Deploying a ClipBucket App

ClipBucket is the premier open-source video sharing and streaming platform that empowers creators, businesses, and communities to build their own YouTube-like ecosystem. With ClipBucket, you can create a fully functional video platform supporting user-generated content, live streaming, video monetization, community engagement, advanced video management, and comprehensive analytics—all under your complete control. Whether you’re building a video sharing community, launching a professional media distribution network, creating an educational streaming service, or monetizing video content, ClipBucket provides all the tools you need to manage and distribute video content at scale while maintaining complete ownership of your data and platform.

This comprehensive guide walks through deploying ClipBucket to Klutch.sh using a Dockerfile for reliable, containerized deployment. You’ll learn how to set up ClipBucket with persistent storage for video uploads and media files, create a production-ready Dockerfile, configure the web interface, set up video encoding and processing, manage users and permissions, enable community features, implement monetization options, implement security best practices, configure custom domains, set up monitoring, and troubleshoot common issues. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a production-ready ClipBucket instance running on Klutch.sh’s global infrastructure with automatic HTTPS, optimized performance, and reliable hosting for video sharing and streaming at scale.

Prerequisites

Docker installed locally for testing (optional but recommended)
Git installed locally and a GitHub account (Klutch.sh uses GitHub as the only git source)
Klutch.sh account with access to the dashboard at klutch.sh/app
Text editor or IDE for code editing (VS Code recommended)
PHP knowledge (helpful but not required)
Basic networking knowledge: Understanding of HTTP/HTTPS and DNS
MySQL/MariaDB database (recommended for production use)
FFmpeg for video encoding and processing (included in Docker image)

Understanding ClipBucket Architecture

Technology Stack

Backend:

PHP 7.4+ with modern OOP architecture
MySQL/MariaDB database for persistent storage
FFmpeg for video encoding and transcoding
Redis (optional) for caching and session management
WebSocket support for real-time features

Frontend:

Responsive HTML5 web interface
JavaScript for interactive features
Mobile-optimized design
Admin dashboard for configuration

Key Features

Video Management:

User video uploads with chunked processing
Automatic video encoding and transcoding
Multiple video quality levels (1080p, 720p, 480p, etc.)
Video thumbnails and preview generation
Video search and categorization
Playlist management

User Features:

User registration and authentication
User profiles with customization
Subscriber/follower system
Private messaging
Video recommendations
Watch history and favorites

Community Features:

Comments and discussions
Video ratings and reviews
Sharing and social integration
Trending videos and categories
Video collections and playlists
User channels and subscriptions

Content Management:

Content moderation tools
Automated spam detection
Copyright and rights management
Video scheduling
Bulk operations and management
Content analytics

Monetization:

Advertising integration
Revenue sharing with creators
Paid content and subscriptions
Donation system
Video licensing
Premium features

Streaming:

Live streaming support
Adaptive bitrate streaming
RTMP ingest support
Stream quality selection
Recording of live streams
Stream analytics

Project Setup

1. Create Project Directory

Create a project directory for ClipBucket deployment:

mkdir clipbucket-deployment
cd clipbucket-deployment
git init

2. Create Directory Structure

Create necessary directories:

mkdir -p {uploads,videos,cache,backup,scripts,config}

Resulting project structure:

clipbucket-deployment/
├── Dockerfile
├── entrypoint.sh
├── config/
│   └── default.env
├── scripts/
│   └── init-db.sh
├── uploads/
│   └── (user uploaded files)
├── videos/
│   └── (encoded videos)
├── cache/
│   └── (cached data)
├── .dockerignore
├── .gitignore
└── README.md

3. Create .gitignore File

Create .gitignore to exclude unnecessary files:

.env.local
.env.*.local
*.log
*.swp
.DS_Store
.vscode
.idea
node_modules/
uploads/
videos/
cache/
backup/
tmp/
dist/
build/

4. Create .dockerignore File

Create .dockerignore to exclude files from Docker build:

.git
.gitignore
*.log
.env.local
uploads/
videos/
cache/
backup/
tmp/
.DS_Store
.vscode
.idea
.npm
coverage/
tests/

Creating a Production Dockerfile

Create a Dockerfile for production deployment:

