CO-READIT Documentation

Welcome to CO-READIT! Thank you for purchasing our advanced community discussion platform. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the installation, configuration, and management of your CO-READIT community.

CO-READIT is a feature-rich Reddit-style community platform that allows you to create vibrant, interactive communities called "Circles" with threaded discussions, real-time notifications, user voting systems, comprehensive moderation tools, AI-powered features, a complete wallet and monetization system, and much more.

Important: Please read this documentation thoroughly before installation. Keep this document handy as a reference throughout your setup process.

What's Included

Server Requirements

Before installing CO-READIT, ensure your server meets the following requirements:

Minimum Requirements

Component Requirement Notes
PHP Version 8.1 or higher PHP 8.2+ recommended for better performance
MySQL 5.7 or higher MariaDB 10.3+ also supported
Web Server Apache 2.4+ or Nginx 1.18+ URL rewriting must be enabled
Memory Limit 128MB minimum 256MB+ recommended
Max Upload Size 10MB minimum 64MB+ recommended for media uploads
Max Execution Time 120 seconds Required for installation and backups
Disk Space 500MB minimum More space needed for user media

Required PHP Extensions

Directory Permissions

The following directories must be writable (chmod 755 or 775):

Tip: The CO-READIT installer will automatically check all requirements and provide detailed feedback on any missing components.

External Services (Optional)

To enable certain features, you'll need accounts with these services:

Feature Service Required Credentials
Livestream & Spaces Agora.io App ID, App Certificate
AI Features gemini, Anthropic, deepseek, open ai API Key
Payments (Cards) Stripe Public Key, Secret Key, Webhook Secret
Payments (PayPal) PayPal Client ID, Client Secret
Payments (Crypto) CoinPayments Merchant ID, IPN Secret
Push Notifications Firebase Service Account JSON, VAPID Key
Email (SMTP) Any SMTP provider Host, Port, Username, Password

Installation & Setup

Follow these steps carefully to install CO-READIT on your server.

1. Upload Files to Server

  1. Extract the CO-READIT package you downloaded from edubrazeal.com to your local computer
  2. Connect to your server via FTP/SFTP using FileZilla, WinSCP, or cPanel File Manager
  3. Navigate to your website's root directory (usually public_html or www)
  4. Upload all extracted files to this directory
  5. Wait for all files to upload completely (this may take several minutes)

Important: Make sure to upload all files including hidden files like .htaccess

Upload files screenshot

2. Run the Installation Wizard

  1. Open your web browser and navigate to: https://yourdomain.com/install.php
  2. The installer will perform an automatic server requirements check
  3. Review all requirements - critical items must pass (green checkmarks)
  4. If any critical requirement fails, contact your hosting provider
  5. Once all checks pass, click "Continue to Installation"
Requirements check

3. Database Configuration

You'll need to create a MySQL database before proceeding. Most hosting providers offer this through cPanel or Plesk.

Creating a Database (cPanel)

  1. Log in to your cPanel
  2. Navigate to MySQL Databases
  3. Create a new database (note the database name)
  4. Create a new MySQL user with a strong password
  5. Add the user to the database with ALL PRIVILEGES
  6. Note down: Database Name, Database User, Database Password, and Host (usually localhost)
Database creation

Enter Database Details

Back in the CO-READIT installer, enter your database credentials:

Click "Test Connection" to verify, then "Continue"

Security Note: Use a strong, unique password for your database. Never use common passwords like "password" or "123456".

4. Site & Administrator Account Setup

Configure your site information and create your administrator account:

Site Information

Administrator Account

6. Complete Installation

  1. Review all settings and click "Install CO-READIT"
  2. The installer will:
    • Import database tables and structure
    • Create your administrator account
    • Generate configuration files (.env)
    • Set up default settings
    • Create necessary directories
  3. Installation typically takes 30-60 seconds
  4. Once complete, you'll see a success message
  5. Important: Delete or rename install.php for security

Success! Your CO-READIT installation is complete. You can now access your admin panel at https://yourdomain.com/admin

Admin Panel Configuration

Access your admin panel by navigating to https://yourdomain.com/admin and logging in with your administrator credentials.

General Settings

Navigate to Admin → Settings to configure your site's basic information:

Site Information

User Registration

SMTP Configuration

Configure email sending for notifications, verifications, and alerts:

  1. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Email
  2. Enter your SMTP credentials:
    • SMTP Host: Your mail server (e.g., smtp.gmail.com)
    • SMTP Port: Usually 587 (TLS) or 465 (SSL)
    • SMTP Username: Your email address
    • SMTP Password: Your email password or app password
    • SMTP Encryption: TLS or SSL
  3. Click "Test Email" to verify
  4. Save changes

Gmail Users: Generate an App Password for your account. Go to Google Account → Security → 2-Step Verification → App passwords.

