ColaFlow/colaflow-api/LICENSE-KEYS-SETUP.md

License Keys Setup Guide

This document explains how to configure license keys for MediatR 13.x and AutoMapper 15.x.

Overview

ColaFlow API uses commercial versions of:

• MediatR 13.1.0 - Requires a license key
• AutoMapper 15.1.0 - Requires a license key (if used)

Configuration Methods

Option 1: User Secrets (Recommended for Development)

This is the most secure method for local development:

cd colaflow-api/src/ColaFlow.API

# Set MediatR license key
dotnet user-secrets set "MediatR:LicenseKey" "your-actual-mediatr-license-key-here"

# Set AutoMapper license key (if you use AutoMapper)
dotnet user-secrets set "AutoMapper:LicenseKey" "your-actual-automapper-license-key-here"

Advantages:

• Secrets are stored outside the project directory
• Never accidentally committed to Git
• Scoped per-user, per-project

Option 2: appsettings.Development.json (Quick Setup)

For quick local setup, you can directly edit the configuration file:

1. Open colaflow-api/src/ColaFlow.API/appsettings.Development.json

2. Replace the placeholder values:

{
  "MediatR": {
    "LicenseKey": "your-actual-mediatr-license-key-here"
  },
  "AutoMapper": {
    "LicenseKey": "your-actual-automapper-license-key-here"
  }
}

Warning: Be careful not to commit actual license keys to Git!

Option 3: Environment Variables (Production)

For production environments, use environment variables:

# Windows (PowerShell)
$env:MediatR__LicenseKey = "your-actual-mediatr-license-key-here"
$env:AutoMapper__LicenseKey = "your-actual-automapper-license-key-here"

# Linux/Mac (Bash)
export MediatR__LicenseKey="your-actual-mediatr-license-key-here"
export AutoMapper__LicenseKey="your-actual-automapper-license-key-here"

Note: Use double underscores __ to represent nested configuration keys.

Option 4: Azure Key Vault (Production - Most Secure)

For production on Azure, store license keys in Azure Key Vault:

// In Program.cs
builder.Configuration.AddAzureKeyVault(
    new Uri($"https://{keyVaultName}.vault.azure.net/"),
    new DefaultAzureCredential()
);

Then create secrets in Azure Key Vault:

• MediatR--LicenseKey
• AutoMapper--LicenseKey

Verification

After setting up the license keys, verify the configuration:

1. Build the project

cd colaflow-api
dotnet clean
dotnet restore
dotnet build

Expected: No license warnings in the build output.

2. Run the API

cd src/ColaFlow.API
dotnet run

Expected: API starts without license warnings in the console.

3. Check the logs

Look for startup logs - there should be no warnings about missing or invalid license keys.

Troubleshooting

Warning: "No license key configured for MediatR"

Solution: Ensure the license key is correctly configured using one of the methods above.

Warning: "Invalid license key for MediatR"

Possible causes:

1. The license key is incorrect or expired
2. The license key contains extra whitespace (trim it)
3. The license key is for a different version

Solution: Verify the license key with the vendor.

Configuration not loading

Check:

1. User secrets are set for the correct project
2. appsettings.Development.json is valid JSON
3. Environment variables use double underscores __ for nested keys
4. The application is running in the expected environment (Development/Production)

Getting License Keys

MediatR License

• Purchase from: https://www.mediator.dev/licensing
• Contact: license@mediator.dev

AutoMapper License

• Purchase from: https://www.automapper.org/
• Contact: support@automapper.org

Security Best Practices

1. Never commit license keys to Git

   • Use .gitignore to exclude sensitive files
   • Use User Secrets for local development
   • Use environment variables or Key Vault for production

2. Rotate keys regularly

   • Update license keys when they expire
   • Remove old keys from all environments

3. Limit access

   • Only share keys with authorized team members
   • Use separate keys for development and production if possible

4. Monitor usage

   • Track which applications use which license keys
   • Audit key usage regularly

Configuration Priority

.NET configuration uses the following priority (highest to lowest):

1. Command-line arguments
2. Environment variables
3. User secrets (Development only)
4. appsettings.{Environment}.json
5. appsettings.json

Later sources override earlier ones.

Support

If you encounter issues with license key configuration:

1. Check this guide for troubleshooting steps
2. Verify your license key validity with the vendor
3. Contact the development team for assistance

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Last Updated: 2025-11-03 ColaFlow Version: 1.0.0 MediatR Version: 13.1.0 AutoMapper Version: 15.1.0