62 KiB
StellaOps Developer Onboarding Guide
Target Audience: DevOps operators with developer knowledge who need to understand, deploy, and debug the StellaOps platform.
Table of Contents
- Architecture Overview
- Prerequisites
- Quick Start - Full Platform in Docker
- Hybrid Debugging Workflow
- Service-by-Service Debugging Guide
- Configuration Deep Dive
- Common Development Workflows
- Troubleshooting
Architecture Overview
StellaOps is a deterministic SBOM + VEX platform built as a microservices architecture with 36+ services organized into functional domains.
Runtime Topology - High-Level
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ INFRASTRUCTURE LAYER │
│ ┌──────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │ PostgreSQL │ │ Valkey │ │ RustFS │ │
│ │ (v16+ ONLY) │ │ (Redis-compat) │ │ (S3-like API) │ │
│ │ │ │ - Caching │ │ - Artifacts │ │
│ │ All services use │ │ - DPoP nonces │ │ - SBOMs │ │
│ │ PostgreSQL for │ │ - Event queues │ │ - Signatures │ │
│ │ persistent data │ │ - Rate limiting│ │ │ │
│ └──────────────────┘ └──────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Optional: NATS JetStream (alternative transport for queues) │ │
│ │ Only used if explicitly configured in appsettings │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ AUTHENTICATION & SIGNING │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ Authority │─▶│ Signer │─▶│ Attestor │ │
│ │ (OAuth2/OIDC)│ │(DSSE/PKIX) │ │(in-toto/DSSE)│ │
│ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ INGESTION & AGGREGATION │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ Concelier │ │ Excititor │ │IssuerDirectry│ │
│ │(Advisories) │ │ (VEX) │ │(CSAF Pubshrs)│ │
│ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SCANNING & ANALYSIS │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │Scanner.Web │ │Scanner.Worker│ │ AdvisoryAI │ │
│ │(API/Control) │ │(Analyzers) │ │(ML Analysis) │ │
│ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ RiskEngine │ │ Policy │ │
│ │ (Scoring) │ │ (Engine) │ │
│ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ORCHESTRATION & WORKFLOW │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ Scheduler │ │ Orchestrator │ │ TaskRunner │ │
│ │(Job Sched) │ │(Coordinator) │ │(Executor) │ │
│ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ EVENTS & NOTIFICATIONS │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ Notify │ │ Notifier │ │TimelineIndex │ │
│ │(Slack/Teams) │ │ (Advanced) │ │ (Events) │ │
│ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DATA & EXPORT │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ExportCenter │ │EvidenceLocker│ │FindingsLedger│ │
│ │(SARIF/SBOM) │ │(Artifacts) │ │(Audit Trail) │ │
│ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ USER EXPERIENCE │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │
│ │ Gateway │ │ Web (UI) │ │ CLI │ │
│ │ (API Router) │ │ (Angular v17)│ │(Multi-plat) │ │
│ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Detailed Request Flow - Scan Execution Example
This diagram shows a complete scan request lifecycle with detailed routing through services:
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 1. CLIENT REQUEST (CLI or Web UI) │
│ $ stella scan docker://alpine:latest --sbom-format=spdx │
└───────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ HTTPS
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 2. GATEWAY (API Router) │
│ - Terminates TLS │
│ - Routes to appropriate backend service │
│ - Load balancing (if multiple instances) │
└───────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ HTTP (internal)
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 3. AUTHORITY (Authentication) │
│ - Validates OAuth2 access token (DPoP-bound) │
│ - Checks DPoP proof against Valkey nonce cache │
│ - Returns user identity and scopes │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Valkey │◀── DPoP nonce validation (GET/SET) │
│ │ (Cache) │ │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ PostgreSQL │◀── User/client lookup (SELECT) │
│ └─────────────┘ │
└───────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ Authenticated request
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 4. SCANNER.WEB (Scan API Controller) │
│ - Validates scan request parameters │
│ - Creates scan job record in PostgreSQL │
│ - Enqueues scan job to Valkey queue (default) or NATS (if configured) │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ PostgreSQL │◀── INSERT scan_jobs (job_id, image_ref, status='pending') │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Valkey │◀── XADD scanner:jobs (enqueue job message) │
│ │ (Queue) │ │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Returns: HTTP 202 Accepted { "job_id": "scan-abc123", "status": "queued" } │
└───────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
│ (Client polls for status)
│
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 5. SCANNER.WORKER (Background Processor) │
│ - Consumes job from Valkey queue (XREADGROUP scanner:jobs) │
│ - Updates job status to 'running' │
│ - Downloads container image from registry │
│ - Executes analyzers (OS packages, language deps, files) │
