SelfLink is an open-source backend + mobile app experimenting with a simple idea:
Can we build software where contributors are rewarded transparently, enforced by code instead of promises?

This repository contains the backend.
Start here: START_HERE.md
The mobile app lives here: https://github.com/georgetoloraia/selflink-mobile

• Django / DRF backend running on a real domain
• React Native / Expo mobile app connected to it
• Auth and core flows working end-to-end
• Append-only contributor rewards ledger
• Deterministic monthly reward calculation (no manual edits)
  This is an early-stage project, but it is already real and working.

Every merged contribution becomes an immutable event; events are aggregated monthly; rewards are calculated mechanically. Everything else is an implementation detail.

Most platforms rely on trust, discretion, or closed accounting when it comes to value distribution. SelfLink tries a different approach:

• no retroactive edits
• no hidden rules
• no subjective reward decisions If something is rewarded, it is:
• recorded
• auditable
• reproducible

Mobile App (Expo)
        |
        v
Django API (DRF)
        |
        v
RewardEvent Ledger (append-only)
        |
        v
Monthly Snapshot → Payouts

There are three simple ways to help:

1. Backend (Django / DRF): See CONTRIBUTING.md
2. Mobile (React Native / Expo): https://github.com/georgetoloraia/selflink-mobile
3. Architecture / design feedback: Open an issue — no code required
   If you’re new, start with a good first issue.

• 50% of future net platform revenue is reserved for contributors
• Contributions are tracked as immutable RewardEvents
• Rewards are calculated monthly using deterministic rules
• Corrections happen via new events, never by rewriting history
  Full details: CONTRIBUTOR_REWARDS.md

• a DAO
• a token or crypto project
• a finished product
• a promise of guaranteed income
  It is an experiment in trust, transparency, and simplicity.

• Actively developed
• Open to contributors
• Early feedback is especially valuable
  If something feels unclear or over-engineered, that’s a bug — please point it out.

• Clone the repo and copy infra/.env.example to infra/.env (keep $$ escapes for Compose)
• make infra-up (starts api + asgi + worker + postgres + redis + pgbouncer)
• make infra-migrate
• make infra-superuser
• make infra-status (quick health check for api/asgi ports)
• Optional search stack: docker compose -f infra/compose.yaml --profile search up -d
• For more, see README_for_env.md or docker_guide.md

Note: Docker Compose interpolates $VAR in infra/.env; escape literal $ as $$ to avoid warnings.

• ASGI dev server: uvicorn core.asgi:application --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8001
• Mentor SSE endpoint: /api/v1/mentor/stream/ (served from ASGI)

• Routing for api.self-link.com:
  • REST + docs (/api/v1/*, /api/docs/) -> API (http://localhost:8000)
  • WebSockets (/ws*) -> ASGI (http://localhost:8001)
  • Media (/media/*) -> static media server (http://localhost:8080)
• cloudflared runs on the host/systemd; use infra/cloudflared/config.yml and replace:
  • tunnel: <TUNNEL_UUID>
  • credentials-file: /etc/cloudflared/<TUNNEL_UUID>.json
• The media service is published only to 127.0.0.1:8080 for the host tunnel.
• SERVE_MEDIA is a dev fallback only; keep it false in production.

Cache guidance:

• Cloudflare can cache 404s; purge cache if media was missing before.
• While testing, add a Cache Rule to bypass cache for /media/*.
• Once stable, you can cache /media/* with a long TTL.
• Use ?v=timestamp to bust cache during development.

• STORAGE_BACKEND=local (default in infra/compose.yaml).
• Keep the media-data volume and the media nginx service; route /media/* to http://localhost:8080.
• SERVE_MEDIA=true is a dev-only fallback when using Django for /media/.
• Verification:
  • Upload a new avatar/post image/video.
  • Confirm file exists in the API container: docker compose -f infra/compose.yaml exec api ls -lah /app/media/<path>
  • Origin check (media service): curl -I http://localhost:8080/media/<path>
  • Public check: curl -I https://api.self-link.com/media/<path>?v=1
  • Diagnostics: python manage.py storage_status

• STORAGE_BACKEND=s3
• Set S3_ENDPOINT, S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID, S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY, S3_BUCKET in infra/.env.
• Optional: S3_QUERYSTRING_AUTH=true for presigned URLs (default) or false for public bucket URLs.
• Start MinIO with docker compose -f infra/compose.yaml --profile storage up -d minio (or point to AWS S3).
• Verification:
  • Upload a new avatar/post image/video.
  • Confirm the object exists in the bucket (MinIO console or client).
  • API should return an absolute URL (starts with http).
  • curl -I <absolute-media-url>
  • Diagnostics: python manage.py storage_status

• /api/v1/mentor/chat/ accepts X-LLM-Key for user-supplied provider keys.

Open source. See LICENSE.