Services Setup

Db, Email, Storage

To allow maximum flexibility Factor requires 3 key services: email, database, and image storage. Set them up now or later.

Demo Defaults

If you're just trying out Factor, you don't need to set up any services. Factor will use a demo database (which resets itself every 30 minutes) for data including images and log emails to your terminal.

Database

Your DB Connection

All that is needed for your database is a MongoDB connection url.

There are many ways to setup and host a MongoDB database and each method will have a straight forward way of getting this connection information.

Once you have a string, just add it to .env under FACTOR_DB_CONNECTION:

# .env - DB Connection (Mongo Connection String)

# with Mongo Atlas connection URL
FACTOR_DB_CONNECTION="mongodb+srv://demo:[email protected]/demo?retryWrites=true&w=majority"

# or with Mongo installed locally 
FACTOR_DB_CONNECTION="mongodb://127.0.0.1:27017/posts"

Recommendation
Mongo Atlas Integration Tutorial
Mongo Local Server Setting Up

Image Storage

You'll need somewhere store images uploaded through Factor. For this we recommend an external image storage service that cleanly separates your app from your images.

Recommendation
Amazon/AWS S3 Integration Tutorial

SMTP Email

Every CMS oriented system needs email for things like email notifications, forgot my password emails, email verification, etc. for this Factor integrates a standard SMTP email tool that needs to be connected with an external service.

Recommendation
Mailgun Integration Tutorial