Swiftgum requires very little setup in the cloud environment: typically, you only need an API key. If you choose to run Swiftgum on-prem, you can customize environment variables and settings for your local deployment.

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1. Cloud Configuration

For most teams using Swiftgum Cloud:
  • No Environment Variables: Simply include your x-api-key in the header when calling Swiftgum’s API (e.g., https://api.swiftgum.com).
  • Dashboard Settings: Manage provider credentials (like Google OAuth secrets) and advanced configurations directly in the Swiftgum admin UI.
Tip: If you need to rotate your API key, do so from the Swiftgum Cloud dashboard. Make sure to update your applications accordingly.

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2. On-Prem Environment Variables

If you have an on-prem Swiftgum license, you can set the following environment variables to tailor your deployment:
VariableRequiredDescription
DATABASE_URLOptionalIf self-hosting with Postgres/SQLite, specify the DB connection string.
ENCRYPTION_KEYOptionalUsed for encrypting credentials at rest. If not provided, a default is used (not recommended for prod).
PORTOptionalThe local port Swiftgum listens on (e.g., 3000).
LOG_LEVELOptionalSet to info, warn, error, or debug for logging verbosity.
SESSION_TIMEOUTOptionalHow long a portal session remains valid (e.g., 3600 for one hour).
COOKIE_SECRETOptionalUsed to sign session cookies if running Swiftgum behind a custom domain.

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Example .env

DATABASE_URL=postgres://user:password@localhost:5432/swiftgum ENCRYPTION_KEY=something-secure PORT=3000 LOG_LEVEL=info SESSION_TIMEOUT=3600 COOKIE_SECRET=my_cookie_secret Avoid committing your .env file to source control. Use secure secret management (e.g., GitHub Actions secrets, AWS Parameter Store).

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3. Additional Settings

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Provider Credentials

If using OAuth integrations (e.g., Google Drive), store client IDs/secrets in environment variables or a secrets manager. Then reference them in Swiftgum’s admin UI under Integrations.

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Debug & Logging

  • LOG_LEVEL: Change verbosity (info, warn, error, or debug).
  • ENABLE_DEBUG: For more verbose logs, set this to true.

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Session & Portal

  • SESSION_TIMEOUT: Dictates how long a portal session is valid.
  • COOKIE_SECRET: If running behind a custom domain, helps sign session cookies securely.

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4. Testing Your Configuration

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4.1 On-Prem

  • Spin up Swiftgum: Run via Docker Compose or your custom deployment.
  • Check Logs: Look for any missing variables or config errors.
  • Access Admin UI: Visit http://localhost:3000/admin (or your chosen port) and log in with your admin credentials.

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4.2 Cloud

  • Dashboard Confirmation: Use the Swiftgum Cloud dashboard to confirm that your integrations, OAuth credentials, and advanced settings are correct.
  • API Calls: Verify that your x-api-key is working by calling the Portal Session endpoint.
With these configurations in place, you’re ready to manage integrations, tokens, and user sessions confidently.