institutional-trader/README/SETUP_ENV.md

Environment Setup

Quick Setup (RECOMMENDED: Direct PostgreSQL Connection)

For best performance with heavy SQL queries, use direct PostgreSQL connection:

Create a .env file in the backend directory with the following content:

# Direct PostgreSQL Connection (RECOMMENDED - Faster & More Reliable)
# Get this from: Supabase Dashboard > Settings > Database > Connection String (URI)
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://postgres:[password]@db.[project-ref].supabase.co:5432/postgres

# Optional: Supabase Client (for simple queries)
# Get from: Supabase Dashboard > Settings > API
SUPABASE_URL=https://your-project-ref.supabase.co
SUPABASE_SERVICE_KEY=your_service_role_key_here

# Server Configuration
PORT=3010
NODE_ENV=development

# CORS Configuration
CORS_ORIGIN=http://localhost:5173

Alternative Setup (Supabase Client Only)

If you prefer to use only Supabase client (not recommended for heavy queries):

# Supabase Configuration
SUPABASE_URL=https://your-project-ref.supabase.co
SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=your_anon_key_here

# Supabase Service Key (REQUIRED for backend operations)
# Get this from: Supabase Dashboard > Settings > API > service_role key
SUPABASE_SERVICE_KEY=your_service_role_key_here

# Server Configuration
PORT=3010
NODE_ENV=development

# CORS Configuration
CORS_ORIGIN=http://localhost:5173

Important Notes

1. DATABASE_URL (RECOMMENDED) - Direct PostgreSQL connection

   • Faster for heavy SQL queries
   • No API key issues
   • Get from: Supabase Dashboard > Settings > Database > Connection String (URI)
   • Replace [password] with your database password
   • Replace [project-ref] with your project reference

2. SUPABASE_SERVICE_KEY - Required if using Supabase client

   • Go to your Supabase Dashboard
   • Navigate to Settings > API
   • Copy the service_role key (not the anon key)
   • ⚠️ Use service_role key, NOT anon key for backend operations

3. Never commit .env files - They are in .gitignore for security

4. Troubleshooting: If you get "Invalid API key" errors, see TROUBLESHOOTING.md

Verification

After creating the .env file, test the connection:

cd backend
npm install
npm run dev

You should see: ✅ Database connection successful