Getting started with CookDex

This assumes CookDex is installed.

docker compose pull cookdex
docker compose up -d cookdex

No .env file is required.

https://localhost:4820/cookdex (accept the self-signed certificate warning)

On first visit, the setup screen prompts you to create an admin user. Choose a username and a strong password (at least 8 characters, mixed case, with a digit).

After login, go to Settings and enter:

• Mealie address: the address you open Mealie at, such as http://mealie:9000. CookDex adds /api for you.
• Mealie API token: create one in Mealie under your profile, then API Tokens

In Mealie, API tokens are created from your user profile under API Tokens. Copy the token when Mealie shows it; it is only shown once.

If CookDex and Mealie run in the same Docker network, use the Mealie service name instead of localhost. localhost inside the CookDex container means the CookDex container itself.

Click Test Mealie to verify. The dashboard shows a banner until both values are set.

curl -k https://localhost:4820/cookdex/api/v1/health

• Open Tasks
• Pick ingredient-parse
• Keep dry_run=true
• Queue run and inspect logs

The first scan only looks; nothing in Mealie changes. It opens on the Library page:

1. Check the score and the Needs attention list.
2. Click Review on a finding to see each change, untick anything you want to keep, and edit new names if you like.
3. Click the apply button when the list looks right. A Mealie backup is made first, and only the items you selected change.

Organize edits tags, categories, tools, cookbooks, food labels, foods and units directly in Mealie. It backs up batches that could lose existing data; additions and unused-item deletions skip the backup. Items referenced by cookbook filters are kept until those filters are edited. Organize also suggests starter sets and imports or exports taxonomy as JSON (the sections match configs/taxonomy). Discover imports new recipes from sources you switch on (see Recipe Dredger). Automations runs backups, weekly checks and imports on a schedule. Every job, with all its options and logs, is available under All tools on the Automations page.