====== Miniflux SQLite Configuration Issue ======

**Status:** Resolved (switched to FreshRSS)\\
**Date:** 2026-05-27\\
**Affected service:** RSS feed reader

===== Symptom =====

Miniflux container repeatedly crashed with ''dial tcp [::1]:5432: connect: connection refused'' despite configuring SQLite via ''DATABASE_URL''. The container would restart in a loop.

===== Diagnosis =====

<code bash>
docker logs miniflux --tail 10
</code>

Output showed:
<code>
level=INFO msg="The default value for DATABASE_URL is used"
dial tcp [::1]:5432: connect: connection refused
</code>

Miniflux was ignoring the ''DATABASE_URL'' environment variable and defaulting to PostgreSQL connection settings.

===== Root Cause =====

The official Miniflux Docker image is designed to work with PostgreSQL by default. SQLite support is poorly documented and the ''DATABASE_URL'' environment variable is not reliably honored in the Docker context. Multiple configuration attempts were made:

  * ''DATABASE_URL=sqlite3:///data/miniflux.db?_journal_mode=WAL''
  * ''DATABASE_URL=file:///data/miniflux.db''
  * Individual variables (''DATABASE_CLIENT=sqlite'', ''DATABASE_PATH=/data/miniflux.db'')
  * Config file mount at ''/etc/miniflux''

All attempts resulted in Miniflux defaulting to PostgreSQL and failing to connect.

===== Fix =====

Switched to **FreshRSS**, which uses SQLite by default without requiring special configuration:

<code yaml>
freshrss:
  image: freshrss/freshrss:latest
  container_name: freshrss
  restart: unless-stopped
  environment:
    - TZ=America/Vancouver
  volumes:
    - ./freshrss/data:/var/www/FreshRSS/data
    - ./freshrss/extensions:/var/www/FreshRSS/extensions
  networks:
    - cafe_net
</code>

FreshRSS runs on Apache and serves on port 80. Caddy routing updated:

<code caddy>
@rss host rss.folk.zone
handle @rss {
    reverse_proxy freshrss:80
}
</code>

===== FreshRSS Setup =====

After deployment, complete setup at ''https://rss.folk.zone/i/'':

  - Click **Installation**
  - Choose database type: **SQLite** (default path is correct)
  - Click **Continue**
  - Create admin account
  - Complete the wizard

===== See Also =====

  * [[folkzone:services:freshrss|FreshRSS service page]]
  * [[folkzone:troubleshooting:start|Troubleshooting Index]]
  * [[start|Return to wiki home]]