From a1c6d800c497fd0390071c00c7dec617c009c9f0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Kevin Douglas <kevindouglas@Kevins-Mac-mini.localdomain>
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:15:28 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] Updated ReadMe.

---
 readme | 56 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------------------------
 1 file changed, 27 insertions(+), 29 deletions(-)

diff --git a/readme b/readme
index 06a0f6d..b341b0e 100644
--- a/readme
+++ b/readme
@@ -1,57 +1,55 @@
 # Portainer Stacks
 
-My collection of Docker Compose stacks for Portainer.  
-This repo is the single source of truth for all my self-hosted services.
+My personal collection of Docker Compose stacks for Portainer.  
+This repository is the **single source of truth** for all my self-hosted services.
 
 ## Folder Structure
+
 portainer-stacks/
 ├── gitea/
 ├── portainer/
 ├── pihole/
 ├── homeassistant/
 ├── homepage/
-├── ... (other services)
+├── ... (additional services)
 └── README.md
 
-Each folder contains a `docker-compose.yml` (or `.yaml`) file for that service.
+Each service folder contains its own docker-compose.yml (or docker-compose.yaml) file.
 
 ## How to Work with This Repo
 
-### 1. Clone the Repository (First Time)
-
-On your **Mac** or any server:
+1. Clone the Repository (first time only)
 
 git clone http://192.168.1.46:3131/kdouglas011/portainer-stacks.git ~/portainer-stacks
 cd ~/portainer-stacks
 
-# 1. Go to the repo folder
+2. Daily Workflow (pull → edit → push)
+Always start here
 cd ~/portainer-stacks
-
-# 2. Always pull the latest changes first
 git pull origin main
-
-# 3. Make your changes to any docker-compose.yml file
-
-# 4. Stage, commit, and push
+3. Make your changes to any docker-compose.yml file
+Stage, commit, and push
 git add .
 git commit -m "Updated pihole stack - changed ports and password"
 git push origin main
 
-# 5. Deploy / Update Stacks in Portainer
+4. Deploy / Update the Stack in Portainer
 
-Open Portainer → Stacks → Add stack (or edit an existing one)
-Choose Repository as the build method
-Fill in:
-Repository URL: http://192.168.1.46:3131/kdouglas011/portainer-stacks.git
-Repository reference: refs/heads/main
-Compose path: pihole/docker-compose.yml (example — use the exact path)
+- Open Portainer → Stacks
+- Click Add stack (or edit an existing one)
+- Choose Repository as the build method
+- Fill in the following: 
+FieldValueRepository URL http://192.168.1.46:3131/kdouglas011/portainer-stacks.git 
+Repository reference refs/heads/main
+Compose path pihole/docker-compose.yml (use exact relative path)
+- (Optional) Enable Automatic updates
+- Click Deploy the stack (or Update the stack)
 
-(Optional) Enable Automatic updates
-Click Deploy the stack (or Update the stack)
+## Tips & Best Practices
 
-# Tips & Best Practices
-
-Always run git pull before editing anything
-Use clear commit messages
-Test changes locally with docker compose up -d before pushing
-Never commit real passwords or secrets — use Portainer’s environment variables instead
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+- Always run git pull origin main before editing anything.
+- Use clear, descriptive commit messages.
+- Test changes locally first:
+docker compose up -d
+- Never commit real passwords or secrets. Use Portainer environment variables instead (highly recommended for security).
+- Keep stacks modular — one service per folder keeps everything clean and easy to maintain.
\ No newline at end of file