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Local Components

Form Lab operates entirely on your local workstation using Docker Compose, creating a self-contained cluster of services that work together. This approach eliminates the need for cloud resources or complex server setups during development.

Docker Compose and Container Orchestration

Docker Compose is a tool that defines and runs multi-container Docker applications. It uses a YAML file (docker-compose.yml) to configure all the application's services, creating a virtual network where these containers can communicate with each other. This setup provides:

  • Isolated networking between services
  • Consistent environment across different machines
  • Simple startup and shutdown of all services
  • Automatic container orchestration

Container Sources

Form Lab pulls pre-built containers from various registries. Here's how the components are sourced:

file

Services Overview

SMART EHR Launcher UI (smart-launcher-ui)

  • Image: ghcr.io/aehrc/smart-ehr-launcher/smart-launcher-v2
  • Port: 81
  • Purpose: Provides the web interface for launching SMART applications
  • Dependencies: smart-launcher, smart-forms-app
  • Configuration: Uses ehr-config.json for application settings

Sample Data Loader (add-samples)

  • Image: registry.gitlab.com/australian-e-health-research-centre/form-lab/add-samples
  • Purpose: Loads sample CDR and form definitions into the FHIR server
  • Dependencies: fhir server

FHIR Server (fhir)

  • Image: hapiproject/hapi
  • Port: 8080
  • Purpose: HAPI FHIR server for storing and managing healthcare data
  • Configuration: Uses hapi.application.yaml
  • Dependencies: PostgreSQL database

PostgreSQL Database (db)

  • Image: postgres
  • Port: 5432 (internal)
  • Purpose: Persistent storage for HAPI FHIR server
  • Environment Variables:
  • POSTGRES_PASSWORD: admin
  • POSTGRES_USER: admin
  • POSTGRES_DB: hapi
  • Persistence: Uses volume mount for data persistence

SMART Launcher Proxy (smart-launcher)

  • Image: aehrc/smart-launcher-v2
  • Port: 8081
  • Purpose: Handles SMART authentication and proxying to FHIR server
  • Environment: Points to internal FHIR server
  • Dependencies: fhir server

SMART Forms Application (smart-forms-app)

  • Image: ghcr.io/aehrc/smart-forms/smart-forms
  • Port: 82
  • Purpose: Web application for managing and filling SDC forms
  • Dependencies: fhir server

Documentation Homepage (home-page)

  • Image: registry.gitlab.com/australian-e-health-research-centre/form-lab/homepage
  • Port: 80
  • Purpose: Serves project documentation
  • Dependencies: smart-launcher-ui

Configuration Files

hapi.application.yaml

  • HAPI FHIR server configuration
  • Located in project root
  • Mounted to: /app/config/application.yaml

ehr-config.json

  • SMART EHR Launcher configuration
  • Located in project root
  • Mounted to: /usr/share/nginx/html/config.json

Network Architecture

Client Browser
     ↓
[80] Homepage
     ↓
[81] SMART EHR Launcher UI ←→ [8081] SMART Launcher Proxy
                                        ↓
[82] SMART Forms App    →    [8080] FHIR Server → [5432] PostgreSQL

Initial Setup

When you first run Form Lab, Docker Compose will download all required containers from their respective registries. This involves:

  1. HAPI FHIR Server, PostgreSQL, and Smart Launcher from Docker Hub
  2. Smart Forms and Launcher UI from GitHub Packages
  3. Homepage and Sample Data from GitLab Registry

The initial download may take several minutes depending on your internet connection, as it needs to fetch approximately 1-2GB of container images. However, subsequent starts are much faster as the images are cached locally.

Once downloaded, Docker Compose creates a virtual network where these services can communicate with each other, making the entire system appear as if it's running on a single machine. This approach provides a production-like environment while maintaining the simplicity of local development.