Deploy a Django App and Keep It Running

STEP 1

Prepare production configuration

Set a private secret key, disable debug output and configure the actual allowed hostnames. Store provider credentials outside the repository. Install dependencies in the application’s environment and use a production application server behind your chosen HTTP front end. Review Django’s deployment checklist for the version you run.

• Run the deployment checks with production settings loaded.
• Confirm which user runs the process and can read the environment file.
• Keep database and upload locations separate from replaceable application code.

STEP 2

Protect data before applying a release

Check the working tree and release reference, then make a database backup appropriate to the database engine. Review the migration plan before applying it. Copying a live SQLite file while it is being written is not a general backup strategy; use SQLite’s backup facilities or an appropriate maintenance procedure.

• Confirm the backup can be opened or restored.
• Read migration operations before running them in production.
• Remember that reverting code does not undo database migrations.

STEP 3

Collect assets and restart deliberately

Django’s collectstatic gathers assets into STATIC_ROOT; the web server or hosting platform must serve them. Restart only the application service involved in the release. The commands below assume you are in the project directory with the correct virtual environment and production configuration already loaded. Use your actual service name for the restart.

• Check the service status and recent logs after restart.
• Request both the main page and a static asset.
• Test the form’s final destination after deployment.

STEP 4

Verify the public version and prepare recovery

Check HTTPS, preferred-domain redirects, public page status codes and error pages. Confirm sitemap and robots rules after changes to URLs. Record the deployed commit and the previous release. For rollback, account for schema compatibility and user uploads as well as source code.

• Inspect logs without printing secrets.
• Monitor failed requests and storage usage.
• Write a short recovery procedure before you need it.

Release commands to review

python manage.py check --deploy
python manage.py migrate --plan
# Back up the active database before applying migrations.
python manage.py migrate --noinput
python manage.py collectstatic --noinput
# Restart your configured application service, then verify it.

Use AI with a clear specification

Adapt the bracketed details to your project. Ask your coding assistant to explain its changes, then run the examples and checks yourself.

Review deployment for this Django app and environment. Identify production settings, application service, database, uploads and static asset paths. Produce a release and rollback procedure. Do not assume service names or run destructive commands. Explain each migration and verification step.

Study a working implementation

These projects include a live demo, source code, explanations and deployment steps.

Official reference