# === Build Stage ===
FROM php:8.1-fpm-alpine AS builder

WORKDIR /app

# Install system dependencies
RUN apk add --no-cache \
    build-base \
    curl \
    git \
    libpng-dev \
    libjpeg-turbo-dev \
    libwebp-dev \
    libxpm-dev \
    freetype-dev \
    ffmpeg \
    imagemagick \
    imagemagick-dev

# Install PHP extensions
RUN docker-php-ext-configure gd \
    --with-freetype \
    --with-jpeg \
    --with-webp && \
    docker-php-ext-install -j$(nproc) \
    gd \
    mysqli \
    pdo \
    pdo_mysql \
    zip \
    curl \
    mbstring \
    exif \
    imagick

# Install Composer
COPY --from=composer:latest /usr/bin/composer /usr/bin/composer

# Clone and install ClipBucket
RUN git clone https://github.com/clipbucket/clipbucket.git . && \
    composer install --no-dev && \
    chmod -R 755 . && \
    chown -R www-data:www-data .

# === Production Stage ===
FROM php:8.1-fpm-alpine

WORKDIR /app

# Install runtime dependencies
RUN apk add --no-cache \
    curl \
    mysql-client \
    ffmpeg \
    imagemagick \
    libpng \
    libjpeg-turbo \
    libwebp \
    freetype \
    tini

# Install PHP extensions
RUN docker-php-ext-configure gd \
    --with-freetype \
    --with-jpeg \
    --with-webp && \
    docker-php-ext-install -j$(nproc) \
    gd \
    mysqli \
    pdo \
    pdo_mysql \
    zip \
    curl \
    mbstring \
    exif \
    imagick

# Copy built application from builder
COPY --from=builder /app /app

# Create app directories
RUN mkdir -p /app/uploads /app/videos /app/cache /app/logs && \
    chown -R www-data:www-data /app

# Copy PHP configuration
COPY php.ini /usr/local/etc/php/conf.d/custom.ini
COPY php-fpm.conf /usr/local/etc/php-fpm.d/custom.conf

# Copy entrypoint script
COPY entrypoint.sh /entrypoint.sh
RUN chmod +x /entrypoint.sh

# Use tini to handle signals properly
ENTRYPOINT ["/sbin/tini", "--"]

# Health check
HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=10s --start-period=40s --retries=3 \
    CMD curl -f http://localhost:9000/ping || exit 1

# Expose port
EXPOSE 9000

# Start PHP-FPM
CMD ["php-fpm"]

Dockerfile Explanation

Build stage: Compiles ClipBucket from source with all PHP extensions
Production stage: Lightweight runtime with only production dependencies
Data persistence: /app/uploads for user files, /app/videos for encoded videos, /app/cache for caching
FFmpeg integration: Included for video encoding and processing
Non-root user: Runs as www-data user for security
Health checks: Automatic container health monitoring
Signal handling: Uses tini for proper signal handling
Multi-stage build: Reduces final image size significantly

Create PHP Configuration

Create php.ini for custom PHP settings:

; Upload and video limits
upload_max_filesize = 2G
post_max_size = 2G
max_execution_time = 3600
max_input_time = 3600

; Memory settings
memory_limit = 512M

; Display errors in development only
display_errors = Off
log_errors = On

; Enable extensions
extension = gd
extension = mysqli
extension = imagick

Create PHP-FPM Configuration

Create php-fpm.conf for PHP-FPM tuning:

[www]
listen = 9000
listen.allowed_clients = 127.0.0.1

; Process management
pm = dynamic
pm.max_children = 50
pm.start_servers = 10
pm.min_spare_servers = 5
pm.max_spare_servers = 20

; Timeouts
request_terminate_timeout = 3600
request_slowlog_timeout = 10s

; Logging
access.log = /proc/self/fd/2
slowlog = /proc/self/fd/2

Create Entrypoint Script

Create entrypoint.sh for initialization:

#!/bin/sh

set -e

echo "Starting ClipBucket initialization..."

