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Django on Windows Server 2019/ 2022 Base AWS

ARISLAN KAREEM's photo
ARISLAN KAREEM
·

3 min read

Environment where I performed the testing

Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2022 Base in AWS

  1. Launch an EC2 windows instance.

  2. Access the server using RDP.

  3. Go to Server Manager and Add Roles

  4. Proceed based by clicking Next button.

  5. On the service page install IIS under web server section

  6. On the next page under Application deployment select CGI

  7. Complete the installation.

  8. Now install the required python version from the website https://www.python.org/

  9. Make sure to select the box saying all user and add to environment path (Manadatory selection)

  10. Confirm you can access the python by opening command prompt and type the command

  11. 
C:\>python
Python 3.12.1 (tags/v3.12.1:2305ca5, Dec  7 2023, 22:03:25) [MSC v.1937 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>
If the above command is working, then python installation is fine and it is added to the paths.

Create Virtual Environment

python -m venv myvenv

Activate venv

myvenv\Scripts\activate

upgrade pip

python -m pip install --upgrade pip

pip install Django

pip install wfastcgi

djang-admin startproject myapp

cd myapp

python manage.py runserver

(venv) C:\>django-admin startproject  myapp

(venv) C:\>cd myapp

(venv) C:\myapp>python manage.py runserver
Watching for file changes with StatReloader
Performing system checks...

System check identified no issues (0 silenced).

You have 18 unapplied migration(s). Your project may not work properly until you apply the migrations for app(s): admin, auth, contenttypes, sessions.
Run 'python manage.py migrate' to apply them.
January 31, 2024 - 11:59:00
Django version 5.0.1, using settings 'myapp.settings'
Starting development server at http://127.0.0.1:8000/
Quit the server with CTRL-BREAK.

By this step a default django welcome page will be available at localhost:8000 in your server browser, not outside the server for that you need to do further steps.

Now our part with environment and django, python step is completed. Now comes the main part of passing the request (http) coming to the website in the server to this python application.

Go to IIS console.

Click on the server name at right side you can see FastCGI Settings.

At right side column click on the Add application.

AS per the file path and arguments column can filled based on your virtualenv path to python and wfastcgi.

Under FastCGI properties: click on the button against Environment Variables and add the following key and value. Here Key willl be Name and value...

Name: DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE
Value: myapp.settings

Name: PYTHONPATH

Value: C:\myapp --------> Application Root path

Name: WSGI_HANDLER
Value: django.core.wsgi.get_wsgi_application()

After this step FastCGI setup is complete.

Now we need to create a site and forward the request coming to the site using a setting called Handler Mappings

Add new site

Add sitename and Physical Path as per the requirement.

Click ok and double click on the new site and in the box you can see Handler Mappings

Click on Handler Mappings > At the right side click Add Module Mappings.
In Rquest path Enter astrix *

In the Executable add the details like below

C:\venv\Scripts\python.exe|C:\venv\Lib\site-packages\wfastcgi.py

Make sure to select the Module FastCGI .

Click Request Restriction un-check the box Invoke handler only if the request is mapped to the

IIS part also completed.

Now go to windows firewall and add In-bound Rule for port 8080.

Now the call website using server IP or domain name if you against the port 8080

Chances are you will get the above error. To resolve the same go to settings.py under your application and add Django host host as a wildcard (dev only not recommended for prod)

Save the file and call the website.

TaDA...
Thank you

AWSWindowsDjango