Running a public demo¶

DEMO_MODE=true (in .env or the environment only) makes a server safe to open to anyone: visitors can look at everything, the admin screens included, but can't change the server or other people. Run it as its own server, with its own database and music, never on your household's.

What visitors can't do¶

These are refused with "This can't be changed in the demo.", which the app shows as an error:

• change settings (Settings → Server says "Settings can't be changed in the demo.")
• add or scan libraries
• edit songs, albums and artists, or their pictures and details, and refresh lyrics
• add, change or delete profiles, change their own name or PIN, or sign other devices out
• make AI playlists or request music from Lidarr

And whatever else is set, the demo has no Server output (SERVER_PLAYBACK is off, so music plays on each visitor's device), no AI playlists, no Lidarr, and settings can't be changed from the app. /system-info (the host's name, address and disks) answers 404.

What they can do¶

Play music, make and change playlists and custom mixes, like songs, import playlists, and pick or leave a profile. Plays count, so stats and recaps fill in. All of this is kept in the demo's database until you reset it, so reset it regularly from a copy made before it opened.

Setting one up¶

1. Scan the demo's music while DEMO_MODE is off, and check its tags and artwork.
2. Make the profiles visitors will pick as admins without PINs, so they see the admin screens. With a sign-in page in front, its users get the same in its admin group instead.
3. Let anyone pick a profile: AUTH_TRUSTED_NETWORKS='["0.0.0.0/0", "::/0"]'.
4. Turn on DEMO_MODE=true and restart. The app shows a Demo pill in the header, which says what can't be changed (by itself on a first visit).
5. Back up the database (see Install), and restore the backup to reset the demo.