# Wait for database if needed
if [ -n "$DATABASE_HOST" ]; then
    echo "Waiting for database to be ready..."
    timeout 30 sh -c "until nc -z $DATABASE_HOST $DATABASE_PORT; do sleep 1; done" || true
fi

# Run migrations if needed
if [ "$RUN_MIGRATIONS" = "true" ]; then
    echo "Running database migrations..."
    php artisan migrate || true
fi

# Set file permissions
chown -R www-data:www-data /app/uploads /app/videos /app/cache /app/logs 2>/dev/null || true

echo "ClipBucket startup complete. Starting PHP-FPM..."

# Start PHP-FPM
exec php-fpm

Building the Dockerfile Locally (Optional)

Test the Dockerfile locally:

# Build the Docker image
docker build -t clipbucket:latest .

# Run the container locally (for testing only)
docker run -d \
  --name clipbucket-test \
  -p 9000:9000 \
  -e DATABASE_HOST=db.example.com \
  -e DATABASE_USER=clipbucket \
  -e DATABASE_PASSWORD=password \
  -v clipbucket-uploads:/app/uploads \
  -v clipbucket-videos:/app/videos \
  clipbucket:latest

# Wait for container to start
sleep 10

# Access the application via web server
# Configure Nginx to proxy to port 9000

Setting Up Nginx Web Server

ClipBucket requires a web server (Nginx) to proxy requests to PHP-FPM. Create nginx.conf:

upstream php-fpm {
    server 127.0.0.1:9000;
}

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name _;
    root /app/public;
    index index.php index.html;

    # Security headers
    add_header X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN" always;
    add_header X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff" always;
    add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block" always;
    add_header Referrer-Policy "no-referrer-when-downgrade" always;

    # Gzip compression
    gzip on;
    gzip_vary on;
    gzip_types text/plain text/css text/xml text/javascript application/x-javascript application/xml+rss;

    # PHP-FPM configuration
    location ~ \.php$ {
        fastcgi_pass php-fpm;
        fastcgi_index index.php;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
        include fastcgi_params;
        fastcgi_read_timeout 300;
    }

    # Static files
    location ~* \.(jpg|jpeg|png|gif|ico|css|js|svg|woff|woff2|ttf|eot)$ {
        expires 1y;
        add_header Cache-Control "public, immutable";
    }

    # Deny access to sensitive files
    location ~ /\. {
        deny all;
    }

    location ~ ~$ {
        deny all;
    }
}

Deploying with Docker on Klutch.sh

Klutch.sh automatically detects a Dockerfile in your repository root and uses it for deployment.

Prerequisites for Docker Deployment

Your ClipBucket project pushed to GitHub with Dockerfile
Database credentials prepared (MySQL/MariaDB recommended for production)
Planned storage for video uploads and encoded videos
Web server (Nginx) configured for PHP-FPM

Steps to Deploy with Docker

Prepare Your Repository

Commit and push all necessary files:

git add Dockerfile entrypoint.sh nginx.conf php.ini php-fpm.conf .dockerignore
git commit -m "Add Docker deployment configuration for ClipBucket"
git push origin main

Log In to Klutch.sh Dashboard
Go to klutch.sh/app and sign in with your GitHub account.
Create a Project
Navigate to the Projects section and create a new project for your ClipBucket instance.
Create an App
Click “Create App” and select your GitHub repository containing the ClipBucket Docker configuration.
Select the Branch
Choose the branch you want to deploy (typically main).
Configure Traffic Type
Select HTTP as the traffic type for ClipBucket (a web application).
Set the Internal Port
Set the internal port to 9000 – this is the port where PHP-FPM server listens.

Add Environment Variables

Configure environment variables for your ClipBucket instance:

APP_ENV=production
APP_DEBUG=false
APP_LOG_LEVEL=error

# Database Configuration
DATABASE_HOST=db.example.com
DATABASE_PORT=3306
DATABASE_NAME=clipbucket
DATABASE_USER=clipbucket_user
DATABASE_PASSWORD=strong_password_here
DATABASE_CHARSET=utf8mb4
DATABASE_COLLATION=utf8mb4_unicode_ci

# Application Configuration
APP_NAME=MyClipBucket
APP_URL=https://example-app.klutch.sh
APP_DOMAIN=example-app.klutch.sh
APP_SECURE=true

