Profiles Configuration

Profiles define different environment configurations for various development scenarios.

Basic Profile


profiles:
  dev:
    description: Development environment
    size: medium
    apps:
      - frontend
      - backend

Full Profile Configuration


profiles:
  full-stack:
    # Metadata
    description: Complete development environment
    extends: base                    # Inherit from another profile
 
    # Resources
    size: large                      # Server size
 
    # Apps to include
    apps:
      - frontend
      - backend
      - worker
 
    # Connection configuration
    default_connection: local        # Default for all connections
    connections:                     # Override specific connections
      frontend:
        api: local
      backend:
        mongodb: local
        redis: staging               # Use staging Redis
 
    # Database settings
    database:
      mode: copy                     # copy, local, snapshot, remote
      source: staging                # Source environment
      include:                       # Only these collections
        - users
        - products
      exclude:                       # Skip these collections
        - logs
        - sessions
 
    # Additional environment variables
    env:
      DEBUG: "true"
      LOG_LEVEL: debug
 
    # Git settings
    branch: develop                  # Default branch

Common Profile Patterns

Quick Development

Minimal setup for frontend work:


profiles:
  quick:
    description: Frontend only, use staging backend
    size: small
    apps:
      - frontend
    default_connection: staging

Full Stack

Complete local environment:


profiles:
  full:
    description: All apps with local everything
    size: large
    apps:
      - frontend
      - backend
      - worker
    default_connection: local
    database:
      mode: copy
      source: staging

Backend Only

For API development:


profiles:
  api-dev:
    description: Backend services only
    size: medium
    apps:
      - backend
    default_connection: local
    database:
      mode: copy
      source: staging

Testing

For integration testing:


profiles:
  test:
    description: Testing environment
    size: medium
    apps:
      - frontend
      - backend
    default_connection: local
    database:
      mode: local                    # Empty database
    env:
      NODE_ENV: test
      CI: "true"

Profile Inheritance

Use extends to build on other profiles:


profiles:
  base:
    size: medium
    apps:
      - backend
    default_connection: local
 
  with-frontend:
    extends: base
    apps:
      - frontend
      - backend                      # Include backend from base
 
  large-stack:
    extends: with-frontend
    size: large                      # Override just the size
    database:
      mode: copy
      source: staging

Inheritance chain: large-stack → with-frontend → base

Connection Overrides

Fine-tune connections per profile:


profiles:
  hybrid:
    description: Local backend, staging external services
    apps:
      - frontend
      - backend
    default_connection: local
    connections:
      frontend:
        api: local                   # Local API
        analytics: staging           # Staging analytics
      backend:
        mongodb: local               # Local database
        redis: local
        external-api: staging        # Staging external API

Database Configurations

No Database


profiles:
  frontend-only:
    database:
      mode: none

Empty Local


profiles:
  fresh:
    database:
      mode: local                    # Empty MongoDB

Copy from Source


profiles:
  with-data:
    database:
      mode: copy
      source: staging                # Copy from staging
      exclude:
        - audit_logs
        - sessions

From Snapshot


profiles:
  from-backup:
    database:
      mode: snapshot                 # Restore from backup

Remote Connection


profiles:
  staging-db:
    database:
      mode: remote                   # Connect to remote DB

Using Profiles


# Create with specific profile
gb create my-env --profile full-stack
 
# Override profile settings
gb create my-env --profile quick --size medium
 
# List available profiles
gb profiles list
 
# Show profile details
gb profiles show full-stack
 
# Compare profiles
gb config diff quick full-stack

Default Profile

If no profile is specified, Genbox uses:

Profile named default if it exists
First profile in the list
Built-in defaults


profiles:
  default:                           # This is used when no profile specified
    size: medium
    apps:
      - frontend
      - backend

Best Practices

Name descriptively: Use names that explain the purpose
Add descriptions: Document what each profile is for
Use inheritance: Avoid duplicating configuration
Keep it simple: Don’t over-engineer profiles
Test profiles: Validate before using in production