Managed Apps

Managed Applications User Guide

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Application Dashboard

3. Deploying Applications

4. Application Configuration

5. Custom Domain Configuration

6. Environment Variables

7. Server Configurations

8. Managing Applications

9. Troubleshooting

10. FAQ

Introduction

PandaStack's Managed Applications platform allows you to deploy and manage popular open-source applications with just a few clicks. We handle the infrastructure, security, and maintenance so you can focus on using your applications.

Our platform supports a variety of applications including:

• WordPress

• Strapi

• Drupal

• Directus

• Supabase

• Consul

• Grafana

• Keycloak

• Odoo

• And many more!

Application Dashboard

The Managed Applications dashboard provides a central location to view and manage all your deployed applications.

Key Features

• Application List: View all your applications with status indicators

• Quick Actions: Access common actions like visiting the site, viewing settings, or deleting applications

• Filtering and Search: Easily find applications by name, type, or status

• Application Status: Monitor the current status of each application (running, deploying, etc.)

Status Indicators

Status	Description
Running	Application is deployed and running properly
Deploying	Application is currently being deployed
Pending	Application deployment has been queued
Failed	Application deployment has encountered an error
Domain Setup Required	Application requires domain configuration
Awaiting Domain Verification	Waiting for domain DNS verification

Deploying Applications

Prerequisites

• An active PandaStack account

• A non-Free tier subscription (Managed Applications are not available on the Free tier)

Deployment Steps

1. Select an Application:

   • Navigate to the Managed Applications dashboard

   • Click "Deploy New" button

   • Browse the application catalog and select your desired application

2. Basic Configuration:

   • Enter a site name (only lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens allowed)

   • Provide admin credentials (email, username, password)

   • Choose whether to use the default pandastack.app domain or a custom domain

3. Server Configuration:

   • Select a server location (US, EU, or Asia) closest to your users

   • Choose a server size based on your performance needs

   • Available sizes range from PS-01 (2 vCPU, 2GB RAM) to PS-05 (16 vCPU, 32GB RAM)

4. Environment Variables (Optional):

   • Add any custom environment variables your application may need

   • Environment variables must be uppercase and follow KEY=value format

5. Review and Deploy:

   • Verify your configuration details

   • Click "Deploy Application" to begin the deployment process

Deployment Process

1. After clicking "Deploy", your application will enter the "Pending" state

2. The system will provision a server in your selected region

3. If you selected a custom domain:

   • The application will show "Domain Setup Required" status

   • You'll need to configure your domain DNS before installation completes

4. If using the default domain:

   • The deployment will proceed automatically

   • Status will change to "Deploying" while the application is being installed

5. Once completed, status will change to "Running" and the application URL will be active

Application Configuration

Each application type has specific configuration options:

WordPress

• Admin Email: The administrator's email address

• Admin Username: The username for the WordPress admin account

• Admin Password: The password for the WordPress admin account

• Custom Domain: Optional domain instead of default yoursite.pandastack.app

Strapi

• Admin Email: The administrator's email address

• Admin Password: The password for the Strapi admin account

• Environment Variables: Configure custom environment variables for Strapi

• Custom Domain: Optional domain instead of default yoursite.pandastack.app

Supabase

• Admin Email: The administrator's email address

• Admin Password: The password for the Supabase admin account

• JWT Secret: Secret key used to sign JWT tokens (can be auto-generated)

• Anon Key: Public key for anonymous access (auto-generated based on JWT secret)

• Service Key: Private key for service role access (auto-generated based on JWT secret)

• Custom Domain: Optional domain instead of default yoursite.pandastack.app

Consul

• Admin Email: The administrator's email address

• Consul Token: UUID v4 token for Consul authentication (can be auto-generated)

• Datacenter Name: Name of the Consul datacenter

• Custom Domain: Optional domain instead of default yoursite.pandastack.app

Other Applications

Refer to the specific configuration options shown during the deployment process for each application type.

