meme-wrangler/DOCKER_DEPLOY.md

Memebot Docker Deployment Guide

This guide covers how to run your Telegram memebot using Docker.

Prerequisites

• Docker installed on your system
• Docker Compose installed (usually comes with Docker Desktop)
• Your bot token, owner ID, and channel ID

Installing Docker

On macOS:

brew install --cask docker
# Or download Docker Desktop from https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop

On Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

# Install Docker
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
sudo sh get-docker.sh

# Install Docker Compose
sudo apt install docker-compose-plugin -y

# Add your user to docker group (to run without sudo)
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
# Log out and back in for this to take effect

Quick Start

1. Set Up Environment Variables

Copy the example file and edit it:

cp .env.example .env
nano .env  # or use any text editor

Fill in your actual values:

TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=123456789:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrsTUVwxyz
OWNER_ID=987654321
CHANNEL_ID=@yourchannel

2. Build and Run with Docker Compose (Easiest)

# Build and start in background
docker-compose up -d

# View logs
docker-compose logs -f

# Stop the bot
docker-compose down

# Restart the bot
docker-compose restart

That's it! Your bot is now running in Docker! 🎉

Alternative: Using Docker Commands Directly

Build the Image

docker build -t memebot .

Run the Container

# Create data directory for database persistence
mkdir -p ./data

# Run the bot (replace with your actual values)
docker run -d \
  --name memebot \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -e TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN="your_token_here" \
  -e OWNER_ID="your_id_here" \
  -e CHANNEL_ID="@your_channel" \
  -v $(pwd)/data:/app/data \
  memebot

Manage the Container

# View logs
docker logs -f memebot

# Stop the bot
docker stop memebot

# Start the bot
docker start memebot

# Restart the bot
docker restart memebot

# Remove the container
docker rm -f memebot

# View container status
docker ps -a

Deploying to a Remote Server

Option 1: Copy Files and Build on Server

# From your Mac, copy files to server
scp -i /path/to/ssh_key -r \
  /Users/hyperterminal/myspace/memebot \
  username@server_ip:~/

# SSH into server
ssh -i /path/to/ssh_key username@server_ip

# Navigate to bot directory
cd ~/memebot

# Create .env file
cp .env.example .env
nano .env  # Fill in your credentials

# Build and run
docker-compose up -d

# Check logs
docker-compose logs -f

Option 2: Build Locally and Push to Registry

# Tag the image
docker tag memebot yourusername/memebot:latest

# Push to Docker Hub (requires docker login)
docker push yourusername/memebot:latest

# On the server, pull and run
docker pull yourusername/memebot:latest
docker run -d \
  --name memebot \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -e TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN="your_token" \
  -e OWNER_ID="your_id" \
  -e CHANNEL_ID="@channel" \
  -v ~/memebot-data:/app/data \
  yourusername/memebot:latest

Updating the Bot

If using Docker Compose:

# Make your code changes, then:
docker-compose down
docker-compose build
docker-compose up -d

If using Docker commands:

# Stop and remove old container
docker stop memebot
docker rm memebot

# Rebuild image
docker build -t memebot .

# Run new container
docker run -d \
  --name memebot \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -e TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN="your_token" \
  -e OWNER_ID="your_id" \
  -e CHANNEL_ID="@channel" \
  -v $(pwd)/data:/app/data \
  memebot

Data Persistence

The database file (memes.db) is stored in the ./data directory on your host machine, which is mounted as a volume in the container. This means:

• ✅ Your scheduled memes persist even if you stop/restart the container
• ✅ You can backup the database by copying the ./data folder
• ✅ You can inspect the database from your host machine

Troubleshooting

Check if container is running:

docker ps

View logs:

# Docker Compose
docker-compose logs -f

# Docker command
docker logs -f memebot

Access container shell:

# Docker Compose
docker-compose exec memebot /bin/bash

# Docker command
docker exec -it memebot /bin/bash

Container keeps restarting:

# Check logs for errors
docker logs memebot

# Common issues:
# 1. Missing environment variables
# 2. Invalid bot token
# 3. Database permission issues

Remove everything and start fresh:

docker-compose down -v  # Removes containers and volumes
docker system prune -a  # Clean up Docker system (optional)

Benefits of Docker

• ✅ Consistent environment: Works the same everywhere
• ✅ Easy deployment: Just copy files and run
• ✅ Isolation: Doesn't interfere with system Python
• ✅ Easy updates: Just rebuild and restart
• ✅ Portability: Move between servers easily
• ✅ Auto-restart: Container restarts automatically if it crashes

Docker on Friend's Server

When your friend gives you SSH access:

# 1. Connect to server
ssh -i /path/to/key username@server_ip

# 2. Install Docker (if not installed)
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
sudo sh get-docker.sh
sudo apt install docker-compose-plugin -y

# 3. Create bot directory
mkdir -p ~/memebot
cd ~/memebot

# 4. Exit SSH and upload files from your Mac
exit
scp -i /path/to/key -r \
  /Users/hyperterminal/myspace/memebot/* \
  username@server_ip:~/memebot/

# 5. SSH back and run
ssh -i /path/to/key username@server_ip
cd ~/memebot

# Create .env file
nano .env  # Add your credentials

# Run with Docker Compose
docker-compose up -d

# Check it's working
docker-compose logs -f

Done! Your bot runs 24/7 automatically! 🚀