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Installing the Educates Backend Plugin#

This guide will help you install and set up the Educates backend plugin in your Backstage instance.

Prerequisites#

Before installing the plugin, ensure you have:

  1. A running Backstage backend instance
  2. Access to one or more Educates training portals
  3. Required credentials for each training portal

Installation Steps#

1. Add the Package#

Install the plugin package using yarn:

yarn --cwd packages/backend add @terasky/backstage-plugin-educates-backend

2. Add Plugin to Backend#

Modify your packages/backend/src/index.ts to include the plugin:

import { createBackend } from '@backstage/backend-defaults';

const backend = createBackend();

// ... other backend plugins

backend.add(import('@terasky/plugin-educates-backend'));

backend.start();

3. Configure Environment Variables#

Add the following environment variables to your .env file:

# Example portal configuration
EDUCATES_EXAMPLE_ROBOT_PASSWORD=your-robot-password
EDUCATES_EXAMPLE_ROBOT_CLIENT_ID=your-client-id
EDUCATES_EXAMPLE_ROBOT_CLIENT_SECRET=your-client-secret

4. Add Base Configuration#

Add the following to your app-config.yaml:

educates:
  trainingPortals:
    - name: example-portal
      url: https://example-training-portal.com
      robotUsername: robot@educates
      robotPassword: ${EDUCATES_EXAMPLE_ROBOT_PASSWORD}
      clientId: ${EDUCATES_EXAMPLE_ROBOT_CLIENT_ID}
      clientSecret: ${EDUCATES_EXAMPLE_ROBOT_CLIENT_SECRET}

Verification#

After installation, verify that:

  1. The plugin appears in your package.json dependencies
  2. The backend starts without errors
  3. The plugin endpoints are accessible
  4. Training portal connections are successful

Testing the Installation#

  1. Check the plugin health: 

    curl http://localhost:7007/api/educates/health

  2. List training portals: 

    curl http://localhost:7007/api/educates/workshops/\<TRAINING PORTAL NAME\>/

Troubleshooting#

Common issues and solutions:

  1. Connection Errors

    • Verify portal URL is correct
    • Check credentials in environment variables
    • Ensure portal is accessible from backend

  2. Authentication Issues

    • Confirm robot credentials are valid
    • Check client ID and secret
    • Verify token refresh is working

  3. Plugin Not Loading

    • Check backend plugin registration
    • Verify package installation
    • Review backend logs for errors

For configuration options and customization, proceed to the Configuration Guide.