Formbricks
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Formbricks Helm Chart: Comprehensive Documentation
- Formbricks Helm Chart: Comprehensive Documentation
Introduction
This Helm chart deploys Formbricks, an advanced open-source form builder and survey tool, along with its required dependencies (PostgreSQL and Redis) on a Kubernetes cluster. It also includes an optional Traefik ingress controller for easy access and SSL termination.
Prerequisites
Before installing the Formbricks Helm chart, ensure you have the following:
- Kubernetes cluster version 1.24 or later
- Helm version 3.2.0 or later
- Dynamic volume provisioning support in the underlying infrastructure (for PostgreSQL persistence)
- Familiarity with Kubernetes concepts and Helm charts
Chart Components
This Helm chart deploys the following components:
- Formbricks Application: The core Formbricks service.
- PostgreSQL Database: (Optional) A relational database for Formbricks data.
- Redis: (Optional) An in-memory data structure store for caching.
- Traefik Ingress Controller: (Optional) A modern HTTP reverse proxy and load balancer.
Installation
Quick Start
To quickly deploy Formbricks with default settings:
-
clone the formbricks repository and navigate to the helm-chart directory:
git clone https://github.com/formbricks/formbricks.git cd formbricks/helm-chart -
Deploy Formbricks
helm install my-formbricks ./ \ --namespace formbricks \ --create-namespace \ --set replicaCount=2
This will deploy Formbricks with default settings, including a new PostgreSQL instance, Redis and Traefik disabled.
Verify and Access Formbricks
After deploying Formbricks, you can verify the installation and access the application:
-
Check the Running Services:
kubectl get pods -n formbricks kubectl get svc -n formbricks kubectl get ingress -n formbricksNote: The Formbricks application pod may take some time to reach a stable state as it runs database migrations during startup.
-
Access Formbricks:
- If running locally with Minikube:
minikube service my-formbricks -n formbricks - If deployed on a cloud cluster, visit:
(Replace with your configured hostname)
https://formbricks.example.com
- If running locally with Minikube:
Usage Examples
Here are various examples of how to install and configure the Formbricks Helm chart:
-
Default Installation with Traefik enabled and Custom Hostname:
Option 1: Installation without SSL (Not recommended for production)
helm install my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \ --namespace formbricks \ --create-namespace \ --set traefik.enabled=true \ --set hostname=forms.example.com
This command enables Traefik and sets a custom hostname. Replace `forms.example.com` with your actual domain name.
</details>
<details>
<summary>Option 2: Installation with SSL (Recommended for production)</summary>
1. First, download the values file:
```bash
helm show values formbricks/formbricks > values.yaml
```
2. Open the `values.yaml` file in a text editor and make the following changes:
```yaml
traefik:
enabled: true
additionalArguments:
- "--certificatesresolvers.letsencrypt.acme.email=your-email@example.com"
```
Replace `your-email@example.com` with a valid email address where you want to receive Let's Encrypt notifications.
3. Install Formbricks with the updated values file:
```bash
helm install my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
-f values.yaml \
--namespace formbricks \
--create-namespace \
--set hostname=forms.example.com
```
This command enables Traefik, sets a custom hostname, and uses the configured email address for Let's Encrypt. Remember to replace `forms.example.com` with your actual domain name.
</details>
These installation options provide flexibility in setting up Formbricks with Traefik. The SSL option is recommended for production environments to ensure secure communications.
