Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Django on Debian 11

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Django is a powerful, open-source web development framework written in Python, renowned for its robustness in developing complex, database-driven applications. Known for helping developers write less code, Django enables rapid development and can operate on any operating system supporting Python, such as Windows, macOS, Linux/Unix, and Solaris.

In this detailed guide, we’ll demonstrate how to set up Django within a Python virtual environment using a PostgreSQL database on Debian 11, followed by configuring Nginx as a reverse proxy for Django.

Prerequisites

  • A server running Debian 11.
  • A valid domain name set up to point to your server IP.
  • The root password configured on the server.

Getting Started

Initially, it’s best to update your system packages to their latest versions using:

apt-get update -y

Next, install necessary Python tools along with Nginx using the command below:

apt-get install python3-pip python3-dev libpq-dev curl nginx -y

Install PostgreSQL Database Server

We will utilize PostgreSQL as a backend database. Begin the installation with:

apt-get install postgresql postgresql-contrib -y

Upon installation, access the PostgreSQL shell:

su - postgres
psql

Proceed by creating a database and user for Django:

CREATE DATABASE django;
CREATE USER django WITH PASSWORD 'password';

Grant necessary roles using:

    ALTER ROLE django SET client_encoding TO 'utf8';
    ALTER ROLE django SET default_transaction_isolation TO 'read committed';
    ALTER ROLE django SET timezone TO 'UTC';
    GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE django TO django;

Exit the PostgreSQL shell with:

\q
exit

Create a Python Virtual Environment

Create a Python virtual environment to host your Django project. Start by updating PIP:

pip3 install --upgrade pip

Verify the PIP version:

pip --version

Next, install the Virtual environment package:

pip3 install virtualenv

Create a project directory and a virtual environment:

mkdir ~/djangoapp
cd ~/djangoapp
virtualenv djangoenv

Activate the virtual environment:

source djangoenv/bin/activate

Install Django, Gunicorn, and additional packages:

pip install django gunicorn psycopg2-binary

Install and Configure Django

Create a Django project using django-admin.py:

django-admin.py startproject djangoapp ~/djangoapp

Modify settings.py to configure your database:

nano ~/djangoapp/djangoapp/settings.py

Update the line with your domain name:

ALLOWED_HOSTS = ['django.example.com', 'localhost']

Set PostgreSQL database settings:

    DATABASES = {
        'default': {
            'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql_psycopg2',
            'NAME': 'django',
            'USER': 'django',
            'PASSWORD': 'password',
            'HOST': 'localhost',
            'PORT': '',
        }
    }

Add these lines to specify static files:

    STATIC_URL = '/static/'
    import os
    STATIC_ROOT = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'static/')

Run initial database migration:

./manage.py makemigrations
./manage.py migrate

Create a superuser account:

./manage.py createsuperuser

Configure your admin username and password as follows:

Username (leave blank to use 'root'): dadmin
    Email address: admin@example.com
    Password: 
    Password (again): 
    Superuser created successfully.

Collect static content:

./manage.py collectstatic

Run the Django Development Server

Start Django’s development server:

./manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:8000

Access your Django project in your browser at http://django.example.com:8000/admin/.

Django login

Verify Django with Gunicorn

Test Django with Gunicorn:

gunicorn --bind 0.0.0.0:8000 djangoapp.wsgi

Deactivate the virtual environment:

deactivate

Create a Systemd Service File for Gunicorn

Create a systemd service for managing Gunicorn:

nano /etc/systemd/system/gunicorn.socket
    [Unit]
    Description=gunicorn socket

    [Socket]
    ListenStream=/run/gunicorn.sock

    [Install]
    WantedBy=sockets.target

Configure the Gunicorn service file:

nano /etc/systemd/system/gunicorn.service
    [Unit]
    Description=gunicorn daemon
    Requires=gunicorn.socket
    After=network.target

    [Service]
    User=root
    Group=www-data
    WorkingDirectory=/root/djangoapp
    ExecStart=/root/djangoapp/djangoenv/bin/gunicorn --access-logfile - --workers 3 --bind unix:/run/gunicorn.sock djangoapp.wsgi:application

    [Install]
    WantedBy=multi-user.target

Set correct permissions for the Django project directory:

chown -R www-data:root ~/djangoapp

Reload systemd and start the Gunicorn service:

systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl start gunicorn.socket
systemctl enable gunicorn.socket

Configure Nginx as a Reverse Proxy For Django

Set up Nginx as a reverse proxy by configuring:

nano /etc/nginx/conf.d/django.conf
    server {
         listen 80;
         server_name django.example.com;

        location = /favicon.ico { access_log off; log_not_found off; }

        location /static/ {
             root /root/djangoapp;
         }

        location / {
             include proxy_params;
             proxy_pass http://unix:/run/gunicorn.sock;
         }
    }

Test the Nginx configuration and restart the service:

nginx -t
systemctl restart nginx

Access the Django application at http://django.example.com/admin or http://django.example.com/.

Django app

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully deployed a Django application with Gunicorn and Nginx serving as a reverse proxy. You’re now ready to develop and deploy Python applications using the Django framework.

FAQ

  • Can I use a different database instead of PostgreSQL? Yes, you can configure Django to work with different databases like MySQL or SQLite by adjusting the database settings in the settings.py file.
  • Is it necessary to use a virtual environment for Django? While not strictly necessary, using a virtual environment is highly recommended to manage dependencies effectively without interfering with other projects.
  • How can I ensure security when deploying a Django application? Regularly update Django and its dependencies, use HTTPS to encrypt data in transit, and follow Django’s security guidelines, such as protecting settings and using secure passwords.
  • How do I troubleshoot a problem with the Nginx configuration? Check the Nginx error log, usually located at /var/log/nginx/error.log, and ensure the configuration file syntax is correct using nginx -t.
  • Can I serve other applications with the same Nginx server? Yes, you can configure multiple server blocks in Nginx to serve different applications and domains.