Praxis
Hi! I'm Newman, your guide to the BENED ecosystem.
Understanding is the product.
The Mental Model
Every software system you build — TradeCraft, the rental platform, this site — follows the same pattern:
Databases
The source of truth. Where state lives. MySQL, PostgreSQL, TimescaleDB — each has its purpose.
Interfaces
What users see and touch. PHP renders HTML. Next.js renders components. Both show data.
API Calls
The math in between. Data flows, transformations, business logic. This is where code lives.
That's it. Every feature, every page, every system is just these three things wired together differently.
The BENED Ecosystem
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TRAFFIC FLOW │
│ │
│ User Request │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Cloudflare │ DNS + CDN + SSL │
│ │ DNS │ files.waltrip-family.com serves B2 content │
│ └──────┬──────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ IONOS │ Your VPS - Ubuntu server │
│ │ VPS │ │
│ └──────┬──────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────┐ │
│ │ Nginx │ Reverse proxy - routes traffic to the right place │
│ │ Proxy │ │
│ └──────┬──────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌─────┴─────┬────────────┬─────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ │
│ ┌──────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ PHP │ │ Docker │ │ Keycloak│ │ Other │ │
│ │ Apps │ │ Next.js │ │ SSO │ │ Services │ │
│ └──┬───┘ └────┬────┘ └────┬────┘ └────┬─────┘ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
└────┼───────────┼────────────┼────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────┘
│ │ │ │
└───────────┴─────┬──────┴────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DATABASES │
│ ┌─────────┬───────────┬─────────┐ │
│ │ MySQL │ PostgreSQL│Timescale│ │
│ │ :3306 │ :5432 │ :5433 │ │
│ └─────────┴───────────┴─────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ EXTERNAL SERVICES │
│ Stripe │ Alpaca │ B2 │ OpenAI │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
The Projects We're Building
Here's what's actually running on this VPS. All connected through Keycloak SSO, all built with the same three-pillar pattern.
TradeCraft
BYOK algorithmic trading. Backtest strategies against years of market data, simulate with realistic execution, then deploy with your own Alpaca API keys. We built this because every other platform wants your money AND your strategy.
PHP TimescaleDB Alpaca API
Trailer Rental Platform
Airbnb-style marketplace for equipment rentals. Operators list trailers, renters book and pay through Stripe Connect. Started with one trailer in Tucson, designed to scale nationally.
Next.js TypeScript Stripe Connect
BENED Platform API
The identity spine. Handles cross-app user verification, circles (group management), shares (content distribution). This is how all apps know who you are.
Express TypeScript PostgreSQL
Finance Tracker
Personal accounting with AI categorization. Tracks transactions across accounts, categorizes spending, generates insights. Because Mint shut down and QuickBooks is overkill.
Next.js Python API OpenAI
BENED Operations
Company portal for LLC/nonprofit management. Documents, governance, equity tracking. The boring-but-necessary stuff that keeps everything legal.
Next.js TypeScript
Keycloak SSO
Single sign-on at auth.bened.works. One login, all apps. We tried separate databases first. It was a nightmare.
OIDC JWT Docker
The Philosophy
"Code is just crazy math that no human deserves to memorize. Understanding the architecture — how databases, interfaces, and API calls connect — is what matters."
This site exists because:
- The system should be understood without AI assistance
- The system should be maintainable by its owner
- The system should be extendable safely over time
- The system should be explainable to others
Where to Start
| If you want to... | Go here |
|---|---|
| Understand how everything connects | The Ecosystem |
| Learn the foundational concepts | Module 1: Foundations |
| See why specific decisions were made | Architectural Decisions |
| Meet your guide | 🤖 Meet Newman |