Deploy a Django App from GitHub on AWS Lightsail Using the Bitnami Django Stack

In this tutorial, I'll walk you through deploying your Django web application hosted on GitHub to an AWS Lightsail instance using the Bitnami Django stack. Bitnami simplifies deployment by providing a pre-configured, production-ready environment that includes Django, web server (Nginx or Apache), and a database (PostgreSQL or MySQL).

By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have your Django project from GitHub up and running on AWS Lightsail with minimal configuration.

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Why Choose AWS Lightsail for Django Deployment?

AWS Lightsail is an easy-to-use and affordable cloud service, ideal for hosting Django apps. It provides virtual private servers (instances) with simple management features like static IPs, pre-configured stacks, and predictable pricing. Here's why it's a great choice for Django:

• Affordable Pricing: Low upfront costs with predictable pricing.
• Simplified Setup: Easy-to-use interface for quick deployment.
• Scalability: Scales well for small to medium apps.
• Pre-configured Stacks: Simplified environment setup, including Django.

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Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a Lightsail Instance Using the Bitnami Django Stack

Log in to AWS Lightsail:

• Go to the Amazon Lightsail Console.

Create a New Instance:

• Click on Create instance in the Lightsail dashboard.
• Under Applications, choose Django from the Bitnami stack options.

• Select the Region closest to your target audience to reduce latency.
• Choose an instance plan. The $5/month plan is suitable for small Django applications.

• Name your instance (e.g., django-app-bitnami).
• Download or use an existing SSH key to connect to your instance.
• Click Create instance to launch your Django instance.

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2. Access Your Lightsail Instance

Once your Lightsail instance is running, you’ll need to SSH into it.

Obtain the Static IP:

• Go to the Networking tab in the Lightsail console.
• Allocate and attach a Static IP to your Lightsail instance. This static IP will be used to access your Django application.

SSH into the Instance:

• You can SSH directly from the Lightsail Console by clicking Connect, or use a terminal command:

ssh -i /path/to/your/ssh-key.pem bitnami@<your_instance_ip>

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3. Clone Your Django Project from GitHub

Now that you're connected to your Lightsail instance, you can clone your Django project from GitHub.

Install Git:

First, ensure that Git is installed on your Lightsail instance:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install git

Clone Your GitHub Repository:

Now, navigate to the directory where you want to store your project (e.g., /home/bitnami/) and clone your repository:

cd /home/bitnami
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/your-django-app.git

Replace https://github.com/yourusername/your-django-app.git with the actual URL of your GitHub repository.

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4. Configure Django Settings

Once you’ve cloned your Django project, you need to configure the settings.py file to ensure it works in the production environment.

Access the Django Application:

• Navigate to the project directory. Bitnami installs Django in /opt/bitnami/apps/django/django-project/ by default, but your app will be in the folder you cloned from GitHub.

cd /home/bitnami/your-django-app

Edit the settings.py File:

Use a text editor like nano or vi to modify your settings.py:

sudo nano your-django-app/yourproject/settings.py

Change the following settings:

• ALLOWED_HOSTS: Add your Lightsail static IP or domain (if you have one) to the ALLOWED_HOSTS list:

ALLOWED_HOSTS = ['<your_instance_ip>', 'yourdomain.com']

• Database Configuration: The Bitnami stack uses PostgreSQL by default, so use the default database configuration if you're using PostgreSQL:

DATABASES = {
    'default': {
        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql_psycopg2',
        'NAME': 'bitnami_django',
        'USER': 'bn_django',
        'PASSWORD': 'yourpassword',
        'HOST': 'localhost',
        'PORT': '5432',
    }
}

• Static Files Configuration: Make sure the following static files settings are correct:

STATIC_URL = '/static/'
STATIC_ROOT = '/home/bitnami/your-django-app/static'

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5. Run Migrations and Collect Static Files

After configuring your settings, run migrations and collect static files.

Run Django Migrations:

Apply any database migrations:

sudo python3 manage.py migrate

Collect Static Files:

Run the following command to collect all static files into a central location:

ssh -i /path/to/your/ssh-key.pem bitnami@<your_instance_ip>

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6. Access the Application in the Browser

Once you’ve completed the above setup, your Django application should be accessible via your Lightsail instance’s static IP.

• Open a browser and enter the static IP of your Lightsail instance:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install git

You should see the Django welcome page or your application if you already have code deployed.

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Try it with My Simple To-Do List App

Clone my Simple To-Do List Django App and follow these steps to deploy it on AWS Lightsail.

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Conclusion

You’ve successfully deployed your Django application from GitHub on AWS Lightsail using the Bitnami Django stack. With this setup, you have:

• A pre-configured, production-ready Django environment.
• A PostgreSQL database.

AWS Lightsail with Bitnami provides a simple, cost-effective solution for hosting Django applications. Whether you're deploying a small personal project or a production application, this solution ensures that your Django application runs smoothly.

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References

• AWS Lightsail Official Documentation
• Bitnami Django Stack Documentation
• Django Official Documentation

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