│ - Generates SBOM (SPDX/CycloneDX) │
│ - Stores artifacts to RustFS │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ PostgreSQL │◀── UPDATE scan_jobs SET status='running' │
│ │ │◀── INSERT sbom_documents, packages, vulnerabilities │
│ │ │◀── UPDATE scan_jobs SET status='completed' │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ RustFS │◀── PUT /artifacts/scan-abc123/sbom.spdx.json │
│ │ (S3 API) │◀── PUT /artifacts/scan-abc123/image-layers.tar.gz │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Valkey │◀── XADD scanner:events (publish scan.completed event) │
│ │(Event Stream│ │
│ └─────────────┘ │
└───────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ Event published
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 6. EVENT PROPAGATION (Valkey Streams) │
│ │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Valkey Event Stream: "scanner:events" │ │
│ │ Event: { "type": "scan.completed", "job_id": "scan-abc123", ... } │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌──────────────┼──────────────┬───────────────┐ │
│ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ Notify │ │Timeline │ │ Policy │ │ Export │ │
│ │ Worker │ │ Indexer │ │ Engine │ │ Center │ │
│ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ (all subscribe to scanner:events via XREADGROUP) │
└─────────┼───────────────┼──────────────┼───────────────┼──────────────────────┘
│ │ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ 7a. NOTIFY │ │ 7b. TIMELINE │ │ 7c.POLICY│ │ 7d. EXPORT │
│ │ │ INDEXER │ │ ENGINE │ │ CENTER │
│ - Query scan │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ results │ │ - Index event│ │ - Eval │ │ - Generate │
│ - Check user │ │ timeline │ │ policy │ │ SARIF │
│ notif prefs│ │ - Store in │ │ rules │ │ - Export to │
│ - Send Slack │ │ PostgreSQL │ │ - Block/ │ │ external │
│ message │ │ │ │ Allow │ │ systems │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ PostgreSQL ◀─┤ │ PostgreSQL ◀─┤ │PostgreSQL│ │ RustFS ◀─┤
│ (user prefs) │ │ (timeline) │ │(policies)│ │ (exports) │
└──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────────┘
Export Flow - SBOM Distribution
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ EXPORT REQUEST: GET /api/v1/scans/{scan_id}/export?format=spdx │
└───────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SCANNER.WEB or EXPORT CENTER │
│ │
│ 1. Query scan metadata from PostgreSQL │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ PostgreSQL │◀── SELECT * FROM scan_jobs WHERE job_id = $1 │
│ │ │◀── SELECT * FROM sbom_documents WHERE scan_id = $1 │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ 2. Retrieve SBOM artifact from RustFS │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ RustFS │◀── GET /artifacts/scan-abc123/sbom.spdx.json │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ 3. Sign SBOM with Signer service │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Signer │◀── POST /api/v1/sign (SBOM payload) │
│ │ │──▶ Returns: DSSE envelope with signature │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ 4. Create in-toto attestation with Attestor │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Attestor │◀── POST /api/v1/attest (signed SBOM) │
│ │ │──▶ Returns: in-toto attestation bundle │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ 5. Store final bundle to RustFS │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ RustFS │◀── PUT /artifacts/scan-abc123/bundle.jsonl │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ 6. Return signed bundle to client │
│ Returns: HTTP 200 OK (application/vnd.in-toto+json) │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Notification Flow - Vulnerability Alert
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TRIGGER: New critical CVE detected in existing scan │
│ Source: Concelier advisory ingestion │
└───────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CONCELIER.WORKER (Advisory Processor) │
│ │
│ 1. Ingest new advisory from NVD/OSV/CSAF │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ PostgreSQL │◀── INSERT INTO advisories (cve_id, severity, ...) │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ 2. Match advisory against existing scans (PURL/CPE matching) │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ PostgreSQL │◀── SELECT scans WHERE package_purl IN (affected_purls) │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ 3. Publish drift event to Valkey │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Valkey │◀── XADD concelier:drift (new vulnerability found) │
│ └─────────────┘ │
└───────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ Event published
▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ NOTIFY.WORKER (Notification Processor) │
│ │
│ 1. Consume drift event from Valkey stream │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Valkey │◀── XREADGROUP concelier:drift notify-workers │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ 2. Query user notification preferences │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ PostgreSQL │◀── SELECT * FROM user_notification_preferences │
│ │ │ WHERE user_id = scan_owner AND channel = 'slack' │
│ └─────────────┘ │