Custom Domain Configuration

Setting Up Custom Domains

1. During Deployment:

   • Toggle "Use pandastack.app Domain" to OFF

   • This will enable custom domain mode

2. After Server Provisioning:

   • Application will show "Domain Setup Required" status

   • Click on "Configure Domain" button in the application dashboard

3. Domain Configuration Steps:

   • Enter your custom domain (e.g., example.com or app.example.com)

   • Configure your domain's DNS to point to the server IP address provided

   • Create an A record pointing to the IP address shown in the settings

4. DNS Verification:

   • Click "Verify DNS" to check if your domain is properly configured

   • The system will check if your domain resolves to the correct IP address

   • If verification succeeds, installation will proceed automatically

   • If verification fails, you'll see specific error messages to help troubleshoot

5. Application Installation:

   • After DNS verification, status will change to "Deploying"

   • The application will be installed with SSL certificate for your domain

   • Once completed, status will change to "Running"

DNS Configuration Example

For domain example.com:

Type: A
Name: @ (or subdomain)
Value: 123.456.789.10 (Your server IP)
TTL: 3600 (or as recommended by your domain registrar)

For domain app.example.com:

Type: A
Name: app
Value: 123.456.789.10 (Your server IP)
TTL: 3600 (or as recommended by your domain registrar)

Environment Variables

Custom environment variables allow you to configure your application without modifying code.

Adding Environment Variables

1. During application deployment, navigate to the "Environment Variables" step

2. Add key-value pairs for your variables:

   • Keys must be uppercase (e.g., DATABASE_URL)

   • Values can be any string

3. Click "Add Environment Variable" to add more variables

Environment Variable Rules

• Variable names must be uppercase letters, numbers, and underscores

• Variable names must start with a letter

• Variables must have both key and value defined

• Variable names must be unique

Supported Applications

The following applications support custom environment variables:

• Strapi

• Directus

• Consul

• Grafana

• Supabase

• And most other applications (except WordPress and Drupal)

Server Configurations

Server Sizes

Server	Specifications	Price (per hour)	Use Case
PS-01	2 vCPU, 2 GB RAM, 40 GB SSD	$0.0104	Small websites, blogs, development
PS-02	3 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 80 GB SSD	$0.0207	Medium websites, small CMS
PS-03	4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM, 160 GB SSD	$0.0415	Production websites, medium CMS
PS-04	8 vCPU, 16 GB RAM, 240 GB SSD	$0.0829	High-traffic sites, complex applications
PS-05	16 vCPU, 32 GB RAM, 360 GB SSD	$0.1659	Enterprise applications, high-demand workloads

Server Locations

• US (Virginia): Best for North American users

• EU (Germany): Best for European users

• Asia (Singapore): Best for Asian/Pacific users

Managing Applications

Application Settings

Access application settings by:

1. Clicking on an application in the dashboard

2. Clicking the settings icon in the actions column

Settings include:

• Application details

• Domain configuration

• Environment variables

• Resource allocation

• Application credentials

Application Actions

• View Application: Open the application in a new browser tab

• Monitoring: View application metrics and performance data

• Test Function: Test application functionality

• View Logs: Access application logs for troubleshooting

• Delete: Remove the application and associated resources

Deleting Applications

1. Click the trash icon in the actions column

2. Confirm deletion in the confirmation dialog

3. The application will enter "Deleting" status

4. Once completed, the application will be removed from your dashboard

Warning: Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. All data will be lost.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Domain Setup Issues

Problem: DNS verification fails

• Solution: Ensure your A record points to the correct IP address

• Solution: Wait for DNS propagation (can take up to 24-48 hours)

• Solution: Check for typos in your domain configuration

Deployment Failures

Problem: Application deployment fails

• Solution: Check application logs for specific error messages

• Solution: Ensure your server size meets the application requirements

• Solution: Verify your configuration parameters are correct

Application Not Accessible

Problem: Application shows "Running" but site is not accessible

• Solution: Clear your browser cache and try again

• Solution: Check if your DNS is resolving to the correct IP

• Solution: Verify no firewall or network issues are blocking access

Getting Support

If you encounter issues that you cannot resolve:

1. Click "Support" in the main navigation

2. Provide details about your issue including:

   • Application name and type

   • Error messages

   • Steps to reproduce the issue

3. Our support team will respond as soon as possible

FAQ

Q: Can I use my own domain name? A: Yes, you can use a custom domain instead of the default pandastack.app subdomain. Follow the custom domain configuration steps.

Q: How long does deployment take? A: Deployment typically takes 5-10 minutes, but can vary depending on the application type and server size.

Q: Can I change the server size after deployment? A: Yes, you can scale up your server size from the application settings page.

Q: Are backups included? A: Automatic daily backups are included with all managed applications.

Q: What happens if I delete an application? A: Deleting an application permanently removes all associated data and resources. Make sure to backup any important data before deletion.

Q: Can I deploy multiple applications? A: Yes, you can deploy multiple applications based on your subscription tier. Free tier accounts cannot deploy managed applications.

Q: How do I access application admin panels? A: After deployment, admin panel URLs are provided in the application details page. Typically, they follow the format: https://yourdomain.com/admin

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For additional assistance, please contact our support team at [e-mail]