2. **Community Advanced:**
Provision a whole community setup with Formbricks, Postgres, Custom Domain with SSL
```bash
helm install formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--namespace formbricks \
--create-namespace \
--set postgres.enabled=true \
--set traefik.enabled=true \
--set hostname=forms.example.com \
--set email=your-mail@example.com
```
3. **Cluster Advanced:**
Provision a ready to use cluster for enterprise customers with Formbricks (3 pods), Postgres, Redis and Custom Domain with SSL
```bash
helm install formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--namespace formbricks \
--create-namespace \
--set replicaCount=3
--set redis.enabled=true \
--set traefik.enabled=true \
--set hostname=forms.example.com \
--set email=your-mail@example.com
```
4. **Installation with Redis and PostgreSQL Disabled, Using External Services**:
```bash
helm install my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--namespace formbricks \
--create-namespace \
--set postgresql.enabled=false \
--set postgresql.externalUrl=postgresql://user:password@your-postgres-url:5432/dbname \
--set redis.enabled=false \
--set redis.externalUrl=redis://your-redis-url:6379
```
5. **High Availability Setup**:
```bash
helm install my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--namespace formbricks \
--create-namespace \
--set replicaCount=3
```
This command:
1. Deploys the Formbricks application with 3 replicas.
2. Enables PostgreSQL and Redis with default settings.
#### Scaling PostgreSQL and Redis
For advanced configuration and scaling of PostgreSQL and Redis, refer to their respective Helm chart documentation:
- PostgreSQL Helm Chart: https://github.com/bitnami/charts/tree/master/bitnami/postgresql
- Redis Helm Chart: https://github.com/bitnami/charts/tree/master/bitnami/redis
These documents provide detailed information on scaling and configuring high availability for each component.
4. **Custom Configuration with Environment Variables**:
```bash
helm install my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--namespace formbricks \
--create-namespace \
--set env.SMTP_HOST=smtp.example.com \
--set env.SMTP_PORT=587 \
--set env.SMTP_USER=user@example.com \
--set env.SMTP_PASSWORD=password123 \
--set env.SMTP_AUTHENTICATED=1
```
5. **Installation with Custom Resource Limits**:
```bash
helm install my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--namespace formbricks \
--create-namespace \
--set resources.limits.cpu=1 \
--set resources.limits.memory=1Gi \
--set resources.requests.cpu=500m \
--set resources.requests.memory=512Mi
```
### Configuration
For detailed configuration options, please refer to the [Full Values Documentation](#full-values-documentation) section at the end of this document.
## Environment Variables
Formbricks supports various environment variables for configuration. Here are some key variables:
| Variable | Description | Required | Default |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------- | -------- | ----------------------- |
| `WEBAPP_URL` | Base URL of the site | Yes | `http://localhost:3000` |
| `NEXTAUTH_URL` | Location of the auth server | Yes | `http://localhost:3000` |
| `DATABASE_URL` | Database URL with credentials | Yes | - |
| `NEXTAUTH_SECRET` | Secret for NextAuth | Yes | (Generated) |
| `ENCRYPTION_KEY` | Secret for data encryption | Yes | (Generated) |
| `CRON_SECRET` | API Secret for running cron jobs | Yes | (Generated) |
| `...` | ... | ... | ... |
For a comprehensive list of supported environment variables, refer to the [Formbricks Configuration Documentation](https://formbricks.com/docs/self-hosting/configuration).
## Scaling
```bash
kubectl scale deployment my-formbricks --replicas=5 -n formbricks
```
This command scales the Formbricks deployment to 5 replicas. Replace `my-formbricks` with your actual deployment name if different.
### With Auto Scaling (Kubernetes Metrics Server Requirement)
The Formbricks Helm chart includes support for Horizontal Pod Autoscaling (HPA) to automatically adjust the number of pods based on CPU utilization. This feature is enabled by default and can be customized to suit your specific needs.
```bash
helm install my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks --namespace formbricks --create-namespace \
--set autoscaling.enabled=true
```
This configuration sets up autoscaling with a minimum of 2 replicas and a maximum of 5 replicas, targeting an average CPU utilization of 80%
### Customizing Autoscaling
To adjust the autoscaling settings, you can modify the values in your `values.yaml` file or use the `--set` flag when installing or upgrading the chart. Here are some common customizations:
1. Change the minimum and maximum number of replicas:
```bash
helm install my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--set autoscaling.enabled=true \
--set autoscaling.minReplicas=3 \
--set autoscaling.maxReplicas=10
```
2. Adjust the target CPU utilization:
```bash
helm install my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--set autoscaling.enabled=true \
--set autoscaling.metrics[0].resource.target.averageUtilization=70
```
3. Disable autoscaling:
```bash
helm upgrade my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--set autoscaling.enabled=false
```
### Kubernetes Metrics Server Requirement
For autoscaling to function properly, the Kubernetes Metrics Server must be installed in your cluster. The Metrics Server collects resource metrics from Kubelets and exposes them in the Kubernetes API server through the Metrics API.
