Skip to main content

Dashboard Setup on Linux

A step-by-step guide to run the optional web dashboard on a Linux server (Apache + systemd) and reach it over HTTPS.

Two separate layers

Getting this working means two independent things: a reverse proxy (Apache) that terminates HTTPS and forwards to the dashboard, and a service manager (systemd) that keeps the Node process alive. The reverse proxy does not run the bot, and systemd does not handle HTTPS. You need both.

Prerequisites​

  • Node.js 22+ and Git installed.
  • The bot already set up and running, with a valid .env (TOKEN, CLIENT_ID, GUILD_ID).
  • A subdomain for the dashboard, e.g. tickets.example.com, with a DNS A record pointing to this server.
  • Apache with the proxy, proxy_http, headers, rewrite and ssl modules, and certbot for the certificate.

Firewall​

The dashboard binds to 127.0.0.1 only, so its port (default 3010) is not reachable from outside and needs no firewall rule. Leave it closed. Only Apache must be reachable from the internet:

DirectionRuleWhy
InboundTCP 80Let's Encrypt certificate issuance/renewal (ACME) and HTTP → HTTPS redirect
InboundTCP 443HTTPS, the actual dashboard traffic
OutboundTCP 443Discord, Let's Encrypt, updates (usually already allowed)

With UFW:

sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp

Do not open port 3010. No UDP is required.

1. Run the guided setup​

In the bot folder:

npm run dashboard:setup
  • Choose b (public, behind a reverse proxy with HTTPS).
  • Port: keep 3010 (or pick a free one and remember it).
  • Enter your domain, e.g. tickets.example.com.
  • Add the shown Redirect URI in the Discord Developer Portal under OAuth2 → Redirects (it will be https://tickets.example.com/auth/callback).
  • Paste your Client Secret (OAuth2 → Client Secret) when asked.

This writes the correct .env. The dashboard binds to 127.0.0.1, so the port is never exposed directly. The wizard also prints the Apache snippet below.

2. Reverse proxy (Apache)​

Save as /etc/apache2/sites-available/ticketbot-dashboard.conf (replace the domain and, if you changed it, the port):

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName tickets.example.com
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteRule ^/?(.*) https://tickets.example.com/$1 [R=301,L]
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost *:443>
    ServerName tickets.example.com

    SSLEngine on
    # certbot fills in the certificate paths for you

    ProxyPreserveHost On
    ProxyPass        / http://127.0.0.1:3010/
    ProxyPassReverse / http://127.0.0.1:3010/

    # The dashboard derives the client IP from the RIGHTMOST X-Forwarded-For
    # entry. Apache appends the real client here.
    RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Proto "https"
</VirtualHost>

Then enable everything and issue the certificate:

sudo a2enmod proxy proxy_http headers rewrite ssl
sudo a2ensite ticketbot-dashboard
sudo certbot --apache -d tickets.example.com
sudo systemctl reload apache2

certbot fills in the certificate paths and sets up automatic renewal.

3. Keep the bot running as a service (systemd)​

Use dashboard.js (not index.js) as the entry point so it also supervises the bot. Create /etc/systemd/system/ticketbot.service:

note

This replaces the plain-bot service from Installation — dashboard.js runs the bot itself, so you never run both. If you already set up a ticketbot.service pointing at index.js, this simply overwrites it; stop it first with sudo systemctl stop ticketbot.

[Unit]
Description=Discord Ticket Bot (with dashboard)
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=discord
WorkingDirectory=/opt/discord_ticketbot
ExecStart=/usr/bin/node /opt/discord_ticketbot/dashboard.js
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Then:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now ticketbot
sudo journalctl -u ticketbot -f --output=cat
tip

For a first test, just run npm run dashboard in a terminal to confirm everything works, then stop it and start the service. Do not run both at once — they would fight over the port.

4. Open it​

Go to https://tickets.example.com and log in with Discord. As the server owner you are automatically admin. Grant everyone else access under Permissions.

Troubleshooting​

  • Login redirects back with an error — the redirect URI in the Discord portal must match DASHBOARD_PUBLIC_URL + /auth/callback exactly, including https.
  • 502 / 503 from Apache — the bot process is not running. Check systemctl status ticketbot and that it listens on the configured port.
  • The dashboard refuses to start, saying the configuration is not safe — you bound it to a public interface without HTTPS. Keep DASHBOARD_HOST=127.0.0.1 and reach it through Apache.