Initial Setup

After installing TractStack, you’ll need to complete the initial setup to configure your site’s basic settings and create your first admin account.

First Access

Development Setup

Visit http://localhost:4321/storykeep to access the setup wizard.

Production Setup

Visit https://yourdomain.com/storykeep to begin configuration.

Setup Wizard

The initial setup wizard guides you through essential configuration:

1. Admin Account Creation

Create your admin credentials:

• Username: Choose a secure username (avoid “admin”)
• Password: Use a strong password (12+ characters)
• Confirm Password: Re-enter to verify

Security recommendations:

• Use a password manager
• Enable two-factor authentication (if available)
• Choose a non-obvious username

2. Site Information

Basic site details:

• Site Name: Your website’s title
• Site Description: Brief description for SEO
• Home Page Slug: URL slug for your homepage (default: “hello”)
• Site URL: Full URL of your site (e.g., https://yourdomain.com)

3. Initial Content

Choose your starting content:

• Demo Content: Includes example pages showing TractStack features
• Blank Site: Start with minimal content
• Import: Upload existing content (if available)

Recommendation: Choose demo content to learn TractStack features, then customize.

Post-Setup Configuration

Access StoryKeep Dashboard

After setup, you’ll see the StoryKeep dashboard with five main sections:

• Analytics: Real-time engagement metrics
• Content: Manage pages and content
• Branding: Configure visual identity
• Advanced: System settings (Admin only)
• Activity: Live visitor tracking

First Configuration Steps

1. Configure Branding

Navigate to Branding section:

Upload brand assets:

• Logo: SVG format recommended (PNG/JPG acceptable)
• Favicon: 32x32 pixel icon for browser tabs
• Social Image: 1200x630 pixel image for social sharing

Set brand colors:

• Primary Color: Main brand color
• Secondary Color: Accent color
• Background Colors: Light and dark theme options

Configure typography:

• Font Selection: Choose from web-safe fonts
• Heading Styles: Set typography hierarchy
• Body Text: Reading-optimized font settings

2. Basic Site Settings

In Advanced section (Admin only):

Site configuration:

• Time Zone: Set your local timezone
• Language: Primary language for content
• Contact Email: For system notifications
• Analytics: Google Analytics integration (optional)

SEO settings:

• Meta Description: Default description for pages
• Keywords: Primary site keywords
• Social Media: Links to your profiles

3. Create Your First Page

Navigate to Content section:

1. Click “Create New” → Web Page (Story Fragment)
2. Set basic details:
   • Title: Page title
   • Slug: URL-friendly identifier
   • Description: Brief page description
3. Add content panes:
   • Text sections: Rich text editor
   • Images: Upload and manage media
   • Interactive elements: Belief widgets, buttons
4. Configure visibility:
   • Default: Always visible
   • Belief-driven: Show/hide based on visitor preferences
5. Save and publish

Environment Configuration

Development Environment

Configuration files:

• Backend: ~/t8k/src/tractstack-go/.env
• Frontend: ~/t8k/src/my-tractstack/.env
• Site config: ~/t8k/t8k-go-server/config/default/env.json

Key settings to verify:

# Backend (.env)
GIN_MODE=debug
PORT=10000
DB_PATH=../../t8k-go-server/db/default/tractstack.db

# Frontend (.env)
PUBLIC_GO_BACKEND=http://localhost:10000
PUBLIC_TENANTID=default

Production Environment

Configuration file: /home/t8k/t8k-go-server/config/default/env.json

Essential settings:

{
  "SITE_URL": "https://yourdomain.com",
  "SITE_INIT": true,
  "HOME_SLUG": "your-homepage-slug",
  "ADMIN_PASSWORD_HASH": "...",
  "EDITOR_PASSWORD_HASH": "...",
  "JWT_SECRET": "...",
  "AES_KEY": "..."
}

Security settings:

• JWT_SECRET: Secure random string for authentication
• AES_KEY: 32-character encryption key
• Password hashes: Automatically generated during setup

Database Initialization

Default Database Structure

TractStack creates these essential tables:

• story_fragments: Web pages and content
• pane_nodes: Content sections within pages
• file_nodes: Media and assets
• menu_nodes: Navigation menus
• sessions: User sessions and beliefs
• impressions: Call-to-action notifications

Initial Data

Demo content includes:

• Sample pages: Showcase TractStack features
• Belief examples: Interactive widgets demonstration
• Analytics data: Example engagement patterns
• Sample media: Placeholder images and assets

Media Directory Setup

Development Media Path

~/t8k/t8k-go-server/config/default/media/

Production Media Path

/home/t8k/t8k-go-server/config/default/media/

Directory structure:

media/
├── images/           # Uploaded images
├── css/             # Generated stylesheets
└── uploads/         # User uploads

Permissions (production):

sudo chown -R t8k:t8k /home/t8k/t8k-go-server/config/default/media/
sudo chmod -R 755 /home/t8k/t8k-go-server/config/default/media/

Verification Steps

1. Test Site Access

Frontend verification:

• Visit your site URL
• Verify pages load correctly
• Test navigation between pages
• Check responsive design on mobile

StoryKeep access:

• Login with admin credentials
• Navigate through all dashboard sections
• Create a test page
• Upload a test image

2. Test Adaptive Features

Belief system verification:

• Find pages with belief widgets
• Interact with widgets (dropdowns, buttons)
• Verify content reveals/hides appropriately
• Check analytics tracking

3. Performance Check

Load testing:

• Test page load speeds
• Verify image optimization
• Check mobile performance
• Test with multiple browsers

Common Initial Issues

Login Problems

Can’t access StoryKeep:

# Reset admin password (development)
cd ~/t8k/src/tractstack-go
./tractstack-go --reset-admin

# Check configuration
cat ~/t8k/t8k-go-server/config/default/env.json

Media Upload Issues

File permissions:

# Development
chmod -R 755 ~/t8k/t8k-go-server/config/default/media/

# Production
sudo chown -R t8k:t8k /home/t8k/t8k-go-server/config/default/media/

Site Not Loading

Check services:

# Development
# Ensure both terminals are running Go backend and Astro frontend

# Production
sudo systemctl status tractstack-go nginx
sudo -u t8k pm2 status

Next Steps

After completing initial setup:

1. Explore demo content to understand TractStack features
2. Customize branding to match your organization
3. Create your content strategy using story fragments and panes
4. Learn about Magic Paths for adaptive personalization
5. Set up analytics to track visitor engagement

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Initial setup provides the foundation for your TractStack site. Take time to explore the features before customizing extensively.