Payment Gateways

Navigate to Admin → Wallet → Gateways to set up payment processing for wallet top-ups.

Stripe Integration

  1. Create a Stripe account at Stripe.com
  2. Access your Stripe Dashboard → Developers → API Keys
  3. Copy your Publishable Key and Secret Key
  4. In CO-READIT Admin Panel:
    • Paste keys in respective fields
    • Choose between Test Mode or Live Mode
  5. Save settings

PayPal Integration

  1. Create a PayPal Business account at PayPal Business
  2. Access your PayPal Developer Dashboard
  3. Create a REST API application
  4. Copy your Client ID and Secret Key
  5. In CO-READIT Admin Panel:
    • Paste Client ID in "PayPal Client ID"
    • Paste Secret Key in "PayPal Secret Key"
    • Select Mode: Sandbox (testing) or Live (production)
  6. Save and test a small transaction

CoinPayments (Crypto) Integration

  1. Create an account at CoinPayments
  2. Get your Merchant ID and IPN Secret
  3. Configure in CO-READIT admin panel
  4. Enable cryptocurrencies you want to accept

Bank Transfer

Configure manual bank transfer options for users who prefer traditional payment:

Themes & Languages

Theme Settings

Navigate to Admin → Settings → Appearance to customize your site's look:

Languages

CO-READIT includes 11 languages out of the box:

Users can choose their preferred language in their settings.

Wallet System

Navigate to Admin → Wallet to manage the platform's wallet system:

Wallet Settings

Withdrawal Management

View and process user withdrawal requests:

Key Features Overview

CO-READIT comes packed with features to create a comprehensive community discussion experience:

Circles (Communities)

Circles are the heart of CO-READIT - themed communities where users can discuss specific topics.

Threads & Comments

Livestream & Spaces Pro

Real-time video and audio broadcasting features powered by Agora.io:

Livestreaming

Go live with video and engage your audience in real-time:

Spaces (Audio Rooms)

Host Twitter/X Spaces-style audio discussions with your community:

Session Management

Admin controls for livestream and spaces:

Agora Configuration

To enable Livestream & Spaces features:

  1. Create an account at Agora.io Console
  2. Create a new project and get your App ID and App Certificate
  3. Navigate to Admin → Settings → Sessions
  4. Enter your Agora App ID and App Certificate
  5. Configure session settings (max duration, verified-only, karma requirements)
  6. Save and enable sessions

Note: Agora offers 10,000 free minutes per month. For high-traffic sites, consider their paid plans.

Monetization Pro

Multiple revenue streams built into the platform for both creators and platform owners:

Creator Monetization Program

Enable content creators to earn money from their posts through an impression-based revenue system:

How Creator Earnings Work: When a monetized user's post receives views, they earn a portion of the platform's ad revenue. For example, if the CPM rate is $2.00, a post with 10,000 views earns the creator $20.00 (credited to their wallet).

Wallet System

A complete digital wallet system for all financial transactions:

Tipping System

Allow users to tip creators directly for quality content:

Awards & Coins

Gamified awards system similar to Reddit Gold/Platinum:

Promoted Content

Self-serve advertising system for users to promote their posts:

Revenue Sharing

Configure how revenue is distributed:

Moderation Tools

Comprehensive tools for circle and site-wide moderation:

Circle Moderation

AutoModerator New

Site Moderators

Awards & Badges

Gamification features to increase engagement:

Messaging System

Promotions & Advertising

AI Features - Ogini AI Pro

Integrated AI assistant powered by Ogini AI for enhanced user experience:

AI Chat Assistant

@Ogini Comment Replies

Users can mention @ogini in any comment to get an AI-powered reply:

@Username AI Agent Replies New

Users can mention any user with @username in comments to summon an AI agent that responds in that user's style:

Example: Commenting @john_doe what do you think about this? will trigger an AI response that mimics how john_doe typically responds based on their posting history.

Trending Topics AI Summary

AI-powered 24-hour trending summary feature:

AI Thread Overview

Ogini AI Configuration

To enable AI features:

  1. Get your API key from Ogini AI
  2. Navigate to Admin → Settings → AI
  3. Enter your Ogini API Key
  4. Configure AI settings (enable/disable features, set usage limits)
  5. Configure rate limits for @ogini mentions
  6. Save settings

Alternative Providers: CO-READIT also supports OpenAI and Anthropic APIs. Configure your preferred provider in the AI settings.

