, go to **Channels > Twitter(X)**

- Enter the required credentials

- Click **Save Credentials**

- Click **Run Health Check** to verify the connection



#### 6. WordPress

- Ensure your WordPress site has the [WordPress REST API](https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/) enabled (default for WordPress 4.7+)

- (Optional) Install a plugin for authentication, such as [Application Passwords](https://wordpress.org/plugins/application-passwords/) or [JWT Authentication](https://wordpress.org/plugins/jwt-authentication-for-wp-rest-api/)

- Generate an **Application Password** or **JWT Token** for your WordPress user

- In the CRM Admin Panel, go to **Channels > WordPress**

- Enter the **WordPress Site URL**, **Username**, and **Application Password** or **JWT Token**

- Click **Save Credentials**

- Click **Run Health Check** to verify the connection



#### 7. LinkedIn

- Register your application in the [LinkedIn Developer Portal](https://www.linkedin.com/developers/)

- Retrieve the **Client ID** and **Client Secret** from your LinkedIn app settings

- Obtain your **Organization URN** from your LinkedIn organization page

- In the CRM Admin Panel, go to **Channels > LinkedIn**

- Enter the **Client ID**, **Client Secret**, and **Organization URN**

- Click the **Authorize LinkedIn Access** link and complete the authorization flow

- Click **Save Credentials**

- If prompted, use **Refresh Access Token**

- Click **Run Health Check** to verify the connection



#### 8. Unipile (LinkedIn Messaging related)

- Register for a Unipile developer account at [Unipile Developer Portal](https://developers.unipile.com/) (if available)

- Obtain your **Unipile API Key** and any other required credentials from your Unipile dashboard

- In the CRM Admin Panel, go to **Channels > Unipile**

- Enter the **API Key** and any other required information

- Click **Save Credentials**

- Click **Run Health Check** to verify the connection



---



## Environment Configuration



Environment configuration is managed through `.env` files for each service. These files contain critical settings for database connections, API endpoints, authentication, and service-specific configurations.



### Core Environment Variables



#### Main .env File (Backend Configuration)

The main `.env` file contains backend configurations, secrets, and deployment settings.



#### Key Variables:

- Configure database connections, API endpoints, and service-specific settings for each service

- Ensure proper authentication tokens and credentials are set for inter-service communication



### Service-Specific Environment Configurations



#### KrakenD API Gateway Environment Variables

```

# Flexible Configuration (required)

FC_ENABLE=1  # Must be set to enable environment variable substitution



# Backend Service URLs (use Docker service names in Docker Compose)

KRAKEND_STRAPI_URL=http://strapi:1337

KRAKEND_COMPOSER_URL=http://composer:3020

KRAKEND_JOURNEYS_URL=http://journeys:3010

KRAKEND_DAL_URL=http://dal:6001



# For Kubernetes deployments, use full service URLs:

# KRAKEND_STRAPI_URL=http://strapi-service.namespace.svc.cluster.local:1337

# KRAKEND_COMPOSER_URL=http://composer-service.namespace.svc.cluster.local:3020

# KRAKEND_JOURNEYS_URL=http://journeys-service.namespace.svc.cluster.local:3010

# KRAKEND_DAL_URL=http://dal-service.namespace.svc.cluster.local:6001

```



**Note**: The API Gateway uses Flexible Configuration to substitute these environment variables at runtime. The `FC_ENABLE=1` flag must be set for this to work.



#### DAL (Data Access Layer) Environment Variables

```

# Environment Configuration

NODE_ENV="development" # Options: 'development', 'production', 'test'

DAL_PORT="6001"            # The port your server will listen on

DAL_HOST="localhost"       # Hostname for the server



DAL_CORS_ORIGIN="http://localhost:3000" # Allowed CORS origin, adjust as necessary



DAL_COMMON_RATE_LIMIT_MAX_REQUESTS="100" # Max number of requests per window per IP

DAL_MINUTE_TO_LAUNCH="5"

DAL_STRAPI_API_URL="http://localhost:1337/api/"

DAL_STRAPI_API_TOKEN=""

DAL_CHECK_TIME="1440" # This variable helps journeys to understand when to close processed journey job and open new 1 for checking default is 1 day

DAL_JOB_FAIL_LIFE_TIME_DAYS="1"

DAL_JOB_COMPLETED_LIFE_TIME_DAYS="1"



DAL_REDIS_PORT="6379"

DAL_REDIS_HOST="localhost"



DAL_BASIC_AUTH_USERNAME=""

DAL_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD=""



DAL_WORKER_COUNT="4"

DAL_JOB_CONCURRENCY="1"



DAL_DATABASE_CLIENT="postgresql"

DAL_DATABASE_HOST="localhost"

DAL_DATABASE_PORT=5433

DAL_DATABASE_NAME=""

DAL_DATABASE_USERNAME=""

DAL_DATABASE_PASSWORD=""

DAL_DATABASE_RDS=false

DAL_DATABASE_SSL_SELF=false



DAL_SMTP_HOST="localhost"

DAL_SMTP_PORT="587"

DAL_SMTP_USER="username"

DAL_SMTP_PASS="password"

DAL_SMTP_FROM=""



# Basic Auth (optional)

DAL_BASIC_AUTH_USERNAME="admin"

DAL_BASIC_AUTH_PASSWORD="admin"



# API Gateway Configuration (optional)

API_GATEWAY="http://localhost:8080"  # When set, service expects requests via API Gateway



# Shared URLs

STRAPI_URL="http://localhost:1337/api/"

COMPOSER_URL="http://localhost:3020/"

RABBITMQ_URL="amqp://guest:guest@localhost:5672"