If you don't have the Metrics Server installed, you can typically add it using the following command:
```bash
kubectl apply -f https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/metrics-server/releases/latest/download/components.yaml
```
For more detailed information on installing and configuring the Metrics Server, please refer to the [official Kubernetes Metrics Server documentation](https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/metrics-server).
### Advanced Autoscaling Configuration
The Formbricks Helm chart uses Kubernetes HPA v2, which allows for more advanced scaling behaviors. You can customize the `behavior` section in the `values.yaml` file to fine-tune how your application scales up and down. For more information on advanced HPA configurations, refer to the [Kubernetes HPA documentation](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/run-application/horizontal-pod-autoscale/).
## Upgrading Formbricks
This section provides guidance on how to upgrade your Formbricks deployment using Helm, including examples of common upgrade scenarios.
### Upgrade Process
To upgrade your Formbricks deployment, use the `helm upgrade` command. Always ensure you have the latest version of the Formbricks Helm chart by running `helm repo update` before upgrading.
```bash
helm repo update
helm upgrade my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks --namespace formbricks
```
### Common Upgrade Scenarios
#### 1. Updating Environment Variables
To update or add new environment variables, use the `--set` flag with the `env` prefix:
```bash
helm upgrade my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--set env.SMTP_HOST=new-smtp.example.com \
--set env.SMTP_PORT=587 \
--set env.NEW_CUSTOM_VAR=newvalue
```
This command updates the SMTP host and port, and adds a new custom environment variable.
#### 2. Enabling or Disabling Features
You can enable or disable features by updating their respective values:
```bash
# Disable Redis
helm upgrade my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks --set redis.enabled=false
# Enable Redis
helm upgrade my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks --set redis.enabled=true
```
#### 3. Scaling Resources
To adjust resource allocation:
```bash
helm upgrade my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--set resources.limits.cpu=1 \
--set resources.limits.memory=2Gi \
--set resources.requests.cpu=500m \
--set resources.requests.memory=1Gi
```
#### 4. Updating Autoscaling Configuration
To modify autoscaling settings:
```bash
helm upgrade my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--set autoscaling.minReplicas=3 \
--set autoscaling.maxReplicas=10 \
--set autoscaling.metrics[0].resource.target.averageUtilization=75
```
#### 5. Changing Database Credentials
To update PostgreSQL database credentials:
To switch from the built-in PostgreSQL to an external database or update the external database credentials:
```bash
helm upgrade my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks \
--set postgresql.enabled=false \
--set postgresql.externalUrl="postgresql://newuser:newpassword@external-postgres-host:5432/newdatabase"
```
This command disables the built-in PostgreSQL and configures Formbricks to use an external PostgreSQL database. Make sure your external database is set up and accessible before making this change.
### Using a Values File for Complex Upgrades
For more complex upgrades or when you need to change multiple values, it's recommended to use a values file:
1. Create a file named `upgrade-values.yaml` with your desired changes:
```yaml
env:
SMTP_HOST: new-smtp.example.com
SMTP_PORT: "587"
resources:
limits:
cpu: 1
memory: 2Gi
autoscaling:
minReplicas: 3
maxReplicas: 10
traefik:
enabled: true
postgresql:
auth:
username: newuser
password: newpassword
database: newdatabase
```
2. Apply the upgrade using the values file:
```bash
helm upgrade my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks -f upgrade-values.yaml
```
Remember to always backup your data before performing upgrades, especially when modifying database-related settings.
