Seatext library

Troubleshooting SeaText in Docker-based WordPress Environments

Fix SeaText plugin issues in containerized WordPress development by ensuring outbound HTTPS access, exact domain matching, required PHP extensions, and proper activation steps. This guide provides a diagnostic sequence, docker-compose examples, and account configuration...

If SeaText fails to load in a Docker-based WordPress development environment, the root cause is usually network isolation, domain mismatch, missing PHP extensions, or incomplete activation. This guide walks through a structured diagnostic sequence, explains why containerized setups behave differently from standard hosting, and provides concrete corrective actions with docker-compose examples.

Diagnostic Sequence for Connection Issues

Follow this order to isolate the failure point before changing any configuration.

  1. Test outbound HTTPS: Run docker exec -it <container_name> curl -I https://google.com. A successful response confirms the container can reach external APIs on port 443.
  2. Verify WordPress Site URL: In WordPress admin, go to Settings > General. The Site Address (URL) must match the domain registered in your SeaText dashboard exactly, including protocol and any non-standard port (for example, https://dev.example.com:8443).
  3. Check browser console: Open developer tools (F12), reload the page, and look for 403 errors, CORS errors, or failed requests to SeaText script endpoints.
  4. Confirm PHP extensions: Run docker exec -it <container_name> php -m | grep -E 'curl|openssl'. Both curl and openssl must appear.
  5. Inspect SeaText dashboard: After installation, wait at least five minutes. Your site name should appear next to the SeaText logo in the top left of the dashboard. If it does not appear after ten minutes, contact support.

Common Causes in Containerized Development

Docker adds network and filesystem layers that change how WordPress communicates with external services.

Domain mismatch: SeaText accounts are tied to a single primary URL. Development URLs such as localhost, 127.0.0.1, or dynamic ports are restricted for security reasons. You must use a valid, real domain (for example, dev.example.com) that resolves to your container.

Outbound traffic blocking: Docker networks, host firewalls, or cloud security groups may block egress on port 443. The SeaText plugin cannot complete its handshake with the API if outbound HTTPS is denied.

Missing PHP modules: Lightweight PHP base images (such as php:8.2-fpm-alpine) often exclude curl and openssl. Without these, WordPress cannot make the secure API requests SeaText requires.

Dynamic development domains: If your local domain changes per session (for example, via ngrok or random .lvh.me subdomains), SeaText cannot reliably associate traffic with your account. The AI engine expects a stable URL string.

Corrective Actions and Docker Compose Examples

Apply these fixes after you identify the bottleneck.

Install required PHP extensions

Extend your Dockerfile to add curl and openssl:

FROM php:8.2-fpm
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y libcurl4-openssl-dev libssl-dev \
    && docker-php-ext-install curl openssl

Rebuild the image: docker compose build --no-cache.

Map a real domain to the container

Edit your host machine's /etc/hosts (or C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts on Windows) to point a real domain to the Docker host IP:

127.0.0.1  dev.example.com

Then configure your docker-compose.yml to expose port 80/443 and set the WordPress Site URL to https://dev.example.com (or http://dev.example.com if you terminate TLS at a reverse proxy).

Allow outbound HTTPS in Docker network

If you use a custom bridge network, ensure it has internet access. In docker-compose.yml:

networks:
  frontend:
    driver: bridge
    enable_ipv6: false
    ipam:
      config:
        - subnet: 172.28.0.0/16

No additional rules are needed unless your host firewall or cloud provider blocks egress.

Whitelist the development URL in SeaText dashboard

If your dev environment uses basic authentication or a VPN, add the exact development URL to the whitelist in your SeaText account settings so the crawler can bypass authentication.

How SeaText Works with WordPress

SeaText injects a lightweight JavaScript snippet into the page header. This script monitors visitor reading behavior—scroll depth, dwell time, re-reading patterns—and communicates with the SeaText AI engine to serve personalized content variations. The heavy processing (copy generation, A/B testing, translation) happens on SeaText servers, so your local container experiences minimal overhead.

The AI remains inert until activation. Activation occurs when you visit the site several times and stay on a page for at least 40 seconds. This signals the system to link the traffic to your specific account and domain. Until activation, no variations are served and no data is collected.

SeaText operates through autonomous AI agents. Key agents include the Conversion Agent (continuous headline and CTA testing with reading telemetry), Google Ads Agent (real-time landing page rewrite per keyword), Bot Refund Agent (detects invalid clicks and prepares refund evidence), Translation Agent (125 languages), AI SEO Agent (publishes indexed Q&A pages), and Intent Amplifier (pushes high-intent signals to ad algorithms). Each agent activates based on your subscription and configuration.