│ │
│ 3. Render notification template │
│ Template: "🚨 New critical CVE-2024-1234 affects alpine:latest scan" │
│ │
│ 4. Deliver notification via configured channels │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ External APIs │ │
│ │ - POST https://hooks.slack.com/services/T00/B00/xxx │ │
│ │ - POST https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/teams/channels │ │
│ │ - SMTP send (email) │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ 5. Store delivery receipt in PostgreSQL │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ PostgreSQL │◀── INSERT INTO notification_deliveries (status, ...) │
│ └─────────────┘ │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Architectural Principles
- Deterministic Evidence - Same inputs always produce same outputs
- VEX-First Decisioning - Policy decisions based on OpenVEX statements
- Offline-First - Full air-gap operation supported
- Plugin Architecture - Extensible connectors for advisories, analyzers, auth
- Sovereign Crypto - FIPS, eIDAS, GOST, SM support
- Schema Isolation - Per-module PostgreSQL schemas
Service Categories
| Category | Services | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | PostgreSQL v16+, Valkey 8.0, RustFS, NATS (optional) | Database, cache/messaging, object storage, optional queue transport |
| Auth & Signing | Authority, Signer, Attestor | OAuth2/OIDC with DPoP, cryptographic signing, in-toto attestations |
| Ingestion | Concelier, Excititor, IssuerDirectory | Advisory/VEX ingestion, normalization, merging, CSAF publisher discovery |
| Scanning | Scanner.Web, Scanner.Worker, AdvisoryAI | Container scanning, SBOM generation (SPDX/CDX), ML vulnerability analysis |
| Policy & Risk | Policy Engine, RiskEngine | OPA/Rego policy evaluation, risk scoring, exploitability assessment |
| Orchestration | Scheduler, Orchestrator, TaskRunner | Job scheduling, workflow coordination, distributed task execution |
| Notifications | Notify, Notifier, TimelineIndexer | Event delivery (Slack/Teams/Email), notification management, timeline tracking |
| Data & Export | ExportCenter, EvidenceLocker, FindingsLedger | SARIF/SBOM export, evidence storage, immutable audit trail |
| User Experience | Gateway, Web UI, CLI | API routing, Angular v17 UI, multi-platform command-line tools |
Prerequisites
Required Software
-
Docker Desktop (Windows/Mac) or Docker Engine + Docker Compose (Linux)
- Version: 20.10+ recommended
- Enable WSL2 backend (Windows)
-
.NET 10 SDK
- Download: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/10.0
- Verify:
dotnet --version(should show 10.0.x)
-
Visual Studio 2022 (v17.12+) or Visual Studio Code
- Workload: ASP.NET and web development
- Workload: .NET desktop development
- Extension (VS Code): C# Dev Kit
-
Git
- Version: 2.30+ recommended
Optional Tools
- PostgreSQL Client (psql, pgAdmin, DBeaver) - for database inspection
- Redis Insight or Another Redis Desktop Manager - for Valkey inspection (Valkey is Redis-compatible)
- Postman/Insomnia - for API testing
- AWS CLI or s3cmd - for RustFS (S3-compatible) inspection
System Requirements
- RAM: 16 GB minimum, 32 GB recommended
- Disk: 50 GB free space (for Docker images, volumes, build artifacts)
- CPU: 4 cores minimum, 8 cores recommended
Quick Start
Step 1: Clone the Repository
cd C:\dev\
git clone https://git.stella-ops.org/stella-ops.org/git.stella-ops.org
cd git.stella-ops.org
Step 2: Prepare Environment Configuration
# Copy the development environment template
cd deploy\compose
copy env\dev.env.example .env
# Edit .env with your preferred text editor
notepad .env
Key settings to configure:
# PostgreSQL Database
POSTGRES_USER=stellaops
POSTGRES_PASSWORD=your_secure_password_here
POSTGRES_DB=stellaops_platform
POSTGRES_PORT=5432
# Valkey (Redis-compatible cache and messaging)
VALKEY_PORT=6379
# RustFS Object Storage
RUSTFS_HTTP_PORT=8080
# Service ports (adjust if conflicts exist)
AUTHORITY_PORT=8440
SIGNER_PORT=8441
ATTESTOR_PORT=8442
CONCELIER_PORT=8445
SCANNER_WEB_PORT=8444
NOTIFY_WEB_PORT=8446
# Scanner configuration (Valkey default, can switch to NATS if needed)
SCANNER_EVENTS_DRIVER=valkey
SCANNER_EVENTS_DSN=valkey:6379
# Scheduler configuration (Valkey default, can switch to NATS if needed)
SCHEDULER_QUEUE_KIND=Valkey
SCHEDULER_QUEUE_VALKEY_URL=valkey:6379
# Authority configuration
AUTHORITY_ISSUER=https://authority:8440
SIGNER_POE_INTROSPECT_URL=https://www.stella-ops.org/license/introspect
Step 3: Start the Full Platform
# From deploy/compose directory
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml up -d
This will start all infrastructure and services:
- PostgreSQL v16+ (port 5432) - Primary database for all services
- Valkey 8.0 (port 6379) - Cache, DPoP nonces, event streams, rate limiting
- RustFS (port 8080) - S3-compatible object storage for artifacts/SBOMs
- NATS JetStream (port 4222) - Optional transport (only if configured)
- Authority (port 8440) - OAuth2/OIDC authentication
- Signer (port 8441) - Cryptographic signing
- Attestor (port 8442) - in-toto attestation generation
- Scanner.Web (port 8444) - Scan API
- Concelier (port 8445) - Advisory ingestion
- And 30+ more services...
