willdot.net
docs: knot hosting and contributing guide
anirudh.fi
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docs/contributing.md
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docs/contributing.md
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# tangled contributing guide
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## commit guidelines
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We follow a commit style similar to the Go project. Please keep commits:
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* **atomic**: each commit should represent one logical change
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* **descriptive**: the commit message should clearly describe what the
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change does and why it's needed
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### message format
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```
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<service/top-level directory>: <package/path>: <short summary of change>
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Optional longer description, if needed. Explain what the change does and
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why, especially if not obvious. Reference relevant issues or PRs when
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applicable. These can be links for now since we don't auto-link
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issues/PRs yet.
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```
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Here are some examples:
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```
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appview: state: fix token expiry check in middleware
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The previous check did not account for clock drift, leading to premature
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token invalidation.
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```
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```
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knotserver: git/service: improve error checking in upload-pack
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```
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### general notes
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- PRs get merged as a single commit, so keep PRs small and focused. Use
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the above guidelines for the PR title and description.
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- Use the imperative mood in the summary line (e.g., "fix bug" not
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"fixed bug" or "fixes bug").
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- Try to keep the summary line under 72 characters, but we aren't too
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fussed about this.
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- Don't include unrelated changes in the same commit.
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- Avoid noisy commit messages like "wip" or "final fix"—rewrite history
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before submitting if necessary.
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## proposals for bigger changes
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Small fixes like typos, minor bugs, or trivial refactors can be
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submitted directly as PRs.
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For larger changes—especially those introducing new features,
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significant refactoring, or altering system behavior—please open a
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proposal first. This helps us evaluate the scope, design, and potential
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impact before implementation.
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### proposal format
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Create a new issue titled:
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```
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proposal: <affected scope>: <summary of change>
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```
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In the description, explain:
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- What the change is
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- Why it's needed
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- How you plan to implement it (roughly)
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- Any open questions or tradeoffs
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We'll use the issue thread to discuss and refine the idea before moving
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forward.
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docs/knot-hosting.md
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docs/knot-hosting.md
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# knot self-hosting guide
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So you want to run your own knot server? Great! Here are a few prerequisites:
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1. A server of some kind (a VPS, a Raspberry Pi, etc.). Preferably running a Linux of some kind.
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2. A (sub)domain name. People generally use `knot.example.com`.
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3. A valid SSL certificate for your domain.
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There's a couple of ways to get started:
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* NixOS: refer to [flake.nix](https://tangled.sh/@tangled.sh/core/blob/master/flake.nix)
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* Docker: Documented below.
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* Manual: Documented below.
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## docker setup
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Clone this repository:
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```
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git clone https://tangled.sh/@tangled.sh/core
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```
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Modify the `docker/docker-compose.yml`, specifically the
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`KNOT_SERVER_SECRET` and `KNOT_SERVER_HOSTNAME` env vars. Then run:
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```
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docker compose -f docker/docker-compose.yml up
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```
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### manual setup
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First, clone this repository:
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```
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git clone https://tangled.sh/@tangled.sh/core
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```
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Then, build our binaries (you need to have Go installed):
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* `knotserver`: the main server program
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* `keyfetch`: utility to fetch ssh pubkeys
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* `repoguard`: enforces repository access control
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```
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cd core
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export CGO_ENABLED=1
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go build -o knot ./cmd/knotserver
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go build -o keyfetch ./cmd/keyfetch
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go build -o repoguard ./cmd/repoguard
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```
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Next, move the `keyfetch` binary to a location owned by `root` --
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`/usr/local/libexec/tangled-keyfetch` is a good choice:
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```
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sudo mv keyfetch /usr/local/libexec/tangled-keyfetch
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sudo chown root:root /usr/local/libexec/tangled-keyfetch
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sudo chmod 755 /usr/local/libexec/tangled-keyfetch
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```
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This is necessary because SSH `AuthorizedKeysCommand` requires [really specific
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permissions](https://stackoverflow.com/a/27638306). Let's set that up:
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```
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sudo tee /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/authorized_keys_command.conf <<EOF
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Match User git
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AuthorizedKeysCommand /usr/local/libexec/tangled-keyfetch
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AuthorizedKeysCommandUser nobody
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EOF
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```
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Next, create the `git` user:
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```
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sudo adduser git
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```
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Copy the `repoguard` binary to the `git` user's home directory:
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```
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sudo cp repoguard /home/git
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sudo chown git:git /home/git/repoguard
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```
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Now, let's set up the server. Copy the `knot` binary to
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`/usr/local/bin/knotserver`. Then, create `/home/git/.knot.env` with the
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following, updating the values as necessary. The `KNOT_SERVER_SECRET` can be
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obtaind from the [/knots](/knots) page on Tangled.
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```
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KNOT_REPO_SCAN_PATH=/home/git
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KNOT_SERVER_HOSTNAME=knot.example.com
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APPVIEW_ENDPOINT=https://tangled.sh
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KNOT_SERVER_SECRET=secret
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KNOT_SERVER_INTERNAL_LISTEN_ADDR=127.0.0.1:5444
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KNOT_SERVER_LISTEN_ADDR=127.0.0.1:5555
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```
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If you run a Linux distribution that uses systemd, you can use the provided
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service file to run the server. Copy
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[`knotserver.service`](https://tangled.sh/did:plc:wshs7t2adsemcrrd4snkeqli/core/blob/master/systemd/knotserver.service)
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to `/etc/systemd/system/`. Then, run:
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```
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systemctl enable knotserver
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systemctl start knotserver
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```
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You should now have a running knot server! You can finalize your registration by hitting the
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`initialize` button on the [/knots](/knots) page.