From 3e6b9bbd53bad2a2bdbafe396a369e986eaee2bf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Asif Bacchus <asif@bacchus.cloud>
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2021 14:03:04 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] docs(README): proper readme

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 README.md | 97 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
 1 file changed, 95 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
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-# livereload
+# livereload (dockerized nodejs)
 
-Nodejs with livereload
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+Containerized implementation of [npm livereload](https://www.npmjs.com/package/livereload) as forked by [Brian Hogan](https://github.com/napcs) ([github repo](https://github.com/napcs/node-livereload)). This container is based on Node running on Alpine and provides for easy version and node user UID/GID changes via build args. Time zone, monitored extensions, excluded files/directories and polling delays can be set via environment variables passed at runtime. The container runs under the non-root user *'node'* over the standard livereload port *35729* for compatibility with browser addons.
+
+**Please note:** This container only generates notifications on port 35729 for livereload clients. It does NOT contain a webserver! Please see [Example run commands](#example-run-commands) and [Docker-Compose](#docker-compose) for how to add this to your webdev-stack.
+
+## Contents
+
+- [Private docker repository](#private-docker-repository)
+- [Source/Issues](#source-issues)
+- [Environment variables](#environment-variables)
+- [Volume mapping](#volume-mapping)
+- [Example run commands](#example-run-commands)
+    - [Using environment variables](#using-environment-variables)
+- [Docker-Compose](#docker-compose)
+- [Final thoughts](#final-thoughts)
+
+## Private docker repository
+
+If you prefer, you can also use my private repository to download possibly newer containers and/or signed containers. I sign all major release tags (e.g. '1', '2', etc.) and 'latest.' Simply change `asifbacchus/livereload:tag` to `docker.asifbacchus.app/livereload/livereload:tag`.
+
+## Source/Issues
+
+If you want the Dockerfile or if you want to bring an issue/request to my attention, please head to either my private [git server (preferred)](https://git.asifbacchus.app/ab-docker/webdev) or [github](https://github.com/asifbacchus/webdev).
+
+## Environment variables
+
+All environment variables have sensible defaults and, thus, are *not* required to be set for the container to run successfully.
+
+| variable | description                                                  | default                           |
+| -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------- |
+| TZ       | Set the container's time zone. NO impact on runtime, included for convenience. | Etc/UTC                           |
+| EXT      | Defines monitored extensions.                                | html,xml,css,js,jsx,ts,tsx,php,py |
+| EXCLUDE  | Defines *paths* to ignore.                                   | .git/,.svn/                       |
+| DELAY    | Time (ms) between polling for changed files.                 | 500                               |
+
+## Volume mapping
+
+Obviously, this container needs something to monitor to determine whether changes have been made. This is accomplished via bind-mounting a directory from the host and is why 'polling' is necessary. Map a directory with files to be monitored to the container at */var/watch*.
+
+## Example run commands
+
+```bash
+docker run --name livereload --restart unless-stopped \
+  -v /home/user/Documents/myWebPage:/var/watch \
+  -p 35729:35729 \
+  asifbacchus/livereload:latest
+```
+
+The above command will run the container with a name of *livereload*, restarting with your machine unless explicitly stopped, using the default livereload port. It will monitor all files in */home/user/Documents/myWebPage* for changes.
+
+### Using environment variables
+
+Say you want to only monitor html and css files and you want to ignore anything going on in your 'oldversion' folder. You can set environment variables as follows:
+
+```bash
+docker run --name livereload --restart unless-stopped \
+  -v /home/user/Documents/myWebPage:/var/watch \
+  -p 35729:35729 \
+  -e EXT="html,css" \
+  -e EXCLUDE="oldversion/"
+  asifbacchus/livereload:latest
+```
+
+If you wanted a longer polling period, run as follows:
+
+```bash
+docker run --name livereload --restart unless-stopped \
+  -v /home/user/Documents/myWebPage:/var/watch \
+  -p 35729:35729 \
+  -e DELAY=3000 \
+  asifbacchus/livereload:latest
+```
+
+## Docker-Compose
+
+It is very likely this would be integrated via docker-compose with an existing webserver container (like Nginx or Apache). Add this to your docker-compose.yml:
+
+```yaml
+livereload:
+  image: asifbacchus/livereload:latest
+  container_name: livereload
+  restart: unless-stopped
+  volumes:
+    - /local/directory/to/watch:/var/watch
+  ports:
+    - 35729:35729
+  environment:
+    - TZ=Region/Locality
+```
+
+Obviously, you should change `/local/directory/to/watch` and `TZ=Region/Locality` as needed. Also, please remember to verify the scope of port mapping as appropriate to your environment! You may *not* need to bind to all addresses as I have in this example.
+
+## Final thoughts
+
+That's it. Hopefully this is useful for you and makes it easier to run a live-reload server without having to install node on your machine. As always, let me know if you have any issues/suggestions by filing an issue on either git repo.
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