How to clone Github Django project to my droplet ?

Heya,

Putting your Django project from GitHub onto your DigitalOcean Droplet in place of the existing dummy project involves several steps. You’ll need to clone your project from GitHub, configure it, and ensure it’s properly served by the web server. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Connect to Your Droplet

First, you need to SSH into your Droplet. Open a terminal and use the following command:

ssh username@your_droplet_ip

Replace username with your Droplet’s username (often root) and your_droplet_ip with the IP address of your Droplet.

2. Clone Your Django Project from GitHub

Once you’re connected to the Droplet, you need to clone your project. If the dummy project is in a specific directory (like /var/www/), you might want to clone your project into the same directory for consistency.

cd /path/to/your/directory
git clone git@github.com:name/yourproject.git

3. Install Project Dependencies

Navigate into your project directory:

cd yourproject

If your project has a requirements.txt file, install the required packages:

pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Configure the Database

Your Django project likely needs a database. Update the DATABASES setting in your settings.py to connect to the database on your Droplet.

If you’re using PostgreSQL, for example, ensure you have the PostgreSQL client installed:

sudo apt-get install libpq-dev
pip install psycopg2

Then configure the database settings in settings.py.

5. Apply Migrations and Collect Static Files

Run Django migrations and collect static files:

python manage.py migrate
python manage.py collectstatic

6. Test Your Django Application

You can test if your Django application is running properly by starting Django’s development server:

python manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:8000

Then, access your Droplet’s IP address followed by :8000 in a web browser. If everything is set up correctly, your Django project should be visible.

7. Configure Gunicorn

Gunicorn is commonly used to serve Django projects. If it’s not installed:

pip install gunicorn

Test running your Django project with Gunicorn:

gunicorn --bind 0.0.0.0:8000 your_project.wsgi:application

Replace your_project with the name of your Django project.

8. Update the Nginx Configuration

Edit your Nginx configuration file to serve your Django application. You can find this file at /etc/nginx/sites-available/. Replace the proxy pass configuration with the path to your Gunicorn socket or service.

The updated block might look something like:

location / {
    proxy_pass http://localhost:8000;
    # other required settings...
}

9. Adjust Firewall Settings (If Needed)

Make sure your firewall settings allow traffic through the web server. For example, if you’re using UFW:

sudo ufw allow 'Nginx Full'

10. Enable and Start Gunicorn as a System Service (Optional but Recommended)

To ensure Gunicorn runs continuously and starts on boot:

• Create a Gunicorn systemd service file (/etc/systemd/system/gunicorn.service).
• Configure it for your project.
• Enable and start the service:

sudo systemctl start gunicorn
sudo systemctl enable gunicorn

11. Final Checks

• Double-check all configurations.
• Ensure all services are running.
• Visit your Droplet’s IP address in a browser to see if your Django project is live.

Remember, the exact steps might vary slightly based on your specific project setup and server configuration. If you encounter issues, the error logs for Nginx and Gunicorn can be invaluable for troubleshooting.