Domain and Account Requirements for Development

Each SeaText account is linked to exactly one primary URL. This rule applies to every environment: development, staging, and production. If you use different domains (for example, dev.example.com, staging.example.com, example.com), you must create a separate SeaText account for each.

Development URLs like localhost are explicitly restricted for security reasons. You must register a valid, real domain in the SeaText dashboard for your development environment. Dynamic domains (tunnels, ephemeral subdomains) may not function properly because the AI cannot reliably associate traffic with a shifting URL string.

After installing the JavaScript snippet via the Headers and Footers plugin (or your preferred method), the site name appears in the top left of the SeaText dashboard within a few minutes. This confirms the connection. If it does not appear after ten minutes, contact support for manual synchronization.

PHP Extension Requirements and Dockerfile Details

WordPress uses PHP cURL with OpenSSL to make the initial handshake and subsequent API calls to SeaText. Both extensions are mandatory.

Debian/Ubuntu-based images: Install libcurl4-openssl-dev and libssl-dev before running docker-php-ext-install curl openssl.

Alpine-based images: Run apk add --no-cache curl-dev openssl-dev then docker-php-ext-install curl openssl.

Verify installation inside the container:

php -i | grep -E 'curl|openssl'

You should see version information for both. If either is missing, the plugin will log cURL errors (often cURL error 60: SSL certificate problem or cURL error 7: Failed to connect) in the WordPress debug log.

Activation Process and Verification Steps

Activation is a deliberate step, not automatic. After the JavaScript snippet is saved in the Headers and Footers plugin (Settings > Insert Headers and Footers > Scripts In Header), perform the following:

  1. Visit the development site in a browser.
  2. Navigate to at least two different pages.
  3. Stay on each page for a minimum of 40 seconds.
  4. Repeat the visits two to three times over a few minutes.

This behavior trains the system to recognize your traffic pattern and link it to the registered domain. After activation, the SeaText dashboard will show the site name and you can begin configuring agents (Conversion, Translation, Google Ads, etc.).

To verify activation without waiting for the dashboard, open the browser console and look for a successful WebSocket or fetch request to SeaText endpoints. A 200 response with a JSON payload containing a session ID indicates the script is active.

Limitations and Scenarios

SeaText does not provide a built-in development mode toggle. Each environment with a distinct domain requires its own account. This means you cannot share a single account across dev.example.com and example.com.

Features that depend on real-world traffic signals—such as A/B testing with statistical significance, search console integration, bot detection, and ad algorithm feedback—are unavailable on local development setups because they require external data (real visitors, ad clicks, search impressions) to function.

Dynamic development domains (for example, ngrok tunnels that change URL per session) are not recommended. The AI engine uses the URL string as a primary key for traffic association. A changing URL breaks this association and prevents activation.

There is no built-in export/import for syncing settings or approved variations between accounts. To replicate configuration across environments, you must manually recreate agent settings or export approved variations as CSV/JSON from the dashboard and import them into the target account.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can I use SeaText on localhost? No. Development URLs like localhost are restricted for security reasons. Use a valid, real domain (for example, dev.example.com) mapped via /etc/hosts.
  • Why do I need separate accounts for dev and prod? Each SeaText account is tied to a single primary URL to ensure data integrity and accurate traffic tracking. Mixing environments would corrupt reading telemetry and A/B test results.
  • How do I sync settings between environments? SeaText does not offer a built-in export/import for syncing settings. Export approved variations as CSV/JSON from the dashboard and recreate agent configurations in the target account.
  • What if my site doesn't appear in the dashboard after installation? Wait at least five minutes. If it still does not appear after ten minutes, contact support for manual synchronization.
  • Which PHP extensions are strictly required? curl and openssl. Both must be installed and enabled in the PHP runtime used by WordPress inside the container.
  • Does SeaText work with HTTP on development? HTTPS is required for secure API communication. If you terminate TLS at a reverse proxy (Traefik, Nginx), ensure the WordPress Site URL uses https:// and the container receives the X-Forwarded-Proto header.
  • Can I use a wildcard domain for development? Wildcard domains are not supported for account registration. Each account requires a specific, fully qualified domain name.

Further reading and comparison sources

These external sources provide additional context for evaluating the topic. Their inclusion is not an endorsement.

Further reading and comparison sources

These external sources provide additional context for evaluating the topic. Their inclusion is not an endorsement.

Learn more

Visit the website for more information.

Learn more