> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.findable.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Production Deployment

> Single-port Express deployment on Azure App Service with PM2, managed identity, and environment variable overrides.

> **Important:** Findable does **not** use a `.env` file in production. All configuration is managed through **Azure App Service → Configuration → Application Settings**. The `.env` file is strictly for local development.

### Single-Port Deployment

In production, the application serves both the React frontend and Node.js backend from a single Express server on a single port:

```sh theme={null}
# Build everything
npm run build

# Start production server
npm start  # or: node dist/index.js
```

PM2 is used as the process manager (see `ecosystem.config.js`).

### Azure App Service Configuration

Set the Cosmos DB connection variables (see [Setup Wizard → Prerequisites](/getting-started/setup-wizard)) as **Application Settings** in Azure App Service → Configuration. Do not use a `.env` file in production.

All other application settings (AI model endpoints, search endpoints, feature flags, auth config, etc.) are stored in the **Cosmos DB `settings` container** and managed through the Admin UI. This means:

* **No secrets in source control** — Cosmos DB connection is the only environment-level config
* **Runtime configuration** — Admins can change settings without redeployment
* **Centralized management** — All settings visible and editable through the Admin interface

### Managed Identity (Recommended)

For production, use [Azure Managed System Identity](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/managed-identities-azure-resources/) instead of API keys:

1. Enable system-assigned managed identity on your [App Service](https://portal.azure.com/#browse/Microsoft.Web%2Fsites)
2. Grant the identity access to Cosmos DB, Azure AI Search, Storage, etc.
3. Set `AZURE_COSMOS_AUTH_TYPE=managedSystemIdentity`
4. Omit `AZURE_COSMOS_KEY` — the managed identity handles authentication

### Environment Variables Reference

These are the environment variables recognized by the server. In production, set them as **Azure App Service → Configuration → Application Settings**. For local development, use a `.env` file in the project root.

**Required (Cosmos DB connection):**

| Variable                 | Description                                              |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| `AZURE_COSMOS_ENDPOINT`  | Cosmos DB account endpoint URL                           |
| `AZURE_COSMOS_KEY`       | Cosmos DB account key (omit when using managed identity) |
| `AZURE_COSMOS_DB`        | Cosmos DB database name                                  |
| `AZURE_COSMOS_AUTH_TYPE` | `apiKey` (default) or `managedSystemIdentity`            |

**Optional (overrides for settings normally stored in Cosmos DB):**

| Variable                   | Description                                                                    |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `TENANT_ID`                | Azure AD tenant ID                                                             |
| `GRAPH_CLIENT_ID`          | Server app registration client ID                                              |
| `GRAPH_CLIENT_SECRET`      | Server app registration client secret                                          |
| `GRAPH_AUTH_TYPE`          | `clientCredentials` (default) or `managedSystemIdentity`                       |
| `SHAREPOINT_CLIENT_ID`     | SharePoint app registration client ID                                          |
| `SHAREPOINT_CLIENT_SECRET` | SharePoint app registration client secret                                      |
| `PORT`                     | Server listen port (default: `3000` in dev, `8080` in production)              |
| `LOG_LEVEL`                | Winston log level: `error`, `warn`, `info` (default), `debug`                  |
| `FINDABLE_BASE_URL`        | Public URL for notification links (e.g., `https://your-app.azurewebsites.net`) |
| `NODE_ENV`                 | `development` or `production`                                                  |

> **Reminder:** Environment variables take precedence over Cosmos DB values when present. Most settings should be managed through the Admin UI — use environment variables only for bootstrapping and infrastructure-level configuration.