What Is Django Hosting?

What is Django?

Python is a popular programming language. Django is a free toolkit, called a framework, for building websites in Python. A framework gives you ready-made parts, like a kit of building blocks. With Django you can build blogs, shops, news sites and apps with logins.

Why normal hosting is not always enough

A simple site made of HTML files can be copied to any hosting. A Django site is a running program. The server must start Python, keep the program alive and pass visitors to it. So the hosting must support Python apps.

What Django hosting needs

• Python: a version your Django release supports.
• A way to run the app: a tool such as Gunicorn, uWSGI or Passenger that connects the web server to your Python code.
• A database: Django works with MySQL, PostgreSQL and SQLite. SQLite is a simple database kept in one file.
• A virtual environment: a private folder holding only the packages your project needs. It keeps projects apart.
• Static files: pictures, styles and scripts that need their own folder and setup.
• SSL: a digital lock for https.

Types of hosting for Django

• Shared hosting with a Python app tool. Some control panels let you set up a Python app with a few clicks.
• VPS. A virtual private server is your own slice of a computer. You get full control, but you set everything up yourself. This needs root access.
• Dedicated server. A whole server, for large projects.

Ask Hostvento support which of these your plan supports for Python and Django.

Basic idea of a deployment

1. Upload your project to the server.
2. Make a virtual environment and install packages from requirements.txt.
3. Set the database details in settings.py.
4. Run the database setup with python manage.py migrate.
5. Collect static files with python manage.py collectstatic.
6. Point the app server and the web server to your project.
7. Set DEBUG = False and list your domain in ALLOWED_HOSTS.

Warning: Never leave DEBUG = True on a live site. It can show private details. Back up your database before running migrations.

Quick recap

• Django is a Python framework for building sites.
• Django hosting must run Python apps, not just static files.
• You need an app server, a database and a virtual environment.
• Shared hosting may work if Python apps are supported. Otherwise use a VPS.
• Turn off debug mode on a live site.