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+# Chela
+Chela is a minimal URL shortener built in Rust. It is named after the small claw on crustaceans.
+
+## Usage
+You can create a redirect by navigating to the `/create` page and filling out the form. By default, every path passed to Chela will treated as a redirect except `/` and `/create`.
+
+## Install and Run
+### With Docker
+#### CLI
+```bash
+docker run -d \
+    -p 3000:3000 \
+    -e DATABASE_URL=postgres://chela:password@dbhost/postgres?sslmode=disable \
+    -e CHELA_HOST=example.com \
+    secondsmiles/chela
+```
+
+#### Docker Compose
+```yaml
+services:
+    chela-postgres:
+        image: postgres:15
+        environment:
+            - POSTGRES_USER=chela
+            - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=password
+        volumes:
+            - chela-db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
+    chela:
+        image: secondsmiles/chela
+        ports:
+            - 3000:3000
+        environment:
+            - DATABASE_URL=postgres://chela:password@dbhost/postgres?sslmode=disable
+            - CHELA_HOST=example.com
+        depends_on:
+            - chela_postgres
+
+volumes:
+    chela-db:
+```
+
+#### Environment Variables
+
+##### `DATABASE_URL`
+Used to define the database connection for Chela to use.
+
+##### `CHELA_HOST`
+The hostname that Chela should refer to itself as. Defaults to `localhost`
+
+### Manually
+#### Build
+```bash
+$ git clone https://github.com/secondary-smiles/chela.git
+$ cd chela
+$ cargo build -r
+```
+
+#### Run
+```bash
+$ export DATABASE_URL=postgres://chela:password@dbhost/postgres?sslmode=disable
+$ export CHELA_HOST=example.com
+$ ./target/release/chela
+```
+
+## Hosting
+Chela uses the [axum](https://crates.io/crates/axum) to manage HTTP requests, so it is possible to expose it directly to the outer internet. However, there is no authentication for the `/create` endpoint so anyone will be able to create redirects.
+
+If you would prefer to be the only one able to create redirects, then you can proxy Chela through Nginx with http-basic-auth. Refer to [this](https://docs.nginx.com/nginx/admin-guide/security-controls/configuring-http-basic-authentication/) documentation for more information.
+
+```nginx
+server {
+    server_name example.com;
+    
+    location / {
+        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000/;
+    }
+
+    location /create {
+        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000/create;
+
+        limit_except GET HEAD {
+            auth_basic 'Restricted';
+            auth_basic_user_file /path/to/your/.htpasswd;
+        }
+    }
+}
+```