Introduce template-based approach to prevent credential exposure in version control.
This security enhancement establishes a standard pattern for managing sensitive data
across the homelab repository.
Changes:
- Create services/homepage/services.yaml.template with env var placeholders
* Replace 7 hardcoded credentials with ${VARIABLE_NAME} format
* Add OPNSense, Proxmox, Plex, Radarr, Sonarr, Deluge placeholders
- Create scripts/fix_n8n_db_c_locale.sh.template with env var validation
* Remove hardcoded PostgreSQL password
* Add N8N_DB_PASSWORD environment variable requirement
* Include security reminder to shred script after use
- Update .gitignore with explicit exclusions for sensitive files
* Add services/homepage/services.yaml exclusion
* Add scripts/fix_n8n_db_c_locale.sh exclusion
- Create services/homepage/README.md with comprehensive setup guide
* Document environment variable usage (recommended method)
* Provide API key acquisition instructions for all services
* Include troubleshooting and security best practices
- Update scripts/README.md with template pattern documentation
* Add fix_n8n_db_c_locale.sh template usage instructions
* Create "Template-Based Script Pattern" section
* Enhance security guidelines with shred usage
Template Pattern Benefits:
- Repository remains credential-free
- Templates serve as documentation
- Easy to recreate configs on new systems
- Supports CI/CD pipelines with secret injection
Security Validation:
- No API keys in staged files (verified)
- No passwords in staged files (verified)
- .gitignore properly excludes sensitive files
- Templates contain clear usage instructions
Related: n8n troubleshooting (CLAUDE_STATUS.md), Docker Compose migration
🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Root Cause:
- N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY in /opt/n8n/.env contained literal shell command
string $(openssl rand -hex 32) instead of executed value
- .env files do not execute shell commands, only parse literal strings
- Caused n8n service crash loop preventing startup
Troubleshooting Process:
- Identified service crash loop via journalctl logs
- Backend-Builder diagnosed invalid encryption key issue
- Multiple heredoc script attempts failed due to Windows/Linux line
ending issues in WSL environment
- Created simple fix script using echo statements (no heredoc)
Solution:
- Fix script created at /tmp/fix_n8n_simple.sh
- Generates proper encryption key using openssl rand -hex 32
- Recreates .env with corrected configuration including missing
N8N_LISTEN_ADDRESS=0.0.0.0 and NODE_ENV=production
- Backs up existing .env before changes
- Sets proper permissions (600, n8n:n8n)
Reviews:
- Backend-Builder: APPROVED (95% confidence, technically sound)
- Lab-Operator: APPROVED with safeguards (ZFS snapshot, DB backup)
Status: Ready for deployment by user on CT 113 tomorrow
🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