Step 4: Verify Services Are Running
# Check all services are up
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml ps
# Check logs for a specific service
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml logs -f scanner-web
# Check infrastructure health
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml logs postgres
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml logs valkey
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml logs rustfs
Step 5: Access the Platform
Open your browser and navigate to:
- RustFS: http://localhost:8080 (S3-compatible object storage)
- Scanner API: http://localhost:8444/swagger (if Swagger enabled)
- Concelier API: http://localhost:8445/swagger
- Authority: http://localhost:8440/.well-known/openid-configuration (OIDC discovery)
Hybrid Debugging Workflow
The hybrid workflow allows you to:
- Run infrastructure (databases, queues) in Docker
- Run most services in Docker
- Selectively debug one or two services in Visual Studio
Workflow Overview
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DOCKER ENVIRONMENT │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │PostgreSQL│ │ Valkey │ │ RustFS │ │
│ │ (DB) │ │(Cache/Msg│ │(Storage) │ │
│ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ Authority│ │ Signer │ │ Attestor │ │
│ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │Concelier │ │ Excititor│ ← Running normally │
│ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
▲
│ HTTP calls + Valkey streams
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ VISUAL STUDIO (F5) │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Scanner.WebService │ │
│ │ Running on http://localhost:5210 │ │
│ │ (Breakpoints, hot reload, debugging) │ ← YOU DEBUG HERE
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step-by-Step: Debug Scanner.WebService
1. Stop the Docker Container for Scanner
cd deploy\compose
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml stop scanner-web
Verify it's stopped:
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml ps scanner-web
# Should show: State = "exited"
2. Configure Local Development Settings
Create or modify the service's appsettings.Development.json:
cd C:\dev\New folder\git.stella-ops.org\src\Scanner\StellaOps.Scanner.WebService
Create appsettings.Development.json:
{
"Logging": {
"LogLevel": {
"Default": "Information",
"Microsoft.AspNetCore": "Warning",
"StellaOps": "Debug"
}
},
"ConnectionStrings": {
"DefaultConnection": "Host=localhost;Port=5432;Database=stellaops_platform;Username=stellaops;Password=your_password_here;Include Error Detail=true"
},
"Scanner": {
"Storage": {
"Mongo": {
"ConnectionString": "mongodb://stellaops:your_password_here@localhost:27017"
}
},
"ArtifactStore": {
"Driver": "rustfs",
"Endpoint": "http://localhost:8080/api/v1",
"Bucket": "scanner-artifacts",
"TimeoutSeconds": 30
},
"Queue": {
"Broker": "nats://localhost:4222"
},
"Events": {
"Enabled": false
}
},
"Authority": {
"Issuer": "https://localhost:8440",
"BaseUrl": "https://localhost:8440",
"BypassNetworks": ["127.0.0.1", "::1"]
}
}
Note: Adjust connection strings to match your Docker infrastructure ports. If PostgreSQL is on Docker's bridge network, you may need to expose it on localhost:5432.