## Support
For support with the Formbricks Helm chart:
- Open an issue on the [Formbricks GitHub repository](https://github.com/formbricks/formbricks)
- Get help on [Github Discussions](https://github.com/formbricks/formbricks/discussions)
- For enterprise support, contact us at hola@formbricks.com
## Full Values Documentation
Below is a comprehensive list of all configurable values in the Formbricks Helm chart:
| Field | Description | Default |
| ----------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------- |
| `image.repository` | Docker image repository for Formbricks | `ghcr.io/formbricks/formbricks` |
| `image.pullPolicy` | Image pull policy | `IfNotPresent` |
| `image.tag` | Docker image tag | `"2.6.0"` |
| `service.type` | Kubernetes service type | `ClusterIP` |
| `service.port` | Kubernetes service port | `80` |
| `service.targetPort` | Container port to expose | `3000` |
| `resources.limits.cpu` | CPU resource limit | `500m` |
| `resources.limits.memory` | Memory resource limit | `1Gi` |
| `resources.requests.cpu` | Memory resource request | `null` |
| `resources.requests.memory` | Memory resource request | `null` |
| `autoscaling.enabled` | Enable autoscaling | `false` |
| `autoscaling.minReplicas` | Minimum number of replicas | `1` |
| `autoscaling.maxReplicas` | Maximum number of replicas | `5` |
| `autoscaling.metrics[0].type` | Type of metric for autoscaling | `Resource` |
| `autoscaling.metrics[0].resource.name` | Resource name for autoscaling metric | `cpu` |
| `autoscaling.metrics[0].resource.target.type` | Target type for autoscaling | `Utilization` |
| `autoscaling.metrics[0].resource.target.averageUtilization` | Average utilization target for autoscaling | `80` |
| `autoscaling.behavior.scaleDown.stabilizationWindowSeconds` | Stabilization window for scaling down | `300` |
| `autoscaling.behavior.scaleUp.stabilizationWindowSeconds` | Stabilization window for scaling up | `0` |
| `replicaCount` | Number of replicas | `1` |
| `formbricksConfig.nextAuthSecret` | NextAuth secret | `""` |
| `formbricksConfig.encryptionKey` | Encryption key | `""` |
| `formbricksConfig.cronSecret` | Cron secret | `""` |
| `env` | Additional environment variables | `{}` |
| `hostname` | Hostname for Formbricks | `""` |
| `traefik.enabled` | Enable Traefik ingress | `false` |
| `traefik.ingressRoute.dashboard.enabled` | Enable Traefik dashboard | `false` |
| `traefik.additionalArguments` | Additional arguments for Traefik | [See values.yaml] |
| `traefik.tls.enabled` | Enable TLS for Traefik | `true` |
| `traefik.tls.certResolver` | Cert resolver for Traefik | `letsencrypt` |
| `traefik.ports.web.port` | HTTP port for Traefik | `80` |
| `traefik.ports.websecure.port` | HTTPS port for Traefik | `443` |
| `traefik.persistence.enabled` | Enable persistence for Traefik | `true` |
| `traefik.persistence.size` | Size of persistent volume for Traefik | `128Mi` |
| `traefik.podSecurityContext.fsGroup` | fsGroup for Traefik pods | `0` |
| `traefik.hostNetwork` | Use host network for Traefik | `true` |
| `traefik.securityContext` | Security context for Traefik | [See values.yaml] |
| `redis.enabled` | Enable Redis | `true` |
| `redis.externalUrl` | External Redis URL | `""` |
| `redis.architecture` | Redis architecture | `standalone` |
| `redis.auth.enabled` | Enable Redis authentication | `true` |
| `redis.auth.password` | Redis password | `redispassword` |
| `redis.master.persistence.enabled` | Enable persistence for Redis master | `false` |
| `redis.replica.replicaCount` | Number of Redis replicas | `0` |
| `postgresql.enabled` | Enable PostgreSQL | `true` |
| `postgresql.externalUrl` | External PostgreSQL URL | `""` |
| `postgresql.auth.username` | PostgreSQL username | `formbricks` |
| `postgresql.auth.password` | PostgreSQL password | `formbrickspassword` |
| `postgresql.auth.database` | PostgreSQL database name | `formbricks` |
| `postgresql.primary.persistence.enabled` | Enable persistence for PostgreSQL | `true` |
| `postgresql.primary.persistence.size` | Size of persistent volume for PostgreSQL | `10Gi` |
This table provides a comprehensive overview of all configurable fields in the Formbricks Helm chart, along with their descriptions and default values. Users can refer to this table to understand what each field does and how they can customize their Formbricks deployment.
