Start, stop and check the shop’s app

SOP SYS-03 · Technical systems manual

1 Purpose

Start the shop’s app on this computer, check that every part of it is running, and stop it.

2 Applies to

The person responsible for the shop’s database, at the start of the day, after the computer restarts, and whenever a screen will not open.

3 Before you begin

Docker Desktop is installed and running. Its whale icon appears in the Windows taskbar, near the clock. If it is not there, open Docker Desktop from the Start menu and wait until it says Engine running.
The .env file exists in the dog-groomer-platform folder. See SYS-02 Set up the AI’s API key, steps 8 and 9.

4 What the app is made of

Docker runs four parts. Each one is reached at its own address on this computer only.

Part	Address	What it is
web	http://localhost:3000	The shop’s screens: Welcome, Check-in, Calendar and Admin
api	http://localhost:8000/docs	The shop screens’ connection to the database
review	http://localhost:8501	The Technical workbench: labelling, AI runs, the database tests, resets, and backup and restore
db	(none)	The database itself

The manual is not one of them. It is published on the web; see SYS-06 Publish the demo and the manual.

4.1 What the Technical workbench is

The Technical workbench is the person responsible for the database’s own screen. Managers and groomers do not use it, and Admin has no button for it. Open it at http://localhost:8501. Its Run & test screen holds the database tests, the resets and backup and restore; its other screens label sample paperwork, check the AI’s readings, and send owner reminders (still in test mode). Its part is still named review in Docker and in commands such as docker compose exec review, so do not rename it.

5 Procedure

5.1 Start the app

Open a terminal in the dog-groomer-platform folder.
Type this command and press Enter:
```
docker compose up -d --build --wait
```
The first start takes several minutes. Later starts take under a minute. The command finishes when every part is running.

5.2 Check that it is running

Type this command and press Enter:
```
docker compose ps
```
Each of api, review, web and db shows Up in the STATUS column. db also shows (healthy).
Open http://localhost:3000 in a browser. The Welcome screen opens. The first time after a start, it can take up to a minute to appear.

5.3 Stop the app

Type this command and press Enter:
```
docker compose stop
```
Every part stops. Nothing is lost: the next start picks up where it left off.

6 Result

The shop’s screens open at http://localhost:3000, and the Technical workbench at http://localhost:8501.

7 If something goes wrong

7.1 localhost refused to connect

That part of the app is not running. Check Docker Desktop is running, then repeat steps 2 and 3. If one part does not show Up, see what it says with this command, replacing web with the part’s name:

docker compose logs web --tail 50

7.2 failed to connect to the docker API

Docker Desktop is not running. Open it from the Start menu, wait for Engine running, and repeat step 2.

7.3 The backend answered 500 after a merge

A merged change added a file to sql/, and the app has not restarted since, so the shop’s database does not have it yet. Restart the app and check the update. See SYS-09 When the app updates its database.

Never add -v to docker compose down

docker compose down -v deletes the database’s storage: every dog, booking, haircut and copy of paperwork recorded in the shop’s app. Use it only when starting over on purpose, and only after making a backup. To put the data back afterwards, see SYS-08 Back up and restore the shop’s data.