3. Expose Docker Services to localhost
For services running in Docker to be accessible from your host machine, ensure ports are mapped in docker-compose.dev.yaml:
# Already configured in docker-compose.dev.yaml
postgres:
ports:
- "${POSTGRES_PORT:-5432}:5432"
mongo:
ports:
- "27017:27017"
nats:
ports:
- "${NATS_CLIENT_PORT:-4222}:4222"
rustfs:
ports:
- "${RUSTFS_HTTP_PORT:-8080}:8080"
Verify connectivity:
# Test PostgreSQL
psql -h localhost -U stellaops -d stellaops_platform
# Test NATS
telnet localhost 4222
# Test RustFS
curl http://localhost:8080/health
4. Open Solution in Visual Studio
# Open the solution
cd C:\dev\New folder\git.stella-ops.org
start src\StellaOps.sln
In Visual Studio:
- Right-click
StellaOps.Scanner.WebServiceproject - Select "Set as Startup Project"
- Press F5 to start debugging
Expected output:
info: Microsoft.Hosting.Lifetime[14]
Now listening on: http://localhost:5210
info: Microsoft.Hosting.Lifetime[0]
Application started. Press Ctrl+C to shut down.
5. Update Other Services to Call localhost
Since you're running Scanner.WebService on localhost:5210 instead of scanner-web:8444, you need to update any services that call it.
Option A: Environment Variables (Docker containers)
Update .env file:
# Use host.docker.internal to reach host machine from Docker
SCANNER_WEB_BASEURL=http://host.docker.internal:5210
Restart dependent services:
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml restart scheduler-web
Option B: Modify docker-compose.dev.yaml
scheduler-web:
environment:
SCHEDULER__WORKER__RUNNER__SCANNER__BASEADDRESS: "http://host.docker.internal:5210"
Then restart:
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml up -d scheduler-web
6. Set Breakpoints and Debug
- Navigate to
Program.csin Scanner.WebService - Set a breakpoint on a line in a controller or service method
- Trigger the endpoint using:
- Swagger UI (if enabled): http://localhost:5210/swagger
- Postman/curl
- CLI command
Example curl:
curl -X POST http://localhost:5210/api/scans \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"imageRef": "alpine:latest"}'
Your breakpoint should hit, and you can step through code.
7. Return to Docker Mode
When you're done debugging:
# Stop Visual Studio debugger (Shift+F5)
# Restart the Docker container
cd deploy\compose
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml start scanner-web
# Verify it's running
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml ps scanner-web
Service-by-Service Debugging Guide
Authority (OAuth2/OIDC Provider)
Project: src/Authority/StellaOps.Authority/StellaOps.Authority.csproj
Stop Docker container:
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml stop authority
Configuration: appsettings.Development.json
{
"ConnectionStrings": {
"DefaultConnection": "Host=localhost;Port=5432;Database=stellaops_platform;Username=stellaops;Password=your_password"
},
"StellaOps_Authority": {
"Issuer": "https://localhost:5001",
"Mongo": {
"ConnectionString": "mongodb://stellaops:your_password@localhost:27017"
}
},
"Kestrel": {
"Endpoints": {
"Https": {
"Url": "https://localhost:5001"
}
}
}
}
Run in Visual Studio: F5 on StellaOps.Authority project
Default URL: https://localhost:5001
Update dependent services:
# In .env
AUTHORITY_ISSUER=https://host.docker.internal:5001
Concelier (Advisory Ingestion)
Project: src/Concelier/StellaOps.Concelier.WebService/StellaOps.Concelier.WebService.csproj
Stop Docker:
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml stop concelier
Configuration: appsettings.Development.json
{
"ConnectionStrings": {
"DefaultConnection": "Host=localhost;Port=5432;Database=stellaops_platform;Username=stellaops;Password=your_password"
},
"Concelier": {
"Storage": {
"Mongo": {
"ConnectionString": "mongodb://stellaops:your_password@localhost:27017"
},
"S3": {
"Endpoint": "http://localhost:9000",
"AccessKeyId": "stellaops",
"SecretAccessKey": "your_password"
}
},
"Authority": {
"BaseUrl": "https://localhost:8440"
}
}
}
Run: F5 on StellaOps.Concelier.WebService
Default URL: http://localhost:5000
Scanner.Worker (Background Analyzer)
Project: src/Scanner/StellaOps.Scanner.Worker/StellaOps.Scanner.Worker.csproj
Stop Docker:
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml stop scanner-worker
