Ssh into server:

• run:
  • ssh username@server_ip_address
  • Enter password  

Update & Upgrade Server:

• sudo apt-get update
• sudo apt-get upgrade  

Install python & pip:

• sudo apt install python3
• sudo apt install python3-pip  

Create & activate virtual environment:

• virtualenv /opt/myproject
• source /opt/myproject/bin/activate  

Clone Repository:

• cd /opt/myproject
• mkdir myproject
  • It may seem redundant to have two directories with the same name; however, it makes it so that your virtualenv name and project name are the same.
• cd myproject
• check if git is installed:
  • git status
  • sudo apt-get install git
• Clone repo: git clone repo-url
• install requirements:
  • cd repo-name
  • pip install -r requirements.txt
  • pip install gunicorn  

Nginx Configuration:

• Install nginx:

  • sudo apt install nginx

• sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/myproject

• Type the following into the file:

  server {
     listen 80;
     server_name yourip;
  
     access_log /var/log/nginx/website-name.log;
  
     location /static/ {
         alias /opt/myproject/myproject/path-to-static-files/;
     }
  
     location / {
         proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8000;
         proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Host $server_name;
         proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
         add_header P3P 'CP="ALLDSP COR PSAa PSDa OURNOR ONL UNI COM NAV"';
     }
  }

• Now we need to set up a symbolic link in the /etc/nginx/sites-enabled directory that points to this configuration file. That is how NGINX knows this site is active. Change directories to /etc/nginx/sites-enabled like this:

  • cd /etc/nginx/sites-enabled
  • sudo ln -s ../sites-available/myproject

• Go to:

  • /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
  • uncomment this line:
    • # server_names_hash_bucket_size 64;

• Restart nginx:

  • sudo service nginx restart

Adjusting the Firewall

• Before testing Nginx, the firewall software needs to be adjusted to allow access to the service. Nginx registers itself as a service with ufw upon installation, making it straightforward to allow Nginx access.

• sudo apt-get install ufw

• sudo ufw allow 8000

• Restart nginx:

  • sudo service nginx restart  

Testing configuration:

• Run gunicorn:
  • cd /opt/myproject/myproject/repo-name
  • gunicorn --bind 0.0.0.0:8000 project_name.wsgi
• Visit your project on your server ip address on port 8000:
  • yourServerIp:8000

Connecting domain:

• open your domain registrar and open your dns settings for the specified domain

• Add an A record with name @, pointing to the ip address of the server you are hosting your project on

• Save changes

• Open your nginx configuration file:

  • sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/myproject

• Make the following changes:

  server {
      listen 80;
      server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;
  
      access_log /var/log/nginx/website-name.log;
  
      location /static/ {
          alias /opt/myproject/myproject/path-to-static-files/;
      }
  
      location / {
          proxy_pass yourServerIp:8000;
          proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Host $server_name;
          proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
          add_header P3P 'CP="ALL DSP COR PSAa PSDa OUR NOR ONL UNI COM NAV"';
      }
  }

• Restart nginx:

  • sudo service nginx restart

• Wait for dns changes to propagate and check your website on your connected domain  

Install SSL on vps with Let's Encrypt (Requires domain):

• sudo apt install certbot
• sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
• run the following and follow the process:
  • sudo certbot --nginx -d your_domain.com
• check nginx configuration:
  • sudo nginx -t
• reload nginx: sudo systemctl reload nginx
• run gunicorn:
  • gunicorn --bind 0.0.0.0:8000 project_name.wsgi