Lesson 2.2: Your First Service - MeTube

Introduction to MeTube

MeTube is a web-based YouTube downloader that provides a clean interface for downloading videos and audio from YouTube and other platforms.

Why MeTube as First Service?

• Simple Setup: Minimal configuration required
• Practical Use: Immediately useful service
• Web Interface: Easy to test and verify
• No Dependencies: Self-contained application

MeTube Docker Deployment

Basic Docker run command:

docker run -d 
  --name metube 
  -p 8081:8081 
  -v /path/to/downloads:/downloads 
  alexta69/metube

MCT Services MeTube Configuration

Our production MeTube setup:

version: "3.8"
services:
  metube:
    image: alexta69/metube:latest
    container_name: metube
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8081:8081"
    volumes:
      - ./downloads:/downloads
      - ./metube-config:/app/config
    environment:
      - UID=1000
      - GID=1000
      - DOWNLOAD_DIR=/downloads
      - AUDIO_DOWNLOAD_DIR=/downloads/audio
    labels:
      - "traefik.enable=true"
      - "traefik.http.routers.metube.rule=Host(`metube.mct.local`)"
      - "traefik.http.services.metube.loadbalancer.server.port=8081"

Directory Structure

Organize your MeTube files:

metube/
├── docker-compose.yml
├── downloads/
│   ├── video/
│   └── audio/
└── config/
    └── metube.conf

Environment Variables

Key configuration options:

• UID/GID: User permissions for downloaded files
• DOWNLOAD_DIR: Where videos are saved
• AUDIO_DOWNLOAD_DIR: Separate audio downloads
• OUTPUT_TEMPLATE: Filename format

Volume Mapping Strategy

Important volume considerations:

• Downloads: Map to accessible host directory
• Permissions: Ensure proper user ownership
• Space: Monitor disk usage for downloads
• Backup: Include in backup strategy

Testing Your Deployment

1. Container Status: docker ps
2. Logs: docker logs metube
3. Web Access: http://localhost:8081
4. Download Test: Try downloading a short video
5. File Permissions: Check downloaded file ownership

Common Issues and Solutions

Permission Denied

# Fix ownership of downloads directory
sudo chown -R 1000:1000 ./downloads

Port Already in Use

# Check what is using the port
sudo netstat -tulpn | grep :8081

# Use different port
-p 8082:8081

Container Won not Start

# Check detailed logs
docker logs metube --details

# Check container configuration
docker inspect metube

Security Considerations

• Network Access: Consider firewall rules
• Download Limits: Monitor disk usage
• User Access: Control who can access the service
• Content Policy: Respect copyright and terms of service

Practical Exercise

Task: Deploy and configure MeTube

1. Create project directory structure
2. Write Docker Compose configuration
3. Deploy MeTube service
4. Configure hosts file for metube.local
5. Test video download functionality
6. Verify file permissions and ownership
7. Document any issues and solutions

Next Steps

After mastering MeTube deployment:

• Add Traefik labels for reverse proxy
• Implement SSL certificates
• Set up automated backups
• Monitor resource usage