Configuration: Same as Scanner.WebService (shares settings)
Run: F5 on StellaOps.Scanner.Worker
Note: Worker has no HTTP endpoint - it consumes from NATS queue
Scheduler.WebService
Project: src/Scheduler/StellaOps.Scheduler.WebService/StellaOps.Scheduler.WebService.csproj
Stop Docker:
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml stop scheduler-web
Configuration: appsettings.Development.json
{
"ConnectionStrings": {
"DefaultConnection": "Host=localhost;Port=5432;Database=stellaops_orchestrator;Username=stellaops;Password=your_password"
},
"Scheduler": {
"Queue": {
"Kind": "Nats",
"Nats": {
"Url": "nats://localhost:4222"
}
},
"Worker": {
"Runner": {
"Scanner": {
"BaseAddress": "http://localhost:5210"
}
}
}
}
}
Run: F5 on StellaOps.Scheduler.WebService
Notify.WebService
Project: src/Notify/StellaOps.Notify.WebService/StellaOps.Notify.WebService.csproj
Stop Docker:
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml stop notify-web
Configuration: Uses etc/notify.dev.yaml
Run: F5 on StellaOps.Notify.WebService
Configuration Deep Dive
Configuration Hierarchy
All services follow this configuration priority (highest to lowest):
- Environment Variables -
STELLAOPS_<MODULE>_<SETTING>or<MODULE>__<SETTING> - appsettings.{Environment}.json -
appsettings.Development.json,appsettings.Production.json - appsettings.json - Base configuration
- YAML files -
../etc/<service>.yaml,../etc/<service>.local.yaml
Common Configuration Patterns
PostgreSQL Connection Strings
{
"ConnectionStrings": {
"DefaultConnection": "Host=localhost;Port=5432;Database=<db_name>;Username=stellaops;Password=<password>;Pooling=true;Minimum Pool Size=1;Maximum Pool Size=100;Command Timeout=60"
}
}
Database names by service:
- Scanner:
stellaops_platformorscanner_* - Orchestrator:
stellaops_orchestrator - Authority:
stellaops_platform(shared, schema-isolated) - Concelier:
stellaops_platform(vuln schema) - Notify:
stellaops_platform(notify schema)
Valkey Configuration (Default Transport)
{
"Scanner": {
"Events": {
"Driver": "valkey",
"Dsn": "localhost:6379"
},
"Cache": {
"Redis": {
"ConnectionString": "localhost:6379"
}
}
},
"Scheduler": {
"Queue": {
"Kind": "Valkey",
"Valkey": {
"Url": "localhost:6379"
}
}
}
}
NATS Queue Configuration (Optional Alternative Transport)
{
"Scanner": {
"Events": {
"Driver": "nats",
"Dsn": "nats://localhost:4222"
}
},
"Scheduler": {
"Queue": {
"Kind": "Nats",
"Nats": {
"Url": "nats://localhost:4222"
}
}
}
}
RustFS Configuration (S3-Compatible Object Storage)
{
"Scanner": {
"Storage": {
"RustFS": {
"Endpoint": "http://localhost:8080",
"AccessKeyId": "stellaops",
"SecretAccessKey": "your_password",
"BucketName": "scanner-artifacts",
"Region": "us-east-1",
"ForcePathStyle": true
}
}
}
}
RustFS Configuration
{
"Scanner": {
"ArtifactStore": {
"Driver": "rustfs",
"Endpoint": "http://localhost:8080/api/v1",
"Bucket": "scanner-artifacts",
"TimeoutSeconds": 30
}
}
}
Environment Variable Mapping
ASP.NET Core uses __ (double underscore) for nested configuration:
# This JSON configuration:
{
"Scanner": {
"Queue": {
"Broker": "nats://localhost:4222"
}
}
}
# Can be set via environment variable:
SCANNER__QUEUE__BROKER=nats://localhost:4222
# Or with STELLAOPS_ prefix:
STELLAOPS_SCANNER__QUEUE__BROKER=nats://localhost:4222
Common Development Workflows
Workflow 1: Debug a Single Service with Full Stack
Scenario: You need to debug Scanner.WebService while all other services run normally.
# 1. Start full platform
cd deploy\compose
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml up -d
# 2. Stop the service you want to debug
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml stop scanner-web
# 3. Open Visual Studio
cd C:\dev\New folder\git.stella-ops.org
start src\StellaOps.sln
# 4. Set Scanner.WebService as startup project and F5
# 5. Test the service
curl -X POST http://localhost:5210/api/scans -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"imageRef":"alpine:latest"}'
# 6. When done, stop VS debugger and restart Docker container
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml start scanner-web
Workflow 2: Debug Multiple Services Together
Scenario: Debug Scanner.WebService and Scanner.Worker together.
