docs: add first startup procedure

README.md

@@ -45,6 +45,85 @@ Open:
 Use the development credentials copied into `.env` only locally. Change them before
 sharing the environment.
 
+## First startup procedure
+
+Use this checklist for the first run of a new environment.
+
+1. Create the environment file:
+
+   ```bash
+   cp .env.example .env
+   ```
+
+2. Edit `.env` before starting containers:
+
+   - set strong `MARIADB_PASSWORD`, `MARIADB_ROOT_PASSWORD`, and `WP_ADMIN_PASSWORD`;
+   - set `WP_URL` to the public URL, for example `https://lab.younerd.org`;
+   - set `LETSENCRYPT_DOMAIN` to the same hostname when direct Let's Encrypt is used;
+   - keep `LETSENCRYPT_STAGING=1` for the first certificate test;
+   - configure `DB_DATA_PATH`, `WORDPRESS_DATA_PATH`, `LETSENCRYPT_DATA_PATH`, and
+     `CERTBOT_CHALLENGES_PATH` for the host directories that must persist.
+
+3. Prepare host-based volumes and permissions:
+
+   ```bash
+   ./scripts/prepare-host-volumes.sh
+   ```
+
+   On Linux hosts, rerun with `sudo` if the script warns that it cannot change
+   ownership:
+
+   ```bash
+   sudo ./scripts/prepare-host-volumes.sh
+   ```
+
+4. Start the runtime services:
+
+   ```bash
+   docker compose up --build -d
+   docker compose ps
+   ```
+
+   With `LETSENCRYPT_ENABLED=1` and no certificate yet, NGINX intentionally returns
+   `503` for normal application traffic while still serving ACME challenge and health
+   routes. Certbot should start after the proxy becomes healthy.
+
+5. Install/configure WordPress on the real persistent volume:
+
+   ```bash
+   docker compose --profile tools run --rm wp-cli /scripts/bootstrap.sh
+   ```
+
+   Do not add `-f docker-compose.test.yml` here. The test override uses disposable test
+   volumes and is only for automated checks.
+
+6. Follow certificate issuance:
+
+   ```bash
+   docker compose logs -f proxy certbot
+   ```
+
+   After the staging certificate flow is working, switch to the production CA:
+
+   ```dotenv
+   LETSENCRYPT_STAGING=0
+   ```
+
+   Then restart the affected services:
+
+   ```bash
+   docker compose up -d proxy certbot
+   ```
+
+7. Final sanity checks:
+
+   ```bash
+   docker compose ps
+   docker compose logs --tail=100 proxy wordpress db certbot
+   ```
+
+   Open the configured `WP_URL` and `/wp-admin/`.
+
 Persistent data uses host-based bind mounts by default:
 
 - `./runtime/db` for MariaDB;
@@ -102,6 +181,15 @@ TRUST_PROXY_HEADERS=0
 Before the first certificate exists, NGINX serves ACME challenges and returns 503 for
 application traffic. After issuance, HTTP redirects to HTTPS automatically.
 
+Run the real bootstrap without the test override:
+
+```bash
+docker compose --profile tools run --rm wp-cli /scripts/bootstrap.sh
+```
+
+The `docker-compose.test.yml` override intentionally uses disposable test volumes; do
+not use it for production or staging bootstrap commands.
+
 ## Useful commands
 
 ```bash

docs/deployment.md

@@ -42,9 +42,10 @@ is safe only when firewall/network policy makes the load balancer the sole NGINX
 caller and it overwrites `X-Forwarded-*` headers.
 
 For direct TLS, public DNS and inbound ports 80/443 must reach NGINX. Start with
-`LETSENCRYPT_STAGING=1`; application HTTP returns 503 until a certificate exists, then
+`LETSENCRYPT_STAGING=1` and set `WP_URL` to the final HTTPS URL. Application HTTP
-redirects to HTTPS. Switch to the production CA only after validating DNS and firewall
+returns 503 until a certificate exists, then redirects to HTTPS. Switch to the
-behavior, removing only the staging certificate volume when necessary.
+production CA only after validating DNS and firewall behavior, removing only the
+staging certificate directory when necessary.
 
 ## State and rollback
 

docs/runbook.md

@@ -31,6 +31,25 @@ Verify public DNS, inbound port 80, the operator email, and staging mode. Reques
 missing `/.well-known/acme-challenge/` path: an NGINX 404 confirms the route is yours.
 Avoid repeated production-CA retries while debugging.
 
+When Let's Encrypt is enabled, the proxy intentionally returns 503 for normal
+application paths until a certificate exists. ACME challenge paths and proxy health
+paths must still work in that pending state, otherwise Certbot will never start.
+
+## Bootstrap writes to the wrong data volume
+
+Do not combine the test override with production bootstrap commands. This command writes
+to isolated test volumes only:
+
+```bash
+docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.test.yml --profile tools run --rm wp-cli /scripts/bootstrap.sh
+```
+
+Use this command for the real host-based WordPress data directory:
+
+```bash
+docker compose --profile tools run --rm wp-cli /scripts/bootstrap.sh
+```
+
 ## Rollback
 
 Revert the deployment commit and rebuild while preserving all host data directories.

nginx/default.conf

@@ -29,10 +29,17 @@ server {
         access_log off;
         allow 127.0.0.1;
         deny all;
+        proxy_intercept_errors on;
+        error_page 301 302 303 307 308 = @wordpress-health-ok;
         proxy_set_header Host __DOMAIN__;
         proxy_pass http://wordpress_backend/wp-login.php;
     }
 
+    location @wordpress-health-ok {
+        access_log off;
+        return 204;
+    }
+
     location / {
         return 404;
     }