# Configuration

Likwid is configured through environment variables and database settings.

## Environment Variables

### Backend

| Variable | Required | Default | Description |
|----------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `DATABASE_URL` | Yes | - | PostgreSQL connection string |
| `JWT_SECRET` | Yes | - | Secret for signing JWT tokens |
| `SERVER_HOST` | No | `127.0.0.1` | Bind address |
| `SERVER_PORT` | No | `3000` | HTTP port |
| `DEMO_MODE` | No | `false` | Enable demo features |
| `RUST_LOG` | No | `info` | Log level (trace, debug, info, warn, error) |

### Frontend

| Variable | Required | Default | Description |
|----------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `API_BASE` | No | `http://localhost:3000` | Backend API URL |
| `PUBLIC_API_BASE` | No | Same as API_BASE | Public-facing API URL |
| `INTERNAL_API_BASE` | No | - | Server-side API URL (e.g. `http://backend:3000` in container deployments) |

## Instance Settings

Managed via the Admin panel or API:

### General
- **Instance Name** - Display name for your Likwid instance
- **Instance Description** - Brief description
- **Registration** - Open, invite-only, or closed
- **Email Verification** - Required or optional

### Features
- **Community Creation** - Who can create communities
- **Public Read Access** - Allow anonymous browsing
- **Federation** - Enable cross-instance communication

### Plugins
- **Active Voting Methods** - Which methods are available
- **Default Voting Method** - Instance-wide default
- **Active Integrations** - GitLab, Matrix, etc.

## Community Settings

Each community can configure:

```json
{
  "voting_method": "schulze",
  "delegation_enabled": true,
  "require_read_before_vote": true,
  "min_discussion_days": 3,
  "quorum_percentage": 25,
  "transparency_level": "full"
}
```

### Voting Method Options
- `approval` - Approval voting
- `ranked_choice` - Instant runoff
- `schulze` - Condorcet method
- `star` - Score then automatic runoff
- `quadratic` - Voice credit allocation

### Transparency Levels
- `full` - All votes visible after closing
- `anonymous` - Only totals visible
- `private` - Results only, no breakdown

## API Configuration

### Rate Limiting
Configure in backend settings:
- Requests per minute per IP
- Requests per minute per user
- Burst allowance

### CORS
By default, CORS allows all origins in development. For production:
```
CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS=https://likwid.example.org
```

## Logging

### Log Levels
- `trace` - Very detailed debugging
- `debug` - Debugging information
- `info` - Normal operation
- `warn` - Warning conditions
- `error` - Error conditions

### Log Format
Logs are output in JSON format for easy parsing:
```json
{"timestamp":"2026-01-27T12:00:00Z","level":"INFO","message":"Server started","port":3000}
```