# 1. Stop both containers
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml stop scanner-web scanner-worker
# 2. In Visual Studio, configure multiple startup projects:
# - Right-click solution > Properties
# - Set "Multiple startup projects"
# - Select Scanner.WebService: Start
# - Select Scanner.Worker: Start
# 3. Press F5 to debug both simultaneously
Workflow 3: Test Integration with Modified Code
Scenario: You modified Concelier and want to test how Scanner integrates with it.
# 1. Build Concelier locally
cd src\Concelier\StellaOps.Concelier.WebService
dotnet build
# 2. Stop Docker Concelier
cd ..\..\..\deploy\compose
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml stop concelier
# 3. Run Concelier in Visual Studio (F5)
# 4. Keep Scanner in Docker, but point it to localhost Concelier
# Update .env:
CONCELIER_BASEURL=http://host.docker.internal:5000
# 5. Restart Scanner to pick up new config
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml restart scanner-web
Workflow 4: Reset Database State
Scenario: You need a clean database to test migrations or start fresh.
# 1. Stop all services
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml down
# 2. Remove database volumes
docker volume rm compose_postgres-data
docker volume rm compose_mongo-data
# 3. Restart platform (will recreate volumes and databases)
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml up -d
# 4. Wait for migrations to run
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml logs -f postgres
# Look for migration completion messages
Workflow 5: Test Offline/Air-Gap Mode
Scenario: Test the platform in offline mode.
# 1. Use the air-gap compose profile
cd deploy\compose
docker compose -f docker-compose.airgap.yaml up -d
# 2. Verify no external network calls
docker compose -f docker-compose.airgap.yaml logs | grep -i "external\|outbound\|internet"
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
1. Port Already in Use
Error:
Error starting userland proxy: listen tcp 0.0.0.0:5432: bind: address already in use
Solutions:
Option A: Change the port in .env
# Edit .env
POSTGRES_PORT=5433 # Use a different port
Option B: Stop the conflicting process
# Windows
netstat -ano | findstr :5432
taskkill /PID <PID> /F
# Linux/Mac
lsof -i :5432
kill -9 <PID>
2. Cannot Connect to PostgreSQL from Visual Studio
Error:
Npgsql.NpgsqlException: Connection refused
Solutions:
- Verify PostgreSQL is accessible from host:
psql -h localhost -U stellaops -d stellaops_platform
- Check Docker network:
docker network inspect compose_stellaops
# Ensure your service has "host.docker.internal" DNS resolution
- Update connection string:
{
"ConnectionStrings": {
"DefaultConnection": "Host=localhost;Port=5432;Database=stellaops_platform;Username=stellaops;Password=your_password;Include Error Detail=true"
}
}
3. NATS Connection Refused
Error:
NATS connection error: connection refused
Solution:
By default, services use Valkey for messaging, not NATS. Ensure Valkey is running:
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml ps valkey
# Should show: State = "Up"
# Test connectivity
telnet localhost 6379
Update configuration to use Valkey (default):
{
"Scanner": {
"Events": {
"Driver": "valkey",
"Dsn": "localhost:6379"
}
},
"Scheduler": {
"Queue": {
"Kind": "Valkey",
"Valkey": {
"Url": "localhost:6379"
}
}
}
}
If you explicitly want to use NATS (optional):
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml ps nats
# Ensure NATS is running
# Update appsettings.Development.json:
{
"Scanner": {
"Events": {
"Driver": "nats",
"Dsn": "nats://localhost:4222"
}
}
}
4. Valkey Connection Refused
Error:
StackExchange.Redis.RedisConnectionException: It was not possible to connect to the redis server(s)
Solutions:
- Check Valkey is running:
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml ps valkey
# Should show: State = "Up"
# Check logs
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml logs valkey
- Reset Valkey:
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml stop valkey
docker volume rm compose_valkey-data
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml up -d valkey
5. Service Cannot Reach host.docker.internal
Error:
Could not resolve host: host.docker.internal
Solution (Windows/Mac):
Should work automatically with Docker Desktop.
Solution (Linux):
Add to docker-compose.dev.yaml:
services:
scanner-web:
extra_hosts:
- "host.docker.internal:host-gateway"
Or use the host's IP address:
# Find host IP
ip addr show docker0
# Use that IP instead of host.docker.internal
6. Certificate Validation Errors (Authority/HTTPS)
Error:
The SSL connection could not be established
Solution:
For development, disable certificate validation:
{
"Authority": {
"ValidateCertificate": false
}
}
Or trust the development certificate:
dotnet dev-certs https --trust
7. Build Errors - Missing SDK
Error:
error MSB4236: The SDK 'Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Web' specified could not be found
Solution:
Install .NET 10 SDK:
# Verify installation
dotnet --list-sdks
# Should show:
# 10.0.xxx [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
8. Hot Reload Not Working
Symptom: Changes in code don't reflect when running in Visual Studio.
