How to Host a Northstar Server: A Comprehensive Guide for Devs

Welcome, Devs, to this article discussing how to host a Northstar server. Northstar is a powerful, open-source platform that allows you to build and host your own map-making service. With Northstar, you can create maps, geocode addresses, and perform other geospatial tasks. In this article, we will go through the steps you need to follow to host a Northstar server, from setting up your server to configuring your map-making service. Let’s get started!

Section 1: Setting up Your Server

The first step towards hosting your own Northstar server is to set up your server. This section will guide you through the process of choosing a server, selecting an operating system, and installing the required software.

Step 1: Choosing a Server

The first thing you need to do is choose a server. You can either host your own server or use a cloud-based hosting service. If you choose to host your own server, you should make sure it meets the minimum hardware requirements. Generally speaking, you will need a server with at least 4 cores, 8GB of RAM, and 200GB of disk space.

If you choose to use a cloud-based hosting service, you can choose from a variety of providers, including AWS, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure. Each provider offers different plans and pricing, so make sure to choose the one that best fits your needs and budget.

Step 2: Selecting an Operating System

The next step is to select an operating system. Northstar is compatible with Linux and requires certain dependencies to be installed. Ubuntu is a popular choice for hosting Northstar server, but you can also use other Linux distributions such as CentOS, Debian, or Fedora. Select the one that you are most comfortable with and meets Northstar’s requirements.

Step 3: Installing Required Software

Once you have selected your server and operating system, the next step is to install the required software. Northstar requires the following dependencies to be installed:

Dependency	Version
PostgreSQL	9.4+
Python	3.6+
pipenv	2018.11.26+
GDAL	2.2+
GEOS	3.6+

You can use your package manager to install these dependencies. For example, if you are using Ubuntu, you can install PostgreSQL, Python, and pipenv using the following command:

sudo apt-get install postgresql postgresql-contrib python3 python3-pip pipenv

To install GDAL and GEOS, you can use the following command:

sudo apt-get install binutils libproj-dev gdal-bin libgdal-dev libgeos-dev

Section 2: Installing Northstar

Now that you have set up your server and installed the required software, the next step is to install Northstar. This section will guide you through the process of cloning the repository, setting up the database, and configuring Northstar.

Step 1: Cloning the Repository

The first step is to clone the Northstar repository from GitHub. You can use the following command to clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/DoSomething/northstar.git

This will create a directory called northstar containing the Northstar source code.

Step 2: Setting up the Database

The next step is to set up the database. Northstar uses PostgreSQL as its database backend. You need to create a new PostgreSQL database and user for Northstar. You can use the following commands to create the database and user:

sudo -u postgres psqlCREATE DATABASE northstar;CREATE USER northstar WITH PASSWORD 'password';GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE northstar TO northstar;\q

Replace password with a secure password of your choice.

Step 3: Configuring Northstar

Once you have set up the database, you need to configure Northstar. Northstar uses environment variables to store its configuration. You can create a new file called .env in the northstar directory and add the following configuration:

# PostgreSQLDATABASE_URL=postgres://northstar:password@localhost:5432/northstar# FlaskFLASK_APP=wsgi.pyFLASK_ENV=development# Secret keySECRET_KEY=your_secret_key_here# SessionSESSION_TYPE=redis# RedisREDIS_URL=redis://localhost:6379/0# SentrySENTRY_DSN=your_sentry_dsn_here

Replace password, your_secret_key_here, and your_sentry_dsn_here with your own values. Note that you need to have a Redis server running for Northstar to work.

Step 4: Installing Dependencies

The final step is to install Northstar’s dependencies using pipenv. You can use the following command to install the dependencies:

cd northstarpipenv install --dev

This will install all the dependencies required by Northstar.

Section 3: Running Northstar

Now that you have installed Northstar, the final step is to run it. This section will guide you through the process of starting Northstar and testing it.

Step 1: Starting Northstar

You can start Northstar using the following command:

pipenv run ./manage.py runserver

This will start the development server. If you want to run Northstar in production, you should use a production-grade server such as Gunicorn or uWSGI.

Step 2: Testing Northstar

You can test Northstar by visiting http://localhost:5000/ in your web browser. You should see a welcome page indicating that Northstar is running.

FAQs

Q1: What is Northstar?

A1: Northstar is an open-source platform that allows you to build and host your own map-making service. With Northstar, you can create maps, geocode addresses, and perform other geospatial tasks.

Q2: What are the requirements for hosting Northstar?

A2: You will need a server with at least 4 cores, 8GB of RAM, and 200GB of disk space. You will also need to install PostgreSQL, Python, pipenv, GDAL, and GEOS.

Q3: Can I use a cloud-based hosting service to host Northstar?

A3: Yes, you can use a cloud-based hosting service such as AWS, Google Cloud Platform, or Microsoft Azure to host Northstar.

Q4: What kind of maps can I create with Northstar?

A4: You can create a variety of maps with Northstar, including heat maps, choropleth maps, and point maps. Northstar also supports custom tilesets and markers.

Q5: Can I integrate Northstar with other services?

A5: Yes, Northstar provides a RESTful API that allows you to integrate it with other services.

Congratulations, Devs! You have successfully learned how to host a Northstar server. With this knowledge, you can now create your own map-making service and perform other geospatial tasks. Good luck!