Django is a free and open source high-level web framework used to develop Python web applications. Django comes with a set of tools to help you create secure and scalable web applications. Its main purpose is to facilitate the creation of complex applications and the maintenance of internal structures.
In this tutorial, we will learn how to install Django and configure Nginx as a reverse proxy for Django on CentOS 8.
precondition
- Server with CentOS 8.
- Log in as root or a user with sudo privileges
Install the required packages
Django is a Python based framework, so you need to have both Python and PIP installed on your system. To be able to install it, run the following command:
dnf install python36 python3-pip -yOnce both packages are installed, proceed to the next step.
Django installed
You can install Django using the PIP command as shown below:
pip3 install DjangoAfter installing Django, check the Django version with the following command:
django-admin --versionYou will see the Django version in the following output:
3.0.3
At the time of writing this article, the Django version is the 3.0.3
Create a Django project
At this point, Django has been successfully installed. Now is the time to build the Django app.
You can create Django applications using the django-admin command in the directory /opt As shown below:
cd /opt
django-admin startproject djangoprojectAfter creating a django project, change directory to djangoproject Changes are posted using the following command:
cd djangoproject
python3 manage.py migrateYou will get the following output:
Operations to perform: Apply all migrations: admin, auth, contenttypes, sessions Running migrations: Applying contenttypes.0001_initial... OK Applying auth.0001_initial... OK Applying admin.0001_initial... OK Applying admin.0002_logentry_remove_auto_add... OK Applying admin.0003_logentry_add_action_flag_choices... OK Applying contenttypes.0002_remove_content_type_name... OK Applying auth.0002_alter_permission_name_max_length... OK Applying auth.0003_alter_user_email_max_length... OK Applying auth.0004_alter_user_username_opts... OK Applying auth.0005_alter_user_last_login_null... OK Applying auth.0006_require_contenttypes_0002... OK Applying auth.0007_alter_validators_add_error_messages... OK Applying auth.0008_alter_user_username_max_length... OK Applying auth.0009_alter_user_last_name_max_length... OK Applying auth.0010_alter_group_name_max_length... OK Applying auth.0011_update_proxy_permissions... OK Applying sessions.0001_initial... OK
Next, you need to create an administrative user account to manage Django project with the following command:
python3 manage.py createsuperuserYou will be asked to provide a username, email, and password. You can provide it as per your choice as shown below:
Username (leave blank to use 'root'): dadmin Email address: [email protected] Password: Password (again): Superuser created successfully.
Once done, you can move on to the next step.
Start the Django app
By default, Django applications can only be accessed from localhost only, and in order to make Django online you must allow Django to external hosts. You can do this by adding the IP address of the server on settings.py:
nano /opt/djangoproject/djangoproject/settings.pyChange the following lines:
ALLOWED_HOSTS = ['ip_server_Anda']
Save and close the file. After that, launch the Django app with the following command:
cd /opt/djangoproject
python3 manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:8000You will see the following result:
Watching for file changes with StatReloader Performing system checks... System check identified no issues (0 silenced). March 03, 2020 - 02:31:19 Django version 3.0.3, using settings 'djangoproject.settings' Starting development server at http://0.0.0.0:8000/ Quit the server with CONTROL-C. Django application is now started and runs on port 8000.
At this point, the Django app is now running on port 8000. You can now move on to the next step.
Configure SELinux and Firewall
Next, you will need to allow ports 8000 and 80 through the firewall. You can allow them with the following command:
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=8000/tcp
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=80/tcp
firewall-cmd --reloadNext, configure SELinux with the following command:
setsebool httpd_can_network_connect on -POnce done, you can move on to the next step.
Access the Django app
You can access the Django app by visiting the URL http: // your-server-ip: 8000. You will see the following page:
You can also access the Django administration interface using the URL http: // server-ip: 8000 / admin. You will see the following page:
Enter the admin username and password and click the button Record in a. You will see the following page:
Install Nginx and Gunicorn
In this section, we will install Gunicorn to create and manage Django services, and Nginx to serve Django apps.