Solutions:
- Ensure Hot Reload is enabled: Tools > Options > Debugging > .NET Hot Reload > Enable Hot Reload
- Rebuild the project: Ctrl+Shift+B
- Restart debugging session: Shift+F5, then F5
9. Docker Compose Fails to Parse .env
Error:
invalid interpolation format
Solution:
Ensure no spaces around = in .env:
# Wrong
POSTGRES_USER = stellaops
# Correct
POSTGRES_USER=stellaops
10. Volume Permission Issues (Linux)
Error:
Permission denied writing to /data/db
Solution:
# Fix permissions on volume directories
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER ./volumes
# Or run Docker as root (not recommended for production)
sudo docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml up -d
Next Steps
Learning Path
-
Week 1: Infrastructure
- Understand PostgreSQL schema isolation (all services use PostgreSQL)
- Learn Valkey streams for event queuing and caching
- Study RustFS S3-compatible object storage
- Optional: NATS JetStream as alternative transport
-
Week 2: Core Services
- Deep dive into Scanner architecture (analyzers, workers, caching)
- Understand Concelier advisory ingestion and merging
- Study VEX workflow in Excititor
-
Week 3: Authentication & Security
- Master OAuth2/OIDC flow in Authority
- Understand signing flow (Signer → Attestor → Rekor)
- Study policy evaluation engine
-
Week 4: Integration
- Build end-to-end scan workflow
- Implement custom Concelier connector
- Create custom notification rules
Key Documentation
- Architecture:
docs/07_HIGH_LEVEL_ARCHITECTURE.md - Build Commands:
CLAUDE.md - Database Spec:
docs/db/SPECIFICATION.md - API Reference:
docs/09_API_CLI_REFERENCE.md - Module Architecture:
docs/modules/<module>/architecture.md
Support
- Issues: https://git.stella-ops.org/stella-ops.org/git.stella-ops.org/issues
- Discussions: Internal team channels
- Documentation:
docs/directory in the repository
Quick Reference Card
Essential Commands
# Start full platform
cd deploy\compose
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml up -d
# Stop a specific service for debugging
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml stop <service-name>
# View logs
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml logs -f <service-name>
# Restart a service
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml restart <service-name>
# Stop all services
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml down
# Stop all services and remove volumes (DESTRUCTIVE)
docker compose -f docker-compose.dev.yaml down -v
# Build the solution
cd C:\dev\New folder\git.stella-ops.org
dotnet build src\StellaOps.sln
# Run tests
dotnet test src\StellaOps.sln
# Run a specific project
cd src\Scanner\StellaOps.Scanner.WebService
dotnet run
Service Default Ports
| Service | Port | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | |||
| PostgreSQL | 5432 | localhost:5432 |
Primary database (REQUIRED) |
| Valkey | 6379 | localhost:6379 |
Cache/events/queues (REQUIRED) |
| RustFS | 8080 | http://localhost:8080 | S3-compatible storage (REQUIRED) |
| NATS | 4222 | nats://localhost:4222 |
Optional alternative transport |
| Services | |||
| Authority | 8440 | https://localhost:8440 | OAuth2/OIDC auth |
| Signer | 8441 | https://localhost:8441 | Cryptographic signing |
| Attestor | 8442 | https://localhost:8442 | in-toto attestations |
| Scanner.Web | 8444 | http://localhost:8444 | Scan API |
| Concelier | 8445 | http://localhost:8445 | Advisory ingestion |
| Notify | 8446 | http://localhost:8446 | Notifications |
| IssuerDirectory | 8447 | http://localhost:8447 | CSAF publisher discovery |
Visual Studio Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Start Debugging | F5 |
| Start Without Debugging | Ctrl+F5 |
| Stop Debugging | Shift+F5 |
| Step Over | F10 |
| Step Into | F11 |
| Step Out | Shift+F11 |
| Toggle Breakpoint | F9 |
| Build Solution | Ctrl+Shift+B |
| Rebuild Solution | Ctrl+Shift+F5 |
Document Version: 1.0 Last Updated: 2025-12-22 Maintained By: StellaOps Development Team