Self-hosting reference

The whole stack is two Docker Compose services:

Service	What it does
app	The Node backend (server/) + the built Svelte SPA, on port 8080
monarch-fetcher	Optional Python sidecar for the Budget card

docker compose up -d --build

The economy database (points, balances, redemption history) — the one genuinely stateful, irreplaceable piece — lives on a named Docker volume (openfamhub-economy), not a bind mount, so it survives container recreation.

config/members.json and .env are both gitignored and bind-mounted in, so your configuration and secrets never end up in an image layer.

Network access

Reaching the app from other devices — locking it to your LAN or tailnet, serving it over Tailscale, HTTPS, and the DNS-flakiness fix — all lives on its own page:

➡️ Networking (Tailscale)

The short version: never expose port 8080 to the public internet. Reach it over your LAN or a mesh VPN.

Push notifications (optional)

Requires the Tailscale HTTPS setup from Networking first (browsers only allow push from a secure context). Then, one time:

1. Generate a VAPID key pair (any machine with Node):

   npx web-push generate-vapid-keys

2. Paste both keys into .env (VAPID_PUBLIC_KEY, VAPID_PRIVATE_KEY) along with a contact VAPID_SUBJECT=mailto:you@example.com, then docker compose up -d.
3. On each parent's phone, open the PWA, log in, and tap the bell icon.

Who gets the scheduled notifications and when is controlled by PUSH_MEMBERS (default dad,mom), CHORE_REMINDER_HOUR (default 8) and DINNER_DIGEST_HOUR (default 17) — see .env.example. With no VAPID keys set, push is quietly disabled and the bell never appears.

Rebuilding after a frontend change

cd app && npm run build   # writes app/dist/, served by the app service
docker compose up -d      # picks up the new build

Putting it on an actual wall

See Kiosk setup for turning a thin client + touchscreen into an always-on wall display running this in Chromium kiosk mode, and Hardware for the physical build.