Lesson 1: Heroku Database and MySQL Workbench Connections

Complete Project Setup Workflow

1. Start with CRUD F25 Template:

• Use the starter template "CRUD F25" for the rest of the semester
• Template repository: https://github.com/bamarshall06/starter-template-crud-f25
• This is our new foundational template moving forward

2. Create GitHub Repository:

• Create new repository from CRUD F25 template
• Name it "Mars Demo 3" (following video example)
• Make repository private
• Create the repository

3. Create Heroku Application:

• Go to Heroku and create new app
• Name it "Mars demo 3" (matching GitHub repo)
• Create the app
• Immediately connect to GitHub repository
• Enable automatic deploys from main branch
• Deploy branch to get initial deployment

Local Development Environment Setup

Virtual Environment Commands:

python -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements.txt
python app.py

Verify local setup:

• Test application at http://127.0.0.1:5000
• Confirm starter kit is working properly

JawsDB MySQL Database Setup

Add JawsDB Add-on to Heroku:

• Go to Heroku app → Resources tab
• Create new database by searching for "MySQL"
• Select "JawsDB" from the search results
• Choose the free version
• Click "Submit Order" to provision the database

Get Database Connection Credentials:

• Click on the JawsDB add-on to view connection details
• Copy all credentials (hostname, username, password, database name)
• Paste credentials into notepad document for temporary reference
• Note: These credentials will be deleted after the lesson for security

MySQL Workbench Installation & Configuration

Download and Install:

• Search for "MySQL workbench download" in browser
• Download and install MySQL Workbench (free from Oracle)
• Launch the application after installation

Create New Connection:

• Click to create a new connection
• Name the connection (e.g., "Mars demo3")
• Enter hostname from JawsDB credentials (be careful of spaces)
• Enter username from JawsDB credentials
• Store password in vault (click "Store in Vault")
• Change default schema to your database name
• Test connection to verify setup
• Click "OK" if test is successful

Environment Variables and Security

Local .env File Setup:

DB_HOST=your_hostname
DB_USER=your_username
DB_PASSWORD=your_password
DB_NAME=your_database_name

Heroku Config Variables:

• Go to Heroku → Settings → Config Vars
• Add each database credential as separate config variable
• Use exact same variable names as in .env file
• This provides secure way to pass database credentials

Important Security Notes:

• .env files are never pushed to GitHub (in .gitignore)
• Heroku config vars are the secure production method
• Always double-check for extra spaces when copying credentials