Hive Pal

Hive Pal is a modern, mobile-first beekeeping management application for tracking apiaries, hives, inspections, queens, and colony health. It provides a web UI plus a REST API and is designed to run via Docker Compose with a PostgreSQL backend.

Key Features

• Apiary and hive management with location metadata and configurable hive types
• Inspection workflows to record observations, actions, and inspection history
• Queen tracking for lineage, replacement history, and status changes
• Mobile-first responsive React frontend optimized for field data entry
• NestJS backend with Prisma ORM and PostgreSQL database
• JWT-based authentication with refresh tokens and user management
• OpenAPI/Swagger API documentation and a stable-ish API (project is in active development)
• Production-ready Docker Compose setup, container images, and health checks
• Monitoring and logging integration (Prometheus metrics, health endpoints, Loki/Winston logging)

Use Cases

• Small-scale and hobbyist beekeepers tracking inspections, colony health, and harvests
• Apiary managers maintaining queen replacement history and multi-site hive inventories
• Research or extension services collecting structured inspection data in the field

Limitations and Considerations

• Project is a Work In Progress; the README notes the API is mostly stable but breaking changes may occur
• Default production compose file does not expose ports; reverse proxy configuration or overrides are required to access the frontend/backend externally
• Password reset functionality requires SMTP configuration; email is optional but recommended for account recovery
• No native mobile apps provided — frontend is a responsive web app optimized for mobile browsers

Hive Pal is suited for beekeepers who want a self-hosted, auditable system to manage apiaries and inspections with an extensible API and containerized deployment. It prioritizes mobile usability and structured workflows for routine hive management.