## Full Values Documentation
Below is a comprehensive list of all configurable values in the Formbricks Helm chart:
```yaml
image:
repository: ghcr.io/formbricks/formbricks
pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
tag: "2.6.0"
service:
type: ClusterIP
port: 80
targetPort: 3000
resources:
limits:
cpu: 500m
memory: 1Gi
autoscaling:
enabled: false
minReplicas: 2
maxReplicas: 5
metrics:
- type: Resource
resource:
name: cpu
target:
type: Utilization
averageUtilization: 80
behavior:
scaleDown:
stabilizationWindowSeconds: 300
policies:
- type: Percent
value: 100
periodSeconds: 15
scaleUp:
stabilizationWindowSeconds: 0
policies:
- type: Percent
value: 100
periodSeconds: 15
- type: Pods
value: 4
periodSeconds: 15
selectPolicy: Max
replicaCount: 1
formbricksConfig:
nextAuthSecret: ""
encryptionKey: ""
cronSecret: ""
env: {}
hostname: ""
traefik:
enabled: false
ingressRoute:
dashboard:
enabled: false
additionalArguments:
- "--providers.file.filename=/config/traefik.toml"
tls:
enabled: true
certResolver: letsencrypt
ports:
web:
port: 80
websecure:
port: 443
tls:
enabled: true
certResolver: letsencrypt
persistence:
enabled: true
name: traefik-acme
accessMode: ReadWriteOnce
size: 128Mi
path: /data
podSecurityContext:
fsGroup: 0
hostNetwork: true
securityContext:
capabilities:
drop:
- ALL
add:
- NET_ADMIN
- NET_BIND_SERVICE
- NET_BROADCAST
- NET_RAW
runAsUser: 0
runAsGroup: 0
runAsNonRoot: false
readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
redis:
enabled: false
externalUrl: ""
architecture: standalone
auth:
enabled: true
password: redispassword
master:
persistence:
enabled: false
replica:
replicaCount: 0
postgresql:
enabled: false
externalUrl: ""
auth:
username: formbricks
password: formbrickspassword
database: formbricks
primary:
persistence:
enabled: true
size: 10Gi
```
You can customize these values by creating a `values.yaml` file or by using the `--set` flag when running `helm install` or `helm upgrade`.
## ✍️ Contribution
We are very happy if you are interested in contributing to Formbricks 🤗
Here are a few options:
- Star this repo.
- Create issues every time you feel something is missing or goes wrong.
- Upvote issues with 👍 reaction so we know what the demand for a particular issue is to prioritize it within the roadmap.
Please check out [our contribution guide](https://formbricks.com/docs/developer-docs/contributing/get-started) and our [list of open issues](https://github.com/formbricks/formbricks/issues) for more information.
## MicroK8s Installation and Formbricks Deployment
### MicroK8s Quick Setup
1. Install MicroK8s:
```bash
sudo snap install microk8s --classic
```
2. Enable necessary add-ons:
```bash
microk8s enable dns storage ingress helm3
```
### Deploying Formbricks on MicroK8s
1. Add the Formbricks Helm repository:
```bash
microk8s helm3 repo add formbricks https://charts.formbricks.com
microk8s helm3 repo update
```
2. Install Formbricks:
```bash
microk8s helm3 install my-formbricks formbricks/formbricks --namespace formbricks --create-namespace
```
For more detailed information on MicroK8s, including advanced configuration and usage, please refer to the [official MicroK8s documentation](https://microk8s.io/docs).
For Formbricks Helm chart configuration options, see the [Configuration](#configuration) and [Full Values Documentation](#full-values-documentation) sections of this document.
```