How to Install Schnack on Windows 11

Schnack is a lightweight commenting system, which can be easily installed on your Windows 11 system. In this tutorial, we will guide you through each step of the installation process.

Prerequisites

  • Node.js v14 or above
  • Git installed on your system

Step 1: Clone the Repository

First, clone the Schnack repository from GitHub using the following command in your command prompt or Git bash:

git clone https://github.com/schn4ck/schnack.git

This will download the complete codebase of Schnack into your local system.

Step 2: Install Dependencies

Next, navigate into the Schnack directory and install the project dependencies by running the following command:

cd schnack
npm install

This will install all the required dependencies for Schnack.

Step 3: Configure Schnack

You will need to create a .env file in the root folder of your Schnack installation. You can use the example.env file as a template, and a sample configuration is provided below:

DATABASE_URL=mysql://user:password@localhost/schnack
# Comment moderation options:
# - 'premod': pre-moderation
# - 'postmod': post-moderation
# - 'disabled': nothing is moderated
COMMENT_MODERATION=premod

# URL of your Schnack instance
SCHNACK_URL=https://example.com

# your login credentials
ADMIN_USER=admin
ADMIN_PASSWORD=your_password

# SMTP settings
# SMTP_USER=
# SMTP_PASSWORD=
# SMTP_FROM=
# SMTP_TO=
# SMTP_HOST=
# SMTP_PORT=
# SMTP_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=true

Update the DATABASE_URL field with the details of your MySQL/MariaDB database. If you don't have a MySQL/MariaDB database yet, install and set up one using the instructions here or here.

Step 4: Start Schnack

Finally, start the Schnack server by running the following command:

npm run start

This will start the server on your local machine. You can access your Schnack install by navigating to http://localhost:3000 in your web browser.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully installed and configured Schnack on your Windows 11 system. You can now use this lightweight commenting system in your web projects.