# File Upload Configuration
UPLOAD_PATH=/app/uploads
VIDEOS_PATH=/app/videos
MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE=2147483648
ALLOWED_EXTENSIONS=avi,mkv,flv,wmv,mov,mp4,mpg,mpeg,3gp,webm,m3u8,ts

# Session Configuration
SESSION_DRIVER=file
SESSION_LIFETIME=120
SESSION_SECURE_COOKIES=true
SESSION_SAME_SITE=Lax

# Cache Configuration
CACHE_DRIVER=file
CACHE_TTL=3600

# Queue Configuration
QUEUE_CONNECTION=sync

# Email Configuration
MAIL_DRIVER=smtp
MAIL_HOST=smtp.mailtrap.io
MAIL_PORT=587
MAIL_USERNAME=your-username
MAIL_PASSWORD=your-password
MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS=noreply@example.com
MAIL_FROM_NAME=ClipBucket

# FFmpeg Configuration
FFMPEG_PATH=/usr/bin/ffmpeg
FFPROBE_PATH=/usr/bin/ffprobe
VIDEO_ENCODING_PRESET=medium

# Security Settings
APP_KEY=base64:change_this_to_random_key
HASH_ALGORITHM=bcrypt

# Feature Flags
ENABLE_REGISTRATION=true
ENABLE_COMMENTS=true
ENABLE_RATINGS=true
ENABLE_MESSAGING=true
ENABLE_MONETIZATION=false
ENABLE_LIVE_STREAMING=false

RUN_MIGRATIONS=true
TZ=UTC

Replace with your actual values. Generate a secure APP_KEY using: php artisan key:generate

Configure Persistent Storage
ClipBucket needs persistent volumes for video uploads and encoded videos:
1. After creating the app, go to Volumes
2. Add volume for video uploads:
  - Mount path: /app/uploads
  - Size: 50-200 GiB (adjust based on expected uploads)
3. Add volume for encoded videos:
  - Mount path: /app/videos
  - Size: 100-500 GiB (adjust based on video library)
4. Add volume for cache:
  - Mount path: /app/cache
  - Size: 10-20 GiB
5. Add volume for logs:
  - Mount path: /app/logs
  - Size: 5-10 GiB
Configure Compute Resources
Select appropriate resources:
- Minimum: 2-4 CPU, 2-4 GB RAM (small deployments, <100 videos)
- Recommended: 4-8 CPU, 4-8 GB RAM (medium deployments, 100-10,000 videos)
- Large: 8-16 CPU, 8-16 GB RAM (large deployments, 10,000+ videos)
Select region closest to your primary audience. Video encoding is CPU-intensive, so adequate CPU resources are important.
Deploy
Click “Create” to start deployment. Klutch.sh will:
1. Build the Docker image
2. Start the ClipBucket container
3. Assign a public URL (e.g., example-app.klutch.sh)
4. Configure HTTPS automatically
Complete Initial Setup
After deployment, access your ClipBucket instance:
1. Navigate to https://example-app.klutch.sh/install
2. Follow the installation wizard
3. Create administrator account
4. Configure website settings:
  - Website name and description
  - Logo and branding
  - Email settings
  - Video encoding options
5. Configure user permissions:
  - Registration settings
  - Content moderation
  - Role-based access control
6. Set up video encoding profiles:
  - Quality levels (1080p, 720p, 480p)
  - Bitrate settings
  - Encoding presets
7. Configure monetization (if applicable):
  - Advertising integration
  - Revenue sharing models
8. Invite moderators and administrators
Test Functionality
Verify all features are working:
1. Create a test user account
2. Upload a test video
3. Monitor encoding process
4. Test video playback at different qualities
5. Test user features (comments, ratings)
6. Verify email notifications
7. Test admin dashboard
8. Review video analytics

ClipBucket Features and Configuration

1. Video Management

Manage and organize user-generated video content:

Video Upload Process:

Chunked upload support for large files
Progress tracking
Automatic transcoding after upload
Multiple quality generation
Thumbnail generation

Video Features:

Title, description, tags
Category and playlist assignment
Privacy levels (public, private, unlisted)
Comments and ratings
Related video suggestions
Sharing to social media

Upload and manage videos:

Go to Videos section
Click Upload Video
Select video file (supports multiple formats)
Add metadata (title, description, tags)
Set privacy level
Configure encoding settings
Monitor encoding progress
Publish when ready

