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Riven Backend Configuration

The Riven Backend is the core component responsible for data handling, automation, API integrations, and scraping within the Riven ecosystem. Proper configuration ensures seamless integration with services like Seerr, Plex, and Trakt.

Workflow diagram

%%{ init: { "flowchart": { "curve": "basis" } } }%%
flowchart TD
    A([Request sources:<br/>Seerr, Trakt,<br/>Plex Watchlist])
    B[[Prowlarr / Indexers]]
    C[Riven]
    D@{shape: cloud, label: "Debrid Providers"}
    E[Zurg or Decypharr<br/>WebDAV]
    F[(Rclone WebDAV Mount<br/>Root Path:<br/>/mnt/debrid/riven)]
    G[Rename + Link Step:<br/>Symlinks]
    H[(Final Symlink Root:<br/>/mnt/debrid/riven_symlinks)]
    I([Media Servers:<br/>Plex, Jellyfin, Emby])

    A <==> C
    B <==> C
    C <==> D
    D e1@=== E
    C ==> G
    G ==> H
    F ===> C
    F e2@=== H
    E e3@=== F
    H e4@=== I

    classDef animate stroke-dasharray: 9,5,stroke-dashoffset: 900,animation: dash 25s linear infinite;
    class e1,e2,e3,e4 animate

Configuration Settings in dumb_config.json

"riven_backend": {
    "enabled": false,
    "process_name": "Riven Backend",
    "repo_owner": "rivenmedia",
    "repo_name": "riven",
    "release_version_enabled": false,
    "release_version": "v0.20.1",
    "branch_enabled": false,
    "branch": "release-please--branches--main",
    "suppress_logging": false,
    "log_level": "INFO",
    "host": "127.0.0.1",
    "port": 8080,
    "auto_update": false,
    "auto_update_interval": 24,
    "symlink_library_path": "/mnt/debrid/riven_symlinks",
    "clear_on_update": true,
    "exclude_dirs": [
        "/riven/backend/data"
    ],
    "env_copy": {
        "source": "/riven/backend/data/.env",
        "destination": "/riven/backend/src/.env"
    },
    "platforms": [
        "python"
    ],
    "command": [
        "/riven/backend/venv/bin/python",
        "src/main.py",
        "-p",
        "{port}"
    ],
    "config_dir": "/riven/backend",
    "config_file": "/riven/backend/data/settings.json",
    "log_file": "/log/riven_backend.log",
    "env": {},
    "wait_for_dir": ""
},

Port conflicts and auto-shift

Riven defaults (3000/8080) overlap with NzbDAV defaults. DUMB can auto-shift conflicting ports at container startup or during the onboarding core-service start flow, updating dumb_config.json accordingly. Per-service stop/start/restart does not re-run port conflict resolution, so fix conflicts manually before restarting a single service.

Configuration Key Descriptions

  • enabled: Whether to start the Riven Backend service.
  • process_name: Used in logs and process tracking.
  • host: IP address for the backend to listen on.
  • port: Port exposed for the API.
  • repo_owner / repo_name: GitHub repo to pull from.
  • release_version_enabled / release_version: Use a tagged release if enabled.
  • branch_enabled / branch: Use a specific branch if enabled.
  • suppress_logging: If true, disables log output for this service.
  • log_level: Logging verbosity level (e.g., DEBUG, INFO).
  • host: IP address the backend should bind to.
  • port: Port the backend API is served on.
  • auto_update: Enables automatic self-updates.
  • auto_update_interval: How often (in hours) to check for updates.
  • symlink_library_path: Target path for media symlinks.
  • clear_on_update: Clears build artifacts or cache during updates.
  • exclude_dirs: Prevents specific directories from being affected by updates when using clear_on_update
  • env_copy: Copies a .env file from one location to another. Such as the Riven .env discussed below
  • platforms: Expected runtime environment (e.g., python).
  • command: How the service is started.
  • config_dir / config_file: Configuration directory and settings file.
  • log_file: Path to the Riven backend log file.
  • env: Dictionary of environment variables passed to the process.
  • wait_for_dir: Delays startup until the specified directory exists.

Branch / Version Targeting

You can control which version or branch of the backend is deployed by setting:

  • branch_enabled: true and specifying a branch
  • or release_version_enabled: true and specifying a release_version

Initial Setup: Riven Backend

Before Riven Backend can be used, initial configuration is required.

After completing the DUMB onboarding, navigate to the Riven Frontend and open the Settings page. The following sections should be reviewed and updated:

Required Configuration

At a minimum, enable at least one Content source under the Content section. Without this, Riven cannot function.

  • General – Adjust base settings like min/max files size, etc.
  • Media Server – Add your Plex, Jellyfin, or Emby server details for library syncing.
  • Content – Configure sources such as Trakt, Seerr, or the Plex Watchlist, MDB List, Listrr.
  • Scrapers – Enable one or more scrapers (e.g., Zilean, Torrentio, Knightcrawler, Orionoid, Jackett, Mediafusion, Prowlarr, Comet).
  • Ranking – Customize how results are scored and filtered.

After Configuration

Once complete, Riven will begin processing requests based on the selected sources and configurations.

Riven's Environment Variables in the .env.example

The .env.example file includes:

  • RIVEN_FORCE_ENV: Forces env vars to override settings.json.
  • SETTINGS_FILENAME: Specifies the settings file name.
  • SKIP_TRAKT_CACHE: Skips cached results.
  • HARD_RESET: Drops and recreates all database tables.
  • REPAIR_SYMLINKS: Fixes any broken symlinks.
  • API_KEY: Custom static API key.
  • WORKERS: Number of indexing workers.

Each Riven env can also be set within DUMB, either through the "env" section of the "riven_backend" within the dumb_config.json, or buy utilizing methods defined in the Configuration section of the docs.

View full example on GitHub

Additional Resources