Bifolk Documentation¶
Welcome to the Bifolk documentation. Bifolk is a comprehensive beekeeping management application designed for beekeepers, families, cooperatives, and organizations to manage their apiaries efficiently.
Documentation Sections¶
📱 User Guide¶
For beekeepers and end users
Learn how to use Bifolk's features for managing your hives, tracking inspections, recording harvests, and more.
- Getting Started - First steps with Bifolk
- Dashboard - Understanding your dashboard
- Hive Management - Creating and managing hives
- Inspections - Recording hive inspections
- Queen Management - Track queens and lineage
- Beekeeping Operations - Feeding, treatments, and maintenance
- Breeding - Queen breeding and colony splits
- Harvests - Recording harvests and honey traceability
- Warehouse & Inventory - Equipment and product management
- PWA & Offline Mode - Install as app and work offline
- Profile & Settings - Your account settings
👥 Admin Guide¶
For application administrators and organization owners
Learn how to administer Bifolk, manage users, configure organizations, and maintain the system.
Installation & Deployment:
- Installation - Docker-based installation
- Initial Setup - First-time configuration
- Configuration - Environment variables and settings
- Docker Secrets - Secure configuration management
- Upgrading - Update procedures
- Backup & Restore - Data backup strategies
- Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions
- Useful Commands - Docker and Django commands
Application Administration:
- User Management - Managing user accounts
- Organization Management - Organizations and memberships
- Permissions & Roles - Understanding the RBAC system
- System Configuration - Configurable choices
- Data Management - Import/export and data operations
- Maintenance - System maintenance tasks
🔧 Technical Documentation¶
For developers and advanced administrators
Technical architecture, database models, and development information.
- Architecture - System architecture and design
- Database Models - Complete model reference
- Permissions System - RBAC implementation
- Translation & i18n - Multi-language support
App Reference:
- Home App - Dashboard and PWA
- Users App - User profiles
- Organizations App - Multi-tenancy
- Hives App - Core beekeeping domain
- Breeding App - Queen breeding
- Warehouse App - Inventory management
- SystemConfig App - Configurable choices
- Notifications App - Notification system
- DataExchange App - Import/export
Quick Start¶
For Users¶
- New to Bifolk? Start with Getting Started
- Create your first hive: Hive Management
- Record an inspection: Inspections
- Work offline: PWA & Offline Mode
For Administrators¶
- Installing Bifolk? See Installation
- Setting up users? Read User Management
- Configuring organizations? Check Organization Management
- Security setup? Review Docker Secrets
For Developers¶
- Understanding the code? Start with Architecture
- Working with models? Check Database Models
- Adding translations? Read Translation & i18n
Common Tasks¶
| Task | Documentation |
|---|---|
| Install Bifolk | Installation |
| Create a new hive | Hive Management |
| Record a hive inspection | Inspections |
| Track queen lineage | Queen Management |
| Record feeding or treatment | Beekeeping Operations |
| Set up a breeding program | Breeding |
| Record a honey harvest | Harvests |
| Track honey from hive to jar | Harvests |
| Manage inventory | Warehouse & Inventory |
| Work offline in the field | PWA & Offline Mode |
| Add users to an organization | Organization Management |
| Configure system choices | System Configuration |
| Backup the database | Backup & Restore |
| Upgrade to a new version | Upgrading |
Key Features¶
For Beekeepers¶
- Hive Tracking: Manage production and breeding hives with health status monitoring
- Queen Management: Track queen lineage across generations
- Inspections: Record detailed hive inspections with health and productivity data
- Operations: Log feeding, treatments, and maintenance activities
- Harvests: Record harvests with full traceability from hive to jar
- Offline Mode: Work in the field without internet, sync when connected
For Organizations¶
- Multi-Tenancy: Manage multiple organizations (personal, family, club, commercial)
- Role-Based Access: Owner, Admin, Member, and Viewer roles
- Member Invitations: Invite members via email
- Organization Switching: Quickly switch between organizations
For Administrators¶
- Docker Deployment: Container-based installation
- Configurable Choices: Customize dropdowns (hive types, honey types, etc.)
- Data Export/Import: Backup and restore organization data
- Sample Data: Load sample data for testing and demos
Language Support¶
Bifolk is available in:
- English (default)
- German (Deutsch)
Change your language in Profile Settings.
Target Audiences¶
| Audience | Documentation |
|---|---|
| 🐝 Beekeepers | User Guide - Non-technical users managing apiaries |
| 👥 Organization Owners | Admin Guide - Managing organizations and members |
| 🚀 System Administrators | Admin Guide - Installation and deployment |
| 🔧 Developers | Technical Documentation - Architecture and code |
Getting Help¶
- User Issues: Check the User Guide
- Admin Questions: See the Admin Guide
- Technical Problems: Review Troubleshooting
- Bug Reports: Submit issues on the project's issue tracker
Glossary¶
Beekeeping Terms¶
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Apiary | Location where beehives are kept |
| Brood | Bee larvae and pupae in cells |
| Colony | Community of bees living in a hive |
| Frame | Removable structure holding comb |
| Grafting | Moving larvae to create queen cells |
| Queen | Reproductive female bee |
| Super | Box added for honey storage |
| Varroa | Parasitic mite affecting bees |
Bifolk Terms¶
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Organization | Multi-user beekeeping group |
| Role | Permission level (Owner, Admin, Member, Viewer) |
| Inspection | Recorded hive examination |
| Operation | Beekeeping intervention (feeding, treatment, maintenance) |
| Breeding Record | Queen rearing documentation |
| Split | Colony division record |
| Charge (Topf) | Honey batch from a specific year and type |
| Bucket (Eimer) | Container filled from a charge |
| Jar (Glas) | Final product filled from a bucket |
| PWA | Progressive Web App (installable, works offline) |