Deploying Movim

Introduction

Movim is a federated social and chat platform that combines the features of a social network with instant messaging, all built on the XMPP protocol. It provides a modern, web-based interface for XMPP, enabling users to chat, share content, and participate in communities while maintaining the decentralized benefits of federation.

Written in PHP with a responsive interface built on JavaScript, Movim offers a compelling alternative to centralized social platforms. Users connect with any XMPP account and can communicate with millions of users across the XMPP network while enjoying a rich, social media-like experience.

Key highlights of Movim:

XMPP Foundation: Built on open, federated XMPP protocol
Social Features: Posts, shares, comments, and reactions
Instant Messaging: Real-time chat with XMPP contacts
Group Chat: Multi-user chat rooms (MUC)
Communities: Subscribe to and participate in public channels
Video Calls: WebRTC-based audio/video calling
Media Sharing: Photos, videos, and file attachments
News Feed: Aggregated posts from contacts and communities
Explore: Discover public content and communities
Stories: Ephemeral content sharing
Notifications: Push notifications for messages and activity
Mobile Friendly: Responsive design for all devices
PWA Support: Install as progressive web app

This guide covers deploying Movim on Klutch.sh, connecting to an XMPP server, and configuring the platform.

Why Deploy Movim on Klutch.sh

Deploying Movim on Klutch.sh provides excellent advantages:

Simplified Deployment: Klutch.sh automatically builds and deploys Movim. Push to GitHub, and your social platform deploys automatically.

Persistent Storage: Attach volumes for configuration, cache, and media uploads.

HTTPS by Default: Klutch.sh provides automatic SSL certificates required for WebSocket and WebRTC features.

GitHub Integration: Connect your repository for automatic deployments.

Scalable Resources: Allocate CPU and memory based on user count and activity.

Environment Variable Management: Securely store configuration settings.

Custom Domains: Use your own domain for a branded experience.

Always-On Availability: Your platform stays accessible 24/7.

Prerequisites

Before deploying Movim on Klutch.sh, ensure you have:

A Klutch.sh account
A GitHub account with a repository for your configuration
Basic familiarity with Docker and XMPP concepts
An XMPP server (or use public servers like jabber.org)
PostgreSQL database
(Optional) A custom domain

Understanding Movim Architecture

Movim consists of several components:

PHP Backend: Handles web requests and business logic.

WebSocket Daemon: Maintains persistent connections for real-time features.

PostgreSQL Database: Stores user sessions, cached data, and configuration.

XMPP Connection: Communicates with XMPP server for messaging and social features.

Preparing Your Repository

Repository Structure

movim-deploy/
├── Dockerfile
├── README.md
└── .dockerignore

Creating the Dockerfile

Create a Dockerfile:

FROM movim/movim:latest

# Environment configuration
ENV MOVIM_DOMAIN=${MOVIM_DOMAIN}
ENV MOVIM_PORT=8080
ENV MOVIM_INTERFACE=0.0.0.0

# Database configuration
ENV MOVIM_DB_HOST=${MOVIM_DB_HOST}
ENV MOVIM_DB_PORT=5432
ENV MOVIM_DB_NAME=${MOVIM_DB_NAME}
ENV MOVIM_DB_USER=${MOVIM_DB_USER}
ENV MOVIM_DB_PASSWORD=${MOVIM_DB_PASSWORD}

# XMPP configuration
ENV MOVIM_XMPP_WHITELIST=${MOVIM_XMPP_WHITELIST}
ENV MOVIM_ADMIN=${MOVIM_ADMIN}

# Create directories
RUN mkdir -p /var/www/movim/cache /var/www/movim/log

# Expose ports
EXPOSE 8080

# Health check
HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=10s --start-period=60s --retries=3 \
  CMD curl -f http://localhost:8080/ || exit 1

Environment Variables Reference

Variable	Required	Default	Description
`MOVIM_DOMAIN`	Yes	-	Public domain for Movim
`MOVIM_PORT`	No	8080	HTTP port
`MOVIM_DB_HOST`	Yes	-	PostgreSQL host
`MOVIM_DB_NAME`	Yes	-	Database name
`MOVIM_DB_USER`	Yes	-	Database username
`MOVIM_DB_PASSWORD`	Yes	-	Database password
`MOVIM_XMPP_WHITELIST`	No	-	Allowed XMPP domains
`MOVIM_ADMIN`	No	-	Admin XMPP JID

Deploying Movim on Klutch.sh

Provision PostgreSQL Database

Set up a PostgreSQL instance for Movim.

