Improve documentation.

README.md

@@ -6,8 +6,23 @@ A WeChat (and Weixin) chatbot skeleton in Python with queue/delayed messages sup
 
 This application was written following up on the [**Building Chatbots For WeChat — Part #1**](https://chatbotsmagazine.com/building-chatbots-for-wechat-part-1-dba8f160349) article and in anticipation of Part #2.
 
+## Configuration
+
+In order to successfully run this application, the following environment variables must be set:
+
+| Variable name      | Description                                                                      |
+|--------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
+| `REDIS_URL`        | A Redis connection string.                                                       |
+| `WECHAT_TOKEN`     | See: [WeChat docs](http://admin.wechat.com/wiki/index.php?title=Getting_Started) |
+| `WECHAT_APPID`     | Provided by the WeChat admin console.                                            |
+| `WECHAT_APPSECRET` | Provided by the WeChat admin console.                                            |
+
+When running the application on the local machine for testing, a `.env` can be used instead of environment variables. See **Running locally** for details.
+
 ## Running locally
 
+Ensure that a working instance of Redis is available, either on the local machine or on a remote server.
+
 Clone the repository and enter the directory:
 
 Install the required dependencies running the following command from the project root:
@@ -16,25 +31,51 @@ Install the required dependencies running the following command from the project
 $ pip install -r requirements.txt
 ```
 
+Rename the `.env.template` file to `.env`, edit it and set the required parameters.
+Alternatively, set the environment variables listed in `.env.template`.
+The `.gitignore` file is already configured to ignore the `.env` file upon commits and pushes.
+
 Run the bot:
 
 ```
 $ gunicorn -b 127.0.0.1:8000 src.bot
 ```
 
-Read the [**Building Chatbots For WeChat — Part #1**](https://chatbotsmagazine.com/building-chatbots-for-wechat-part-1-dba8f160349) article to learn how to setup the bot on WeChat and use tunneling tools such as [`ngrok`](https://ngrok.com) in case you don't have a public IP address.
+then configure WeChat to forward messages to it. The [**Building Chatbots For WeChat — Part #1**](https://chatbotsmagazine.com/building-chatbots-for-wechat-part-1-dba8f160349) article contains information on how to setup the bot on WeChat and use tunneling tools such as [`ngrok`](https://ngrok.com) in case a public IP address to connect the server to the local machine is not available.
 
-Run the queue worker:
+Set up a cron job to run the queue worker automatically, or do it manually when needed during development and testing:
 
 ```
 $ python src/worker.py
 ```
 
-## Deploying on Heroku
+## Deploying to Heroku
+
+*In case you are not familiar with the Heroku platform, please read the [Getting Started on Heroku with Python](https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/getting-started-with-python) article first.*
 
-In case you are not familiar with the Heroku platform, please read the [Getting Started on Heroku with Python](https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/getting-started-with-python) article first.
+Ensure that the [`Heroku CLI`](https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/heroku-cli) is installed and configured with the proper credentials, then create a new app on Heroku to host the bot code.
 
-Add a new `git` remote pointing to the Heroku repository:
+Provision the required [`Heroku Redis`](https://elements.heroku.com/addons/heroku-redis) and [`Heroku Scheduler`](https://elements.heroku.com/addons/scheduler) add-on elements:
+
+```
+$ heroku addons:create heroku-redis:hobby-dev -a {HEROKU_APP_NAME}
+$ heroku addons:create scheduler:standard -a {HEROKU_APP_NAME}
+```
+
+This applications has been also tested with [`Redis Cloud`](https://elements.heroku.com/addons/rediscloud).
+
+Set all the required environment variables:
+
+```
+$ heroku config:set REDIS_URL="redis://{USERNAME}:{PASSWORD}@{HOST}:{PORT"" -a {HEROKU_APP_NAME}
+$ heroku config:set WECHAT_TOKEN={WECHAT_SHARED_TOKEN} -a {HEROKU_APP_NAME}
+$ heroku config:set WECHAT_APPID={WECHAT_APP_ID} -a {HEROKU_APP_NAME}
+$ heroku config:set WECHAT_APPSECRET={WECHAT_APP_SECRET} -a {HEROKU_APP_NAME}
+```
+
+`Heroku Redis` automatically sets the `REDIS_URL` variable, it might be necessary to set it when using different Redis add-ons.
+
+Enter the project root and add a new `git` remote pointing to the Heroku repository (see also: [Creating a Heroku remote](https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/git#creating-a-heroku-remote)):
 
 ```
 $ heroku git:remote -r heroku -a {HEROKU_APP_NAME}
@@ -46,8 +87,12 @@ Push the code repository to Heroku:
 $ git push heroku master
 ```
 
+*For more information about deplyoing to Heroku with Git, see: [Deploying with Git](https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/git)*
+
 Get the app URL:
 
 ```
 $ heroku info -a {HEROKU_APP_NAME}
 ```
+
+then configure WeChat to forward messages to it as described in **Running locally**.