2. User Management

Manage platform users and permissions:

User Roles:

Administrator: Full system access
Moderator: Content moderation
Premium User: Enhanced features
Regular User: Standard features
Guest: View-only access

User Features:

User profiles with customization
Avatar and background images
Bio and social links
Subscriber/follower management
Privacy settings
Notification preferences

Manage users:

Go to Users section
Review user accounts
Assign roles and permissions
Monitor user activity
Handle user reports
Manage bans and suspensions
Configure user quotas

3. Video Categories

Organize content by categories:

Category Features:

Custom category creation
Category descriptions
Featured videos per category
Subcategories support
Category-specific moderation
Category analytics

Configure categories:

Go to Settings > Categories
Create category structure
Assign videos to categories
Set category thumbnails
Configure category permissions
Enable/disable categories

4. Playlists and Collections

Allow users to organize videos:

Playlist Features:

User-created playlists
Public/private playlists
Collaborative playlists
Playlist recommendations
Embed playlists
Playlist analytics

Create playlists:

Users can create from their dashboard
Add videos to playlists
Reorder videos
Share playlists
Collaborate with others
View playlist statistics

5. Community Features

Foster engagement and community building:

Engagement Features:

Comments and discussions
Video ratings and reviews
Messaging between users
Notifications system
Activity feeds
Trending videos
Recommended videos

Enable community features:

Go to Settings > Community
Enable comments and ratings
Configure moderation
Set notification preferences
Enable messaging
Configure trending algorithm
Set recommendation settings

6. Content Moderation

Manage and moderate user-generated content:

Moderation Tools:

Video approval system
Comment moderation
User reports
Automated spam detection
Content filtering
Age-appropriate content management
Copyright/DMCA handling

Moderate content:

Go to Moderation section
Review reported content
Approve/reject submissions
Block inappropriate content
Take action on violators
Configure automated filters
Document moderation decisions

7. Analytics and Reporting

Track platform metrics and user behavior:

Analytics Available:

Video view counts
User engagement metrics
Geographic analytics
Device and browser analytics
Upload and encoding metrics
Search analytics
Revenue analytics (if monetized)

Access analytics:

Go to Analytics dashboard
Select date range
View video performance
Analyze user behavior
Track encoding queue
Monitor storage usage
Export reports

8. Monetization

Enable revenue generation (optional):

Monetization Options:

Ad revenue sharing
Premium subscriptions
Video licensing
Pay-per-view content
Sponsored content
Donation system

Configure monetization:

Go to Monetization settings
Enable revenue sharing
Configure ad partners
Set subscription tiers
Configure payment processing
Create premium content
Track earnings

Persistent Storage

ClipBucket requires significant persistent storage for video files:

Critical Data Directories

/app/uploads/
├── user-avatars/     (user profile images)
├── thumbnails/       (video thumbnails)
└── original/         (original uploaded videos)

/app/videos/
├── 1080p/            (1080p encoded videos)
├── 720p/             (720p encoded videos)
├── 480p/             (480p encoded videos)
├── 360p/             (360p encoded videos)
└── dash/             (DASH streaming files)

/app/cache/
└── (temporary cache files)

/app/logs/
└── (application logs)

Adding Persistent Volumes

In Klutch.sh dashboard, go to your ClipBucket app
Navigate to Volumes section
Add volume for /app/uploads:
- Mount path: /app/uploads
- Size: 50-200 GiB
Add volume for /app/videos:
- Mount path: /app/videos
- Size: 100-500 GiB
Add volume for /app/cache:
- Mount path: /app/cache
- Size: 10-20 GiB
Add volume for /app/logs:
- Mount path: /app/logs
- Size: 5-10 GiB

Storage Planning

Plan storage based on expected usage:

Example calculations:
- 100 videos at 5GB average = 500 GB
- 1 month of logs = 5-10 GB
- Cache and thumbnails = 20-50 GB

Total recommended: 600-700 GB minimum
Scale as platform grows

Backup Strategy

Implement regular backup routine:

#!/bin/bash
# Weekly backup script

BACKUP_DIR="/backups/clipbucket"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)
RETENTION_DAYS=60

