# Active Context: Bitpoll Nix Flake

## Current Work Focus

### Project Status: **COMPLETE AND FUNCTIONAL**
The Bitpoll Nix flake is fully implemented and working. All core requirements have been met:

- ✅ **Package builds successfully** - Nix derivation creates working Bitpoll package
- ✅ **Dependencies resolved** - All Python dependencies properly managed
- ✅ **NixOS service functional** - Complete systemd service with security hardening
- ✅ **Management commands work** - Django admin commands accessible
- ✅ **Data persistence implemented** - All data stored in `/var/lib/bitpoll`
- ✅ **Security hardening complete** - Comprehensive systemd restrictions
- ✅ **Documentation comprehensive** - README and example configuration provided

### Current State
The project is in a **maintenance and enhancement** phase. The core functionality is stable and ready for production use.

## Recent Changes

### Fixed Issues (Completed)
1. **Django Import Errors**: Resolved missing Django modules through proper Python environment setup
2. **Dependency Management**: Fixed missing packages by combining nixpkgs and pip installation
3. **Python Path Issues**: Corrected PYTHONPATH configuration in wrapper scripts
4. **Encryption Key Support**: Added proper Fernet key generation capabilities
5. **Service Integration**: Complete systemd service with automatic migrations and static file collection

### Implementation Highlights
- **Hybrid Dependency Strategy**: Core packages from nixpkgs, missing packages via pip
- **Build-time Configuration**: Generated `settings_local.py` with secure defaults
- **Security-first Design**: Comprehensive systemd hardening and user isolation
- **Production Ready**: Automatic database migrations and static file management

## Next Steps

### Immediate Priorities
1. **Monitor Usage**: Track adoption and gather user feedback
2. **Update Dependencies**: Keep Bitpoll and nixpkgs versions current
3. **Documentation Updates**: Enhance examples and troubleshooting guides
4. **Testing Improvements**: Add automated testing for different configurations

### Enhancement Opportunities
1. **PostgreSQL Integration**: Improve PostgreSQL configuration options
2. **Backup Solutions**: Add built-in backup and restore capabilities
3. **Monitoring Integration**: Add Prometheus metrics and health checks
4. **Multi-instance Support**: Support for multiple Bitpoll instances
5. **Container Support**: Docker/Podman integration for non-NixOS systems

### Long-term Goals
1. **Upstream Integration**: Contribute package to nixpkgs
2. **Community Building**: Establish user community and contribution guidelines
3. **Enterprise Features**: Advanced authentication and authorization options
4. **Performance Optimization**: Caching and performance improvements

## Active Decisions and Considerations

### Technical Decisions Made
1. **Python Environment Strategy**: Use `python3.withPackages` + pip for comprehensive coverage
2. **Configuration Approach**: Build-time generation with runtime overrides
3. **Security Model**: Dedicated user with comprehensive systemd hardening
4. **Data Organization**: Single directory structure for easy backup/restore

### Ongoing Considerations
1. **Dependency Updates**: Balance stability vs. latest features
2. **Configuration Complexity**: Keep simple while allowing customization
3. **Performance vs. Security**: Optimize within security constraints
4. **Maintenance Burden**: Minimize ongoing maintenance requirements

## Important Patterns and Preferences

### Code Organization Patterns
- **Flake Structure**: Single flake.nix with embedded configurations
- **Module Design**: Self-contained NixOS module with comprehensive options
- **Documentation**: Inline documentation with external examples
- **Testing**: Manual testing with clear verification steps

### Configuration Patterns
- **Layered Configuration**: Build-time → Deploy-time → Runtime
- **Secure Defaults**: Production-ready defaults with development overrides
- **Environment Variables**: Support for external secret management
- **Validation**: Clear error messages for misconfigurations

### Security Patterns
- **Principle of Least Privilege**: Minimal permissions and access
- **Defense in Depth**: Multiple security layers
- **Secure by Default**: No insecure default configurations
- **Audit Trail**: Comprehensive logging and monitoring capabilities

## Learnings and Project Insights

### Key Insights
1. **Nix Packaging Complexity**: Django applications require careful dependency management
2. **Security Importance**: Users expect production-ready security out of the box
3. **Documentation Critical**: Clear examples are essential for adoption
4. **Testing Necessity**: Manual testing catches real-world deployment issues

### Technical Learnings
1. **Python Path Management**: Critical for Django applications in Nix
2. **systemd Integration**: Proper service configuration requires comprehensive hardening
3. **Build vs Runtime**: Clear separation of build-time and runtime concerns
4. **Configuration Generation**: Build-time generation simplifies deployment

### Process Learnings
1. **Iterative Development**: Start simple, add complexity gradually
2. **User Feedback**: Real-world usage reveals important requirements
3. **Documentation First**: Good documentation drives better design
4. **Security Review**: Security considerations should be built-in, not added later

## Current Challenges

### Technical Challenges
1. **Dependency Tracking**: Keeping up with upstream Bitpoll changes
2. **Python Ecosystem**: Managing complex Python dependency trees
3. **Configuration Complexity**: Balancing simplicity with flexibility
4. **Performance Optimization**: Optimizing within Nix constraints

### Operational Challenges
1. **User Support**: Providing support for diverse deployment scenarios
2. **Testing Coverage**: Ensuring compatibility across different NixOS versions
3. **Documentation Maintenance**: Keeping documentation current and accurate
4. **Community Building**: Growing user and contributor community

## Project Context

### Development Environment
- **Primary Platform**: macOS development, Linux deployment
- **Nix Version**: Flakes-enabled Nix with NixOS 25.05
- **Testing**: Manual testing on NixOS systems
- **Repository**: Git repository with flake.lock for reproducibility

### Collaboration Patterns
- **Solo Development**: Currently single maintainer
- **Issue Tracking**: Git repository issues for bug reports and features
- **Documentation**: Comprehensive README with examples
- **Community**: Open source with GPL-3.0 license

### Quality Standards
- **Code Quality**: Clean, well-documented Nix expressions
- **Security Standards**: Comprehensive security hardening
- **Documentation Standards**: Clear, comprehensive, example-driven
- **Testing Standards**: Manual verification with real deployments