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https://github.com/pennomi/comics

A minimalist platform for hosting webcomics. Gives a nice browsing experience due to AJAX navigation.
https://github.com/pennomi/comics

webcomics website

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A minimalist platform for hosting webcomics. Gives a nice browsing experience due to AJAX navigation.

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README 

        
# License



This minimal webcomics platform is available under the terms of the permissive MIT license. While not required, if you 

do something interesting with the code, please drop us a line; we'd love to know what you're up to!



# Project Setup



Want to run a comics server for yourself? Maybe you'd rather send us a bug fix or new feature? Get started here.



## Docker Setup



If you're unfamiliar with Docker, this might be a little tricky for you. It's worth learning though; power through it until you understand!



- Install Docker and Docker Compose for your platform

- Run `python generate_env.py` to set up the docker environment configuration. Answer `y` to the prompt if you're doing development work, or `n` if you're deploying a server.

- Run `docker compose up --build -d`



You now have a server running. Unfortunately it doesn't do much - we need to initialize the data or restore from a backup.



## Initialize Data From Scratch



- Enter a shell on the docker django machine `docker compose exec django bash`

- Create the database `python manage.py migrate`

- Add a superuser `python manage.py createsuperuser`. Follow the prompts.

- Collect static files `python manage.py collectstatic`

- The site will now be running on `http://localhost`. (Note that this is running on port 80 unlike many development servers.)

- Add Data into the [Django Admin](http://localhost/admin/). Set up at least one Comic and then give it at least one Page. The Comic should use `localhost` as its "domain" so the URL router knows where to find it.

- Open [the Site](http://localhost) in a Web Browser.



## Backing Up and Restoring Data



To back up your database, run `docker compose exec django python manage.py backup dump .zip`.



To restore your database from a backup zip:

 - Ensure you have an empty database to start. It should be migrated.

 - Then load the backup zip `docker-compose exec django python manage.py backup load .zip`.

 - Log into your admin and make sure to change any Comics or Alias URLs so they work on your new IPs/Domains.



# Setting up SSL certs



The caddy server will automatically generate certs for the domain set in project.env



# Roadmap



- [ ] Bug Fixes

  - [ ] Alt text doesn't dynamically change with page switch on Chrome

  - [ ] nginx access and error logs don't ever cycle, so they might fill up the disk.

  - [ ] Migrate to a slightly larger server for the extra RAM

- [ ] Nice New Features

  - [ ] Community Page: a quick link to all social pages

    - [ ] LD+JSON for author and all community links

  - [ ] Extended Markdown for tag links; update transcripts and wiki pages

    - [ ] Auto-migrate tags when they are renamed.

  - [ ] Global search functionality for archive (returns tags and pages)

- [ ] Comments Overhaul

  - [ ] The forum isn't working out well for comments, is hard to set up, and embedding has gotten harder. What can we do instead?

- [ ] New URL-based Router

  - [ ] Blacklisted page slugs ("feed", "data")

  - [ ] Restricted admin permissions for artists

  - [ ] Automate SSL certs through LetsEncrypt as a management command

  - [ ] Autorenew certs where applicable

- [ ] Code Cleanliness & Data Integrity

  - [ ] Ensure RSS feed has no issues. Validate with https://validator.w3.org/feed/check.cgi

  - [ ] Make the CSS variables load into the template and move the main css file out to a static file

  - [ ] Load any JS variables into the template and move the main js file out to a static file

  - [ ] Migrate media files to namespaced paths. Randomize comic page image names so they're not guessable.

  - [ ] Periodically clean out orphaned media. Make sure the comments still link properly.

  - [ ] Use proper HTML template elements for dynamic sections

- [ ] Optimization

  - [ ] Run everything through an SEO checker

  - [ ] Google PageSpeed Insights

  - [ ] User Timing API for real user data

- [ ] Onboarding

  - [ ] Add a "no content" placeholder template for comics that have no pages yet

- [ ] New Reader "Quests" Section

  - [ ] Subscribe to RSS feed

  - [ ] Social Share Functionality

  - [ ] Vote for me on TopWebComics

  - [ ] Patreon integration

    - [ ] Become a Patron

    - [ ] Remove Ads if user is authed

    - [ ] Google Analytics tracking for conversion

  - [ ] Browser Push Notifications

    - [ ] Only present the modal if requested

    - [ ] Take them to a dedicated page that explains what to expect and then present modal

    - [ ] Look here: [browser push notifications](https://developers.google.com/web/updates/2016/07/web-push-interop-wins)

  - [ ] Join the Conversation on Discord

  - [ ] Tip me on Ko-Fi

  - [ ] GA event tracking

- [ ] Host static media through a better server than gunicorn

- [ ] Auto-post to various social media

  - [ ] General OAuth login

  - [ ] Reddit

  - [ ] Instagram

  - [ ] Discord

  - [ ] Patreon

  - [ ] Webtoons

  - [ ] Tumblr

- [ ] Merch Shop

  - [ ] Identify partner

  - [ ] One product beta

  - [ ] Upload image with strict specifications

  - [ ] Google Analytics tracking for conversion

- [ ] QoL improvements

  - [ ] Error handling for failed AJAX requests

  - [ ] Reveal Hover Text button

  - [ ] Smooth out navigation so people don't get stuck in the tag pages ("Return to the Comic" button)

  - [ ] Search

  - [ ] Translations

  - [ ] Transcript/Tag suggestions

  - [ ] Better reading experience for people with 1366x768 laptop screens

  - [ ] Nice 404 page. Maybe make it configurable per comic. (404 Sword Not Found)

- [ ] Search Engine Optimization

  - [ ] Metadata

    - [x] Page

    - [ ] Archive

    - [ ] Tag

    - [ ] TagType

  - [ ] robots.txt & sitemap (These are stubbed out. Please finish.)

  - [ ] Schema.org tagging for our pages, tags

    - [ ] About the author section

    - [ ] Character section

    - [ ] Distinguish between cover art, etc

    - [ ] Javascript changing of values where appropriate

    - [ ] Tags might want a nullable "schema type"

- [ ] Other Wishlist

  - [ ] Translations

  - [ ] Order by Chronological vs Release vs whatever



# Other ideas:



- [ ] Swords "panel bot" (request a comic id and panel number for a cropped version of the comic)



# AWS Ubuntu Setup



Here's a rough outline of what I did to get this server deployed on a fresh Ubuntu AWS EC2 instance.



```bash

# Apply security updates

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade



# Get Docker

sudo apt install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg

echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

sudo apt update

sudo apt install docker-ce



# Get Docker Compose

mkdir -p ~/.docker/cli-plugins/

curl -SL https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/v2.3.3/docker-compose-linux-x86_64 -o ~/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose

chmod +x ~/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose



# Make it so we don't have to use docker with sudo

sudo usermod -aG docker ${USER}

newgrp docker



# Get the project

git clone https://github.com/pennomi/comics.git

cd comics



# HEADS UP! First remember to set your DNS to the public IP address of the server

python3 generate_env.py  # Select "n" because this is a production environment

docker compose build



# Start the server

docker compose up --build -d



# Create the database and initialize the static files

docker compose exec django python manage.py migrate

docker compose exec django python manage.py collectstatic



# EITHER initialize the data

docker compose exec django python manage.py createsuperuser

# OR load from a data dump

docker compose exec django python manage.py backup load 



# Restart the server

docker compose restart

```