Production Checklist

Production Checklist

Before going live, verify each item in this checklist.

Security

• GIN_MODE=release — disables debug output in HTTP responses
• AUTH_ENABLED=true — use Auth0 instead of simple password auth
• Default ADMIN_PASSWORD changed from changeme
• HTTPS enabled (Let’s Encrypt via Certbot recommended)
• WebSocket connection at wss:// (not ws://) — handled by Nginx TLS
• Server firewall: only ports 80 and 443 open externally

Data Persistence

• SQLite database mounted to a persistent volume (not in container)
• Automated database backups configured (cron or backup service)
• Test restore: can you recover the database from a backup?

Performance

• GIN_MODE=release — enables performance optimizations
• LOG_LEVEL=info or warn — reduces log I/O in production
• Nginx caching for static assets (optional but recommended)
• Server has adequate RAM for SQLite WAL and Go runtime

Nginx

• HTTP → HTTPS redirect configured
• WebSocket proxy_read_timeout set to 3600s (1 hour minimum)
• SSL certificate obtained and auto-renewal configured
• proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme set (needed for redirect logic)

Game Content

• Starting room configured for new characters
• At least one zone with rooms, NPCs, and exits
• Default skills seeded (make seed-skills or via API)
• Admin account promoted to MUD Admin role
• Content creator accounts promoted to MUD Creator role

Testing

• Create a new character end-to-end
• Walk between multiple rooms
• Kill an enemy (combat works)
• Accept and complete a quest
• Restart the server — all state persists
• WebSocket reconnection works after brief disconnect

Monitoring

• Server logs are being collected
• /health endpoint returns 200 (configure uptime monitoring)
• Disk space monitoring for database growth

Next Steps

Once deployed, tell your players and list your world in the TalesMUD Showcase!