github-demo

A Simple Demo for GitHub

Getting started

Local dev

1. Start PostgreSQL

docker-compose up -d

2. Run migrations (creates tables)

npm run db:migrate # prompts for a migration name

3. Start the app

npm run dev

Production (Hetzner VM)

1. Edit .env on the VM, switch the DATABASE_URL to point at the VM's PostgreSQL.
2. Run npm run db:migrate:prod — this runs prisma migrate deploy (no prompts, safe for CI/CD).

Switching environments

Only the DATABASE_URL in .env needs to change. Comment/uncomment the appropriate line:

Local

DATABASE_URL="postgresql://goaltracker:goaltracker@localhost:5432/goaltracker"

Production (Hetzner)

DATABASE_URL="postgresql://goaltracker:@:5432/goaltracker"

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Architecture

Browser (useGoals hook) │ client-side penalty logic runs here │ optimistic UI updates │ ├── GET /api/goals?username=X → load goals + logs ├── POST /api/goals → create goal ├── PATCH /api/goals/[id] → update goal state after logging ├── POST /api/goals/[id]/logs → upsert daily log entry └── DELETE /api/goals/[id] → delete goal

API Routes (server-only) └── lib/db.ts (Prisma singleton) └── PostgreSQL

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Deploying to Vercel

1. Push your code to GitHub

Your repository must be hosted on GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket before importing into Vercel.

2. Provision a PostgreSQL database

Choose one of the following options:

• Vercel Postgres (easiest): In your Vercel dashboard go to Storage → Create Database → Postgres. It automatically sets the DATABASE_URL environment variable.
• Neon (free tier): Create a project at neon.tech and copy the connection string.
• Supabase (free tier): Create a project at supabase.com and copy the connection string.

3. Import the project on Vercel

1. Go to vercel.com → "Add New Project"
2. Import your GitHub repository
3. Vercel auto-detects Next.js — no framework configuration needed

4. Set environment variables

In your Vercel project settings → Environment Variables, add:

DATABASE_URL=postgresql://user:password@host:5432/dbname?sslmode=require

Most managed Postgres providers require ?sslmode=require at the end of the connection string.

5. Configure the build command to run migrations

In Vercel project settings → Build & Development Settings, set the Build Command to:

prisma generate && prisma migrate deploy && next build

Alternatively, add a vercel.json file at the project root:

{
  "buildCommand": "prisma generate && prisma migrate deploy && next build"
}

This runs prisma migrate deploy (not migrate dev), which applies existing migrations non-interactively — the correct mode for production.

6. Deploy

Trigger a deployment. Vercel will run the build command, apply database migrations, and publish the app.

Notes:

• Always use prisma migrate deploy in production, never prisma migrate dev.
• If you experience connection issues at scale, consider using Prisma Accelerate or a connection pooler such as PgBouncer, as Vercel's serverless functions can open many short-lived database connections.