How to deploy a Django project using Nginx, Gunicorn, and Supervisor

Introduction

Deploying a Django project on a Virtual Private Server (VPS) can seem like a daunting task, but with the right roadmap and tools, it can be a smooth process. In this blog post, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to deploy a Django project on a VPS using Nginx, Gunicorn, Supervisor, and a PostgreSQL database. We will also include the necessary commands and configuration files codes to make the process easier.

Step 1: Set Up the VPS

The first step is to set up a VPS with your preferred provider. Once you have your VPS up and running, you will need to connect to it via SSH.

Step 2: Install Dependencies

Before deploying your Django project, you need to install the necessary dependencies. Start by updating the package list:

sudo apt update

Next, install the required packages:

sudo apt install python3-pip python3-dev libpq-dev postgresql postgresql-contrib nginx

Step 3: Set Up the PostgreSQL Database

Create a new PostgreSQL database and user for your Django project:

sudo -u postgres psql

CREATE DATABASE your_database_name;

CREATE USER your_username WITH PASSWORD 'your_password';

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE your_database_name TO your_username;

q

Step 4: Clone Your Django Project

Clone your Django project from your version control system to your VPS:

git clone your_repository_url

Step 5: Install Virtual Environment and Dependencies

Create and activate a virtual environment for your Django project:

python3 -m venv your_virtual_environment_name

source your_virtual_environment_name/bin/activate

Install the required Python packages for your Django project:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Step 6: Configure Nginx

Create a new Nginx server block configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/your_project_name

Add the following configuration to the file:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your_domain_name;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:8000;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    }
}

Enable the Nginx server block configuration:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/your_project_name /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

sudo nginx -t

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Step 7: Configure Gunicorn

Create a new Gunicorn service configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/gunicorn.service

Add the following configuration to the file:

[Unit]
Description=gunicorn daemon
After=network.target

[Service]
User=your_username
Group=www-data
WorkingDirectory=/path/to/your_project_directory
ExecStart=/path/to/your_virtual_environment_name/bin/gunicorn --access-logfile - --workers 3 --bind unix:/path/to/your_project_directory/your_project_name.sock your_project_name.wsgi:application

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable and start the Gunicorn service:

sudo systemctl enable gunicorn

sudo systemctl start gunicorn

Step 8: Configure Supervisor

Create a new Supervisor configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/supervisor/conf.d/your_project_name.conf

Add the following configuration to the file:

[program:your_project_name]
command=/path/to/your_virtual_environment_name/bin/gunicorn --access-logfile - --workers 3 --bind unix:/path/to/your_project_directory/your_project_name.sock your_project_name.wsgi:application
directory=/path/to/your_project_directory
user=your_username
autostart=true
autorestart=true
redirect_stderr=true
stdout_logfile=/path/to/your_project_directory/logs/gunicorn.log

Update Supervisor and start the process:

sudo supervisorctl reread

sudo supervisorctl update

sudo supervisorctl start your_project_name

Step 9: Finalize Deployment

Collect the static files for your Django project:

python manage.py collectstatic

Restart Nginx and Supervisor for the changes to take effect:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

sudo supervisorctl restart your_project_name

Your Django project should now be successfully deployed on your VPS using Nginx, Gunicorn, Supervisor, and a PostgreSQL database. You can access your project by visiting your domain name in a web browser.

Conclusion

Deploying a Django project on a VPS may involve several steps, but by following this roadmap and using tools like Nginx, Gunicorn, Supervisor, and PostgreSQL, you can ensure a smooth and reliable deployment process. Remember to regularly update and maintain your deployment to keep your Django project secure and up to date.