First, install Nginx with the following command:
dnf install nginx -yNext, install Gunicorn using the PIP command as shown below:
pip3 install gunicornOnce both packages are installed, start the Nginx service and enable it to start after restarting the system with the following command:
systemctl start nginx
systemctl enable nginxAfter that, change the ownership of the directory /opt/djangoproject To Nginx as shown below:
chown -R nginx:nginx /opt/djangoprojectCreate a Systemd Service File for Django
Next, create a systemd file service to manage the Django service with the following command:
nano /etc/systemd/system/django.serviceAdd the following line:
[Unit] Description=django daemon After=network.target [Service] User=nginx Group=nginx WorkingDirectory=/opt/djangoproject ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/gunicorn --workers 3 --bind unix:/opt/djangoproject/djangoproject.sock djangoproject.wsgi:application [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target
Save and close the file, then reload the systemd daemon with the following command:
systemctl daemon-reloadAfter that, start the Django service and enable it to start after restarting the system with the following command:
systemctl start django
systemctl enable djangoYou can now check Django service status with the following command:
systemctl status djangoYou will see the following result:
? django.service - django daemon
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/django.service; disabled; vendor preset: disabled)
Active: active (running) since Mon 2020-03-02 22:27:51 UTC; 3min 32s ago
Main PID: 960 (django)
Tasks: 4 (limit: 25028)
Memory: 95.2M
CGroup: /system.slice/django.service
??960 /usr/bin/python3.6 /usr/local/bin/gunicorn --workers 3 --bind unix:/opt/djangoproject/djangoproject.sock djangoproject.wsgi:a>
??964 /usr/bin/python3.6 /usr/local/bin/gunicorn --workers 3 --bind unix:/opt/djangoproject/djangoproject.sock djangoproject.wsgi:a>
??965 /usr/bin/python3.6 /usr/local/bin/gunicorn --workers 3 --bind unix:/opt/djangoproject/djangoproject.sock djangoproject.wsgi:a>
??966 /usr/bin/python3.6 /usr/local/bin/gunicorn --workers 3 --bind unix:/opt/djangoproject/djangoproject.sock djangoproject.wsgi:a>
Mar 02 22:27:51 centos8 systemd[1]: Started django daemon.
Mar 02 22:27:52 centos8 django[960]: [2020-03-02 22:27:52 -0500] [960] [INFO] Starting django 20.0.4
Mar 02 22:27:52 centos8 django[960]: [2020-03-02 22:27:52 -0500] [960] [INFO] Listening at: unix:/opt/djangoproject/djangoproject.sock (960)
Mar 02 22:27:52 centos8 django[960]: [2020-03-02 22:27:52 -0500] [960] [INFO] Using worker: sync
Mar 02 22:27:52 centos8 django[960]: [2020-03-02 22:27:52 -0500] [964] [INFO] Booting worker with pid: 964
Mar 02 22:27:52 centos8 django[960]: [2020-03-02 22:27:52 -0500] [965] [INFO] Booting worker with pid: 965
Mar 02 22:27:52 centos8 django[960]: [2020-03-02 22:27:52 -0500] [966] [INFO] Booting worker with pid: 966
h pid: 966
Nginx configuration for Django
Next, configure Nginx as a reverse proxy for Django. To do this, create a new Nginx configuration file with the following command:
nano /etc/nginx/conf.d/django.confAdd the following line:
server {
listen 80;
server_name your-server-ip
location =https://cdn.linuxid.net/favicon.ico?x61338 { access_log off; log_not_found off; }
location /static/ {
root /opt/djangoproject;
}
location / {
proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
proxy_pass http://unix:/opt/djangoproject/djangoproject.sock;
}
}
Save and close the file when done. Next, test nginx for any syntax errors with the following command:
nginx -tIf there are no errors, the following will appear:
nginx: the configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf syntax is ok nginx: configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf test is successful
After that, restart the Nginx service to implement the changes:
systemctl start nginxYou can also verify Nginx with the following command:
systemctl status nginxYou will get the following output:
? nginx.service - The nginx HTTP and reverse proxy server
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/nginx.service; disabled; vendor preset: disabled)
Active: active (running) since Mon 2020-03-02 22:28:13 EST; 4min 14s ago
Process: 984 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/nginx (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
Process: 982 ExecStartPre=/usr/sbin/nginx -t (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
Process: 980 ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/rm -f /run/nginx.pid (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
Main PID: 985 (nginx)
Tasks: 3 (limit: 25028)
Memory: 5.5M
CGroup: /system.slice/nginx.service
??985 nginx: master process /usr/sbin/nginx
??986 nginx: worker process
??987 nginx: worker process
Mar 02 22:28:12 centos8 systemd[1]: Starting The nginx HTTP and reverse proxy server...
Mar 02 22:28:12 centos8 nginx[982]: nginx: the configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf syntax is ok
Mar 02 22:28:12 centos8 nginx[982]: nginx: configuration file /etc/nginx/nginx.conf test is successful
Mar 02 22:28:13 centos8 systemd[1]: Started The nginx HTTP and reverse proxy server.
You can now access Django applications using the URL http: // IP_server.
Conclusion
In this guide, we learned how to install Django on CentOS 8. We also learned how to use Gunicorn to create and manage Django services and configure Nginx as a reverse proxy for serving Django applications.
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