```



#### nowCRM Environment Variables

```

NODE_ENV='development' # Options: 'development', 'production', 'test'



CRM_BASE_URL="http://localhost:3000"



# API Gateway Configuration (when using API Gateway)

API_GATEWAY="http://localhost:8080"  # KrakenD API Gateway URL



# Direct Service URLs (for development without API Gateway)

CRM_STRAPI_API_URL="http://localhost:1337/api/"

CRM_STRAPI_API_TOKEN=""

DAL_URL='http://localhost:6001/api/'

COMPOSER_URL="http://localhost:3020/"

STRAPI_URL="http://localhost:1337/api/"

JOURNEYS_URL="http://localhost:3010/"



# Authentication

CRM_STRAPI_API_TOKEN=""

CRM_TOTP_ENCRYPTION_KEY=""

AUTH_SECRET=""

AUTH_URL="http://localhost:3000/api/auth"

AUTH_TRUST_HOST=false # for development use false in cause of http



# Configuration

NT_STACK_VERSION=""

TEST_RUN=false



# S3 Configuration (optional)

S3_ACCESS_KEY=""

S3_SECRET_KEY=""

S3_ENDPOINT=""

S3_BUCKET=""

S3_PUBLIC_URL_BASE=""



```



**Note**: When `API_GATEWAY` is set, the frontend will route API requests through the gateway. Otherwise, it will use direct service URLs.



#### Composer Service Environment Variables

```

# Environment Configuration

NODE_ENV="development" # Options: 'development', 'production', 'test'

COMPOSER_PORT="3020"            # The port your server will listen on

COMPOSER_HOST="localhost"       # Hostname for the server



COMPOSER_CORS_ORIGIN="http://localhost:3000" # Allowed CORS origin, adjust as necessary

COMPOSER_COMMON_RATE_LIMIT_MAX_REQUESTS="100" # Max number of requests per window per IP



COMPOSER_CRM_REDIRECT_HEALTH_CHECK="http://localhost:3000/crm/admin-panel/channels"



# API Configuration

COMPOSER_STRAPI_API_TOKEN=""

STRAPI_URL="http://localhost:1337/api/"

COMPOSER_URL="http://localhost:3020/"



# API Gateway Configuration (optional)

API_GATEWAY="http://localhost:8080"  # When set, service expects requests via API Gateway



# Redis Configuration

COMPOSER_REDIS_PORT="6379"

COMPOSER_REDIS_HOST="localhost"



# AI Service Configuration

COMPOSER_OPENAI_API_KEY=""

COMPOSER_ANTHROPIC_KEY=""



# SMTP Configuration

COMPOSER_SMTP_HOST=""

COMPOSER_SMTP_PORT="18000"

COMPOSER_SMTP_USER=""

COMPOSER_SMTP_PASS=""



# Domain Configuration

CUSTOMER_DOMAIN=""

COMPOSER_CUSTOMER_IDENTITY=""



# Message Queue

RABBITMQ_URL="amqp://guest:guest@localhost:5672"

