Apache CouchDB NoSQL Database

This is a repackaged open source software product wherein additional charges apply for cloudimg support services.

## Overview

Apache CouchDB is an open source, document-oriented NoSQL database that stores data as JSON documents, exposes every operation over a RESTful HTTP API, and ships with the Fauxton browser-based admin interface. This AMI delivers CouchDB fully installed and configured so you have a production-ready document database running within minutes of launch - no manual installation, no separate runtime dependencies, and no insecure defaults. The current release available is CouchDB 3.

## Why This AMI Over a Manual Install

Unlike bare CouchDB packages or competing AMIs that ship in insecure "admin party" mode with shared default credentials, this image generates a unique administrator password on every first boot. You skip the multi-step installation of Erlang, CouchDB, and configuration hardening entirely. There is no Java dependency and no separate runtime to manage - the Erlang virtual machine is bundled inside the CouchDB package.

## Database Stack

Apache CouchDB runs as a systemd service in single-node mode. The HTTP REST API, the Fauxton admin interface, and the replication protocol all listen on a single port (5984), simplifying firewall rules and load balancer configuration. Database files are stored on a dedicated, independently resizable EBS data disk so you can scale storage without touching the root volume.

## AWS Integration Points

• Amazon CloudWatch - Configure CouchDB log forwarding to CloudWatch Logs for centralized monitoring and alerting on database events.
• Amazon S3 - Schedule automated backups of your CouchDB data directory to S3 for durable, cost-effective disaster recovery.
• Application Load Balancer - Place an ALB in front of CouchDB instances to distribute HTTP API traffic and terminate TLS.
• PouchDB - CouchDB's native replication protocol integrates directly with PouchDB for offline-first mobile and web applications that sync data when connectivity returns.

## Secure First Boot

On the first boot of your instance, a one-shot systemd service generates a fresh CouchDB administrator password unique to that instance, writes it into the CouchDB configuration, and stores the plain-text value in a root-only file at /opt/couchdb/etc/local.d/admin_password. No shared or default credentials ship in the image. Without this mechanism, CouchDB would run in insecure admin party mode where any user has full administrative access.

## Getting Started

1. Launch the AMI in your VPC with a security group allowing inbound TCP on port 5984.

2. SSH into the instance and read the generated admin password: sudo cat /opt/couchdb/etc/local.d/admin_password

3. Browse to http://your-instance-ip:5984/_utils to open the Fauxton admin interface.

4. Log in with username "admin" and the retrieved password.

5. Create your first database and begin storing JSON documents immediately.

Recommended instance types: t3.medium for development and testing, m5.large or larger for production workloads with sustained throughput.

## Use Cases

• Field service mobile sync - A fleet of tablets running PouchDB collects inspection data offline and syncs automatically to CouchDB when connectivity returns, ensuring zero data loss for distributed field teams.
• Document and content stores - Store, version, and retrieve JSON documents with built-in conflict resolution.
• Catalogue and configuration data - Serve product catalogues or application configuration via the HTTP API.
• Event and audit logging - Append-only document writes with document-level ACID semantics.
• Multi-master replication across AWS regions - CouchDB's native replication protocol enables active-active deployments across multiple regions for high availability.

## cloudimg Support

24/7 technical support by email and live chat. Our engineers provide expert assistance with CouchDB deployment architecture, upgrades, replication topology design, performance tuning, and database administration. Critical issues receive a one-hour average response time.

To discuss your deployment requirements or request a guided walkthrough of CouchDB replication setup, contact our team at support@cloudimg.co.uk.

## Evaluation

We encourage you to launch an instance and explore the Fauxton interface and REST API to evaluate fit for your workload before committing to production use.

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