Building a Scalable Django Application with Gunicorn and Nginx

• Scaling your web app is essential for success.
• Django is great, but Gunicorn and Nginx are needed for true scalability.
• This post shows you how to build a scalable Django app with Gunicorn and Nginx.
• This post follows in "Kali Linux". You can use any Linux based OS.

Introduction:

• Building a web application that can handle a growing number of users and requests is crucial for any successful project.
• Django, a powerful Python framework, provides a solid foundation, but for true scalability, you need to leverage the power of tools like Gunicorn and Nginx.
• This post will guide you through the process of setting up a scalable Django application using Gunicorn and Nginx, ensuring your website can handle the demands of a growing user base.

⚙️ Setting up -

• I am doing this in Linux.
• First check python3, pip, nginx Installed or not.
• To install use this command (install in home/Desktop or new terminal)

sudo apt install python3 python3-pip nginx 

• Now create a Virtual environment (create new folder 📂 for this)
• Activate the environment

source environment_name/bin/activate   # use name created above "environment_name"

• Now Install packages 📦 in environment
  • django, gunicorn

pip install django
pip install gunicorn

// or directly install both
pip install django gunicorn

Creating Django Project

• Use this command to create Django project

django-admin startproject myproject      # use any name "myproject"

Create a Gunicorn Configuration File

• Use this command

nano gunicorn_conf.py  # use any name but using same better "gunicorn_conf.py"

• Add the following code in "gunicorn_config.py"

import multiprocessing

bind = '127.0.0.1:8000' # Django running port/link
workers = multiprocessing.cpu_count() * 2 + 1

• Save file using "CTRL + o"(to save), press ENTER, "CTRL + X"(to exit)
• This will create workers and also we should add our Django running link. ### Run the Django project/application with gunicorn
• First navigate to project folder

cd myproject   # navigate to Django Project "myproject"

• Now run this command

gunicorn myapp.wsgi:application -c ../gunicorn_conf.py  # here myapp is myproject

# here "myapp" is a Django project name, and at last gunicorn_conf.py is a gunicorn configuration file which created above/before.

• Now make some changes in Django project
• First change some code in settings.py in project folder. Directory myproject/myproject/settings.py > Django project
• For this use any code editor like VS Code. To open from terminal use this command

code- oss

# to open vs code from terminal

• Add this code

# example code
ALLOWED_HOSTS = ['localhost', '0.0.0.0', '127.0.0.1'] # use IP address here

• In above command we used IP address, to get that open another new terminal and run this command to get all about network.

ifconfig

Create a Nginx Configuration File

• Open another new terminal, run this command

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/myapp       # use any name "myapp"

# better use vs code instead of nano
sudo code- oss /etc/nginx/sites-available/myapp   # check code-oss

• Add code in that nginx file

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your_domain.com;  # Replace with your domain or IP address
    # example for aboveline: server_name 'ipaddress' 'another domain' ;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8000;  # Gunicorn's default address
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    }
}

• save the file
• create a Symbolic Link to enable Nginx Configuration, run this command

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

# change "myapp" to nginx config file name used above

• That's it. ## Testing:
• First check Nginx configuration file for any syntax error.

sudo nginx -t

• If you don't have any errors, first restart the Nginx using this command

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Setting up Firewall for Nginx

• Open new terminal, and install this package

sudo apt install ufw

• Now allow Nginx through Firewall

sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'

Using Instructions -

• First start Nginx by opening new terminal

sudo systemctl start nginx

• Now to start complete project open a terminal and go to virtualenv created and activate

gunicorn myapp.wsgi:application -c ../gunicorn_conf.py

# in above code "myapp" is a Django project name
# last gunicorn_conf.py is a gunicorn configuration file name

• Now the complete project started.
• Now you can open your django project with your IP address.
• Navigate to browser and search with your IP address.
• To stop Nginx, use this command

sudo systemctl stop nginx

Happy Coding 😴 - Be Lazy

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