```



#### Journeys Service Environment Variables

```

# Environment Configuration

NODE_ENV="development" # Options: 'development', 'production', 'test'

JOURNEYS_PORT="3010"            # The port your server will listen on

JOURNEYS_HOST="localhost"       # Hostname for the server



JOURNEYS_CORS_ORIGIN="http://localhost:3000" # Allowed CORS origin, adjust as necessary

JOURNEYS_COMMON_RATE_LIMIT_MAX_REQUESTS="100" # Max number of requests per window per IP

JOURNEYS_MINUTE_TO_LAUNCH="5"



# API Configuration

JOURNEYS_STRAPI_API_TOKEN=""

STRAPI_URL="http://localhost:1337/api/"

COMPOSER_URL="http://localhost:3020/"



# API Gateway Configuration (optional)

API_GATEWAY="http://localhost:8080"  # When set, service expects requests via API Gateway



# Job Configuration

JOURNEYS_CHECK_TIME="1440" # This variable helps journeys to understand when to close processed journey job and open new 1 for checking default is 1 day

JOURNEYS_JOB_FAIL_LIFE_TIME_DAYS="1"

JOURNEYS_JOB_COMPLETED_LIFE_TIME_DAYS="1"



# Redis Configuration

JOURNEYS_REDIS_PORT="6379"

JOURNEYS_REDIS_HOST="localhost"

JOURNEYS_REDIS_MAX_RETRIES="3"

JOURNEYS_REDIS_RETRY_DELAY_MS="1000"

JOURNEYS_REDIS_CONNECT_TIMEOUT="10000"

JOURNEYS_REDIS_COMMAND_TIMEOUT="5000"

JOURNEYS_REDIS_LAZY_CONNECT="0"



# Redis Cleanup

REDIS_CLEANUP_CRON="0 2 * * *" # Daily at 2 AM



# Strapi Pagination

STRAPI_PAGINATION_MAX_PAGES="100"

STRAPI_PAGINATION_MAX_RECORDS="10000"



# Circuit Breaker Configuration

CIRCUIT_BREAKER_FAILURE_THRESHOLD="5"

CIRCUIT_BREAKER_RESET_TIMEOUT_MS="60000"

CIRCUIT_BREAKER_HALF_OPEN_MAX_CALLS="3"



# RabbitMQ Configuration

RABBITMQ_URL="amqp://guest:guest@localhost:5672"

RABBITMQ_PREFETCH_COUNT="10"

RABBITMQ_RECONNECT_DELAY_MS="5000"

RABBITMQ_MAX_RECONNECT_ATTEMPTS="10"

RABBITMQ_CONSUMER_CONCURRENCY="5"

RABBITMQ_MAX_RETRIES="3"

RABBITMQ_RETRY_INITIAL_DELAY_MS="1000"

RABBITMQ_RETRY_MAX_DELAY_MS="30000"

```



### Environment Configuration Best Practices



1. **Security**: Never share real credentials in documentation or screenshots. All credentials should be securely managed (e.g., in 1Password).



2. **Environment Separation**: Use different configurations for development, testing, and production environments.



3. **Variable Naming**: Use descriptive variable names with service prefixes to avoid conflicts (e.g., `CRM_`, `DAL_`, `BEXIO_`).



4. **Secrets Management**: Store sensitive information securely in variables or other secret management systems.



5. **Documentation**: Include a `.env.sample` file for each service, documenting every variable.



---



## Conclusion



This configuration guide provides a comprehensive overview of the installation verification protocol, channel configuration, and environment configuration for the nowCRM platform. Following these guidelines ensures proper deployment, functionality, and security of the system.



For technical support during installation:

- **Technical Team:** nowtec solutions AG Engineering 



---



## 📜 License & Attribution



© 2025 nowtec solutions AG  

Licensed under the [GNU Affero General Public License v3.0](./LICENSE)



**IMPORTANT:** This software is licensed under AGPL-3.0, which means:



- ✅ You can use, modify, and distribute this software freely

- ✅ You can use it commercially

- ⚠️ **You MUST** provide the source code of any modifications

- ⚠️ **You MUST** disclose your modifications under AGPL-3.0

- ⚠️ **You MUST** provide source code access to all users if you run it as a network service (SaaS, web application, etc.)

- ⚠️ **You MUST** retain all copyright and attribution notices



Attribution notice (see [NOTICE](./NOTICE)) must be preserved in all forks, derivative works, and any network-accessible deployments.



### Network Use Provision



If you modify nowCRM and make it available to users over a network (including as a web service, SaaS, or API), you are required to make the complete source code of your modified version available to those users under AGPL-3.0. This is the key difference from standard GPL licenses.



### Commercial Licensing



For commercial licensing options that may provide different terms, please contact:

- Website: https://www.nowtec.solutions

- Email: opensource@nowtec.solutions



---



## 🤝 Contributing



We welcome contributions! By contributing to nowCRM, you agree that your contributions will be licensed under AGPL-3.0.



Please ensure:

1. All new files include the appropriate AGPL-3.0 header

2. You have the right to contribute the code

3. Your code follows the project's coding standards

4. You've tested your changes thoroughly



---



## 📞 Support



For questions, issues, or support:

- GitHub Issues: [https://github.com/nowtec/nowCRM/issues](https://github.com/nowtec/nowCRM/issues)

- Documentation: [https://github.com/nowtec/nowCRM](https://github.com/nowtec/nowCRM)