Help users discover popular content and communities:

Trending Keywords

Trending Circles

Hot & Top Posts

Additional Features

Third-Party Integrations

Payment Processing

Stripe

Navigate to Admin → Wallet → Gateways → Stripe

PayPal

Navigate to Admin → Wallet → Gateways → PayPal

CoinPayments

Navigate to Admin → Wallet → Gateways → CoinPayments

Cloud Storage Integration

Offload media storage to cloud services for better performance and scalability.

Amazon S3

Navigate to Admin → Settings → Storage

  1. Create an AWS account at AWS
  2. Create an S3 bucket in your preferred region
  3. Create IAM user with S3 permissions
  4. Generate Access Key ID and Secret Access Key
  5. Enter credentials in CO-READIT admin panel
  6. Enable S3 storage

Other S3-Compatible Services

Email Services

SMTP Configuration

Configure any SMTP service:

Social Authentication

Navigate to Admin → Settings → OAuth to enable social login:

Google Login

  1. Go to Google Cloud Console
  2. Create a new project
  3. Enable Google Sign-In API
  4. Create OAuth 2.0 credentials
  5. Add authorized redirect URI: https://yourdomain.com/api/v1/auth/google
  6. Copy Client ID and Client Secret to CO-READIT

Other Integrations

Google reCAPTCHA

Prevent spam and bot registrations:

  1. Get keys from Google reCAPTCHA
  2. Choose reCAPTCHA v2
  3. Add your domain
  4. Copy Site Key and Secret Key to CO-READIT settings

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Debug Mode & Log Files

CO-READIT includes a comprehensive debug system to help troubleshoot issues. Debug mode is disabled by default for security and performance reasons.

Enabling Debug Mode

To enable debug logging, edit your .env file in the root directory:

  1. Open .env file using FTP/SFTP or cPanel File Manager
  2. Find the line: APP_DEBUG=false
  3. Change it to: APP_DEBUG=true
  4. Save the file
# Enable debug mode (set to false in production)
APP_DEBUG=true

Security Warning: Never leave debug mode enabled in production! Debug mode exposes detailed error messages and logs sensitive information. Only enable it temporarily for troubleshooting, then disable it immediately.

Log File Locations

When debug mode is enabled, log files are stored in the storage/logs/ directory:

Log File Description
storage/logs/error.log General application errors and exceptions
storage/logs/debug.log Debug messages and trace information
storage/logs/webhooks.log Payment webhook events (Stripe, PayPal)
storage/logs/stripe.log Stripe payment gateway logs
storage/logs/paypal.log PayPal payment gateway logs
storage/logs/coinpayments.log CoinPayments cryptocurrency logs
storage/logs/backup.log Database backup operation logs

Viewing Log Files

To view log files:

Disabling Debug Mode

After troubleshooting, always disable debug mode:

  1. Edit .env file
  2. Set APP_DEBUG=false
  3. Save the file
  4. Optionally, clear log files: delete contents of storage/logs/*.log

Note: When debug mode is disabled (APP_DEBUG=false), no log files are written. This is the recommended setting for production environments.

Installation Problems

Database Connection Failed

Error: "Database connection failed" or "Access denied for user"

Solutions:

White Screen After Installation

Solutions:

500 Internal Server Error

Solutions:

Performance Issues

Slow Page Loading

Solutions:

Media Upload Failures

Solutions:

Email & Notification Issues

Emails Not Sending

Solutions:

Payment Issues

Payments Not Processing

Solutions:

Security Issues

Forgot Admin Password

Solution:

  1. Access your database via phpMyAdmin
  2. Navigate to users table
  3. Find your admin user record
  4. Generate a new password hash using: password_hash('yournewpassword', PASSWORD_BCRYPT)
  5. Update the password field with the new hash
  6. Log in with your new password

Security Warning: Change the password immediately after regaining access!

Support & Updates

Getting Support

Need Help?

If you encounter any issues or have questions about CO-READIT:

  1. Check this documentation first - most questions are answered here
  2. Visit our support portal: https://edubrazeal.com
  3. Create a support ticket with:
    • Detailed description of the issue
    • Screenshots if applicable
    • Error messages from logs
    • Steps to reproduce the problem
  4. Response time: Usually within 24-48 hours

Email: chinedu@edubrazeal.com

Website: https://edubrazeal.com

Updates & Changelog

CO-READIT receives regular updates with new features, bug fixes, and security patches.

Checking for Updates

  1. Log in to admin panel
  2. Navigate to Admin → Settings
  3. Check current version displayed
  4. Visit edubrazeal.com to check for newer versions

Installing Updates

Important: Always backup your database and files before updating!

  1. Create a full backup (Admin → Backups)
  2. Download the latest version from edubrazeal.com
  3. Upload new files (exclude .env file and storage/ folder)
  4. Run any included migration scripts
  5. Clear cache if needed
  6. Test your site thoroughly after updating

Best Practices

Server Optimization Tips

Community & Resources