# Create backup directory
mkdir -p $BACKUP_DIR

# Backup database
mysqldump -h $DATABASE_HOST -u $DATABASE_USER -p$DATABASE_PASSWORD $DATABASE_NAME | \
    gzip > $BACKUP_DIR/db_$DATE.sql.gz

# Backup configuration
tar -czf $BACKUP_DIR/config_$DATE.tar.gz /app/config/ 2>/dev/null || true

# Note: Video files are typically too large to backup locally
# Consider implementing incremental backups to cloud storage

# Delete old backups
find $BACKUP_DIR -name "*.gz" -mtime +$RETENTION_DAYS -delete

# Upload to remote storage
# aws s3 sync $BACKUP_DIR s3://my-backup-bucket/clipbucket/

Security Best Practices

1. HTTPS/SSL Enforcement

Klutch.sh automatically provides HTTPS for your web interface. All traffic is encrypted by default.

2. Authentication and Authorization

Implement strong access control:

User Roles:

Administrator: Full system access
Moderator: Content moderation
Creator: Upload and manage videos
User: View and interact
Guest: View-only access

Configure in admin panel:

Go to Settings > Users
Create user accounts with appropriate roles
Set password requirements
Enable two-factor authentication (if available)
Configure API keys and tokens
Regular access audits

3. Content Security

Protect platform from malicious content:

Configuration:
- File type validation
- Malware scanning
- Video codec validation
- File size limits
- Rate limiting on uploads
- Content filtering
- DMCA compliance

4. Video Security

Protect video content:

Access control per video (public/private)
Geo-blocking (if desired)
Hotlink protection
Download restrictions
Watermarking support
DRM capabilities

5. Database Security

Secure database connections:

Use strong database passwords
Enforce SSL/TLS for database connections
Restrict database access to application
Regular database backups
Encryption at rest (if available)
Enable database audit logging

6. API Security

If enabling API access:

- Require API authentication
- Generate secure API tokens
- Set API rate limits
- Log all API access
- Restrict API permissions
- Rotate keys regularly
- Enable HTTPS for API endpoints

7. File Upload Security

Protect uploaded files:

Validate file types and extensions
Scan uploads for malware
Store uploads outside web root
Implement virus scanning
Restrict file access by permission
Set upload size limits
Randomize file names

Performance Optimization

1. Video Encoding Optimization

Optimize video processing:

Configuration:
- Encoding preset: medium (balance speed/quality)
- Bitrate settings per quality level
- Parallel encoding for multiple files
- Queue management
- CPU affinity for encoding processes

Environment variables for encoding:

VIDEO_ENCODING_PRESET=medium
FFMPEG_THREADS=4
VIDEO_MAX_QUALITY=1080p
VIDEO_MIN_QUALITY=360p
ENABLE_ADAPTIVE_BITRATE=true

2. Caching Strategy

Implement multi-layer caching:

Application Caching:
- Cache video metadata
- Cache user profiles
- Cache category listings
- Redis for distributed caching (optional)
- Browser cache for video manifests

3. Database Optimization

Optimize database performance:

Configuration:
- Add indexes on common queries
- Enable query caching
- Optimize table structure
- Regular maintenance (OPTIMIZE TABLE)
- Connection pooling (max 20 connections)

4. CDN Integration

Distribute video content globally:

Configuration:
- Integrate with CDN for video delivery
- Configure CDN for thumbnail delivery
- Use CDN for static assets
- Implement geo-aware routing
- Configure origin pull settings

5. Resource Monitoring

Monitor system resources:

# Monitor CPU usage (important for encoding)
top

# Monitor disk usage
df -h /app/uploads /app/videos

# Monitor memory usage
free -h

# Monitor encoding queue
# Check logs for encoding status

# Check container resources
docker stats container_id

Monitoring and Logging

1. Access Application Logs

View ClipBucket logs through Klutch.sh:

Go to your app in Klutch.sh
Click Logs
Filter by time range and log level
Search for specific errors

2. Configure Structured Logging

Configure logging levels:

APP_LOG_LEVEL options:
- emergency: System is unusable
- alert: Action must be taken immediately
- critical: Critical condition
- error: Error condition (default for production)
- warning: Warning condition
- notice: Normal but significant condition
- info: Informational message
- debug: Debug-level messages