Push Your Repository to GitHub

git init
git add Dockerfile .dockerignore README.md
git commit -m "Initial Movim deployment"
git remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/movim-deploy.git
git push -u origin main

Create a New Project on Klutch.sh

Navigate to the Klutch.sh dashboard and create a project named “movim” or “social”.

Create a New App

Create a new app and connect your GitHub repository.

Configure HTTP Traffic

In deployment settings:

Select HTTP as the traffic type
Set the internal port to 8080

Set Environment Variables

Configure your environment:

Variable	Value
`MOVIM_DOMAIN`	`your-app-name.klutch.sh`
`MOVIM_DB_HOST`	Your PostgreSQL host
`MOVIM_DB_NAME`	`movim`
`MOVIM_DB_USER`	Your database user
`MOVIM_DB_PASSWORD`	Your database password

Attach Persistent Volumes

Add volumes for persistent data:

Mount Path	Recommended Size	Purpose
`/var/www/movim/cache`	10 GB	Media cache
`/var/www/movim/log`	1 GB	Application logs

Deploy Your Application

Click Deploy to build and launch Movim.

Run Database Setup

Initialize the database:

php vendor/bin/phinx migrate

Access Movim

Navigate to https://your-app-name.klutch.sh.

Using Movim

Creating an Account

Navigate to your Movim instance
Click Create an account or Log in
Enter your XMPP credentials (user@domain.com)
Set your display name and preferences

News Feed

The home feed shows:

Posts from your contacts
Activity from subscribed communities
Shared content and reactions

Publishing Posts

Share content with your network:

Click Write or the compose button
Add text, images, or videos
Select visibility (public, contacts, private)
Publish

Messaging

Start conversations:

Click Chats in navigation
Select a contact or start new chat
Send messages, files, and stickers
Make audio/video calls

Communities

Join and participate in groups:

Navigate to Explore
Browse or search communities
Subscribe to interesting groups
Post and interact with members

Configuration

XMPP Server Whitelist

Restrict which XMPP servers users can log in from:

MOVIM_XMPP_WHITELIST=yourdomain.com,partner.com

Admin Configuration

Set administrator accounts:

MOVIM_ADMIN=admin@yourdomain.com

Admins can:

Manage blocked servers
View statistics
Configure platform settings

Public or Private

Configure access mode:

Open: Anyone with XMPP account can use
Whitelist: Only specified domains
Single: Locked to one XMPP server

Customization

Branding

Customize appearance:

Access admin panel
Navigate to Customization
Set logo and colors
Configure welcome message

Features Toggle

Enable/disable features:

Video calls
Stories
Explore section
Account creation

Troubleshooting

WebSocket Connection Failed

Verify HTTPS is working
Check WebSocket daemon is running
Review proxy configuration

XMPP Connection Issues

Verify XMPP server is accessible
Check XMPP port (5222) connectivity
Review XMPP server logs

Media Not Loading

Check cache volume permissions
Verify disk space available
Review media upload settings

Database Errors

Verify PostgreSQL connection
Run migrations if needed
Check database user permissions

Additional Resources

Conclusion

Movim on Klutch.sh provides a modern, federated social platform that combines the best of social networking with instant messaging. Built on XMPP, it offers true federation and interoperability with millions of users across the XMPP network. The combination of social features, real-time chat, and video calling makes Movim a compelling alternative to centralized platforms, while Klutch.sh simplifies deployment and maintenance.