3. Monitor Real-Time Metrics

Track real-time performance:

Metrics to monitor:
- Active user sessions
- Video encoding queue length
- Encoding success/failure rates
- Database connection count
- Storage usage and growth rate
- Network bandwidth
- CPU and memory utilization
- Cache hit rates

4. Health Checks

Configure health monitoring:

#!/bin/bash
# Health check script

# Check PHP-FPM endpoint
curl -f http://localhost:9000/ping || exit 1

# Check database connectivity
curl -f http://localhost:9000/health/db || exit 1

# Check critical services
curl -f http://localhost:9000/health/services || exit 1

exit 0

5. Monitoring Integration

Integrate with monitoring services:

Prometheus: Metrics collection
Grafana: Visualization dashboards
DataDog: Infrastructure monitoring
New Relic: Performance monitoring
Sentry: Error tracking
ELK Stack: Log aggregation

Custom Domains

To use a custom domain with your ClipBucket instance:

1. Add Domain in Klutch.sh

In the Klutch.sh dashboard, go to your app settings and add your custom domain (e.g., videos.example.com).

2. Update DNS Configuration

Update your DNS provider:

CNAME: videos.example.com → example-app.klutch.sh

3. Update Environment Variables

Update ClipBucket configuration:

APP_URL=https://videos.example.com
APP_DOMAIN=videos.example.com
APP_SECURE=true

Redeploy the application to apply changes.

4. Verify DNS Propagation

Check DNS resolution:

nslookup videos.example.com
# or
dig videos.example.com CNAME

Once propagated, your ClipBucket instance will be accessible at your custom domain with automatic HTTPS.

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: Container Won’t Start

Error: Container exits immediately or doesn’t respond

Solutions:

Check Docker logs: docker logs container_id
Verify Dockerfile builds locally: docker build -t clipbucket:test .
Ensure environment variables are set correctly
Check for missing PHP extensions
Verify entrypoint script has execute permissions
Check database connectivity

Issue 2: Cannot Access Web Interface

Error: 503 Service Unavailable or connection timeout

Solutions:

Verify ClipBucket is running: Check container status
Verify port 9000 is exposed and traffic is HTTP
Check firewall rules: Ensure port 9000 is accessible
Verify DNS resolution: dig example-app.klutch.sh
Check PHP-FPM is running: docker exec container_id ps aux
Check Nginx configuration: Proper proxy to PHP-FPM
Wait for initialization: Container may need time on first start

Issue 3: Video Upload Failures

Error: Uploads fail or timeout

Solutions:

Verify persistent volume is mounted: Check /app/uploads exists
Check disk space: df -h /app/uploads /app/videos
Verify file permissions: Container can write to uploads
Increase upload limits: Check MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE
Check timeout settings: PHP and web server timeouts
Review application logs for upload errors
Check browser console for client-side errors
Verify FFmpeg is available: docker exec container_id which ffmpeg

Issue 4: Video Encoding Issues

Error: Videos don’t encode or encoding fails

Solutions:

Verify FFmpeg is installed: docker exec container_id ffmpeg -version
Check encoding queue: Monitor logs for encoding process
Monitor CPU usage: Encoding is CPU-intensive
Check disk space in /app/videos
Verify video format is supported
Review FFmpeg error messages in logs
Increase container CPU resources
Check encoding timeout settings

Issue 5: Database Connection Issues

Error: “Cannot connect to database” errors

Solutions:

Verify database is running and accessible
Check DATABASE_HOST, DATABASE_PORT, credentials
Test database connection manually
Verify database user has proper permissions
Check firewall allows database access
Verify database exists and is initialized
Check database logs for connection issues
Run migrations: Ensure tables are created

Issue 6: Encoding Queue Issues

Error: Videos stuck in encoding queue

Solutions:

Check if encoding process is running
Monitor encoding logs for errors
Restart encoding service if needed
Check CPU and disk resources
Verify FFmpeg is functioning
Clear stuck jobs from queue (if possible)
Increase encoding concurrency
Check video codec compatibility

Issue 7: Storage Running Out of Space

Error: Cannot upload new videos, encoding fails

Solutions:

Check disk usage: du -sh /app/uploads /app/videos
Archive old encoded qualities
Delete test videos
Implement cleanup policies
Increase volume sizes
Consider external storage
Implement auto-cleanup of old files
Monitor storage growth

Issue 8: High CPU Usage

Error: Slow performance, high CPU usage

Solutions:

Monitor active encoding jobs
Limit concurrent encoding: FFMPEG_THREADS
Use lower encoding presets temporarily
Disable unnecessary features
Optimize database queries
Increase container CPU resources
Implement job queue throttling
Monitor third-party services

Best Practices

1. Content Management

Manage platform content effectively:

Review uploaded content regularly
Establish clear community guidelines
Train moderators on policies
Respond to user reports promptly
Archive completed content periodically
Maintain content categorization
Monitor trending content
Track popular creators

2. Video Encoding

Optimize video encoding process:

Monitor encoding queue length
Balance quality vs. encoding time
Use appropriate presets for content type
Implement parallel encoding
Test codec compatibility
Archive source videos securely
Track encoding metrics
Plan CPU scaling

3. User Engagement

Maximize user engagement:

Encourage content uploads
Feature quality content
Respond to community feedback
Implement recommendation system
Create engaging categories
Recognize top creators
Foster healthy discussions
Build community features

4. Performance Tuning

Continuously optimize performance:

Monitor metrics regularly
Optimize encoding settings
Cache frequently accessed content
Implement CDN for distribution
Database query optimization
Regular performance testing
Profile bottlenecks
Document performance baselines

5. Security Maintenance

Keep platform secure:

Regular security updates
Monitor for vulnerabilities
Review access logs regularly
Audit permission settings
Update dependencies regularly
Implement security scanning
Document security policies
Incident response planning

6. Database Maintenance

Maintain healthy database:

Regular backups
Database optimization (OPTIMIZE TABLE)
Monitor query performance
Archive old data
Clean up temporary data
Monitor database size
Index optimization
Connection pool monitoring

7. Storage Management

Manage storage efficiently:

Monitor storage usage
Implement cleanup policies
Compress old video files
Archive inactive content
Track storage growth
Plan for scaling
Implement retention policies
Document storage usage patterns

8. Backup Strategy

Implement comprehensive backups:

Daily database backups
Weekly configuration backups
Regular restore testing
Offsite backup storage
Document backup procedures
Monitor backup success
Document recovery procedures
Test disaster recovery regularly

9. Capacity Planning

Plan for platform growth:

Monitor growth trends
Plan CPU scaling
Plan storage scaling
Plan database scaling
Monitor bandwidth usage
Estimate future needs
Document scaling procedures
Budget for growth

10. Community Building

Foster healthy community:

Engage with users actively
Feature quality content
Celebrate achievements
Handle conflicts professionally
Maintain code of conduct
Build creator programs
Create community forums
Support user events

Verifying Your Deployment

After deployment completes:

Check the App URL: Visit https://example-app.klutch.sh
Complete Installation: Run installation wizard
Create Admin Account: Set up administrator
Configure Settings: Set website details
Test User Registration: Create test user account
Upload Test Video: Upload and monitor encoding
Test Playback: View video at different qualities
Test Comments: Test user engagement features
Verify Storage: Confirm volumes are working
Check Admin Panel: Review system health metrics

If your ClipBucket instance doesn’t work as expected, review the troubleshooting section and check the Klutch.sh dashboard logs for detailed error messages.

External Resources

Deploying ClipBucket to Klutch.sh using Docker provides a powerful, open-source video sharing and streaming platform with complete control over your video infrastructure. By following this guide, you’ve learned how to create a production-ready Dockerfile with PHP, FFmpeg, and required extensions, configure persistent storage for video files and encoded streams, set up user management and community features, configure video encoding and processing pipelines, implement content moderation tools, enable monetization options, implement security best practices, optimize performance for video delivery, configure custom domains, monitor system health, and troubleshoot common issues. Your ClipBucket instance is now running on Klutch.sh’s global infrastructure with professional-grade hosting, automatic HTTPS, scalable storage, and reliable infrastructure for managing video sharing platforms at scale. For additional help or questions, consult the official ClipBucket documentation or contact Klutch.sh support.