Continuous Deployment for Django apps from Bitbucket to dotCloud

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In this blog post we're gonna deploy a Django application from a Bitbucket repository to dotCloud using the Codeship.

We've set up a simple Django application called codefish which contains some tests. We'll use screenshots of this application in this blog post. If you haven't got an own project to set up but you want to follow along on your computer, just fork the repository.

Together, we're gonna deploy this application to dotCloud using the Codeship.

First, sign in to the Codeship with Bitbucket. The Codeship needs access to your Bitbucket repositories to be able to set them up. Let's allow access.

We're back at the Codeship. Now let's create your first project.

The first step of your project setup is to select Bitbucket as your repository provider.

In the list of your Bitbucket repositories

search for the repository you want to set up and select it. In my case I search for "codefish".

Now your repository is connected and you can set up your test commands:

Codefish is a Django application. Therefore let's choose "Python" as your technology. This prepopulates the setup commands and the test commands for you.

For my application I don't use a database, so I leave the setup commands as they are. If you want to run the syncdb or the migrate command for your application, just uncomment the commands by removing the # in front of them.

If you want to run your tests with python manage.py test, you don't need to change the test commands. Otherwise just enter your own test commands.

Now let's finish your setup and go to the dashboard.

To start your first build, you need to add a push hook to your Bitbucket repository. Copy the hook url and follow the link to the service hook settings of your repository. Add a "POST" hook there,

paste the hook url

and save the hook.

You can trigger a build for your application by pushing to your repository. Let's add the Codeship status image to the README file. I use markdown syntax to insert the image.

Now commit and push this change.

This triggered a new build on the Codeship.

You can access the build details by clicking the arrow on the right. Here you can follow the running build.

And a few seconds later your build succeeded! Great!

You see all the commands that were run. After a few initial preparation commands the Codeship ran the commands that you specified a few moments ago.

You can inspect the output of a single command by clicking on it. For the codefish application, we can see that two tests were run.

You've already pushed to your repository, watched your build log and got a green build. So you can finish the assistant at the top.

Now let's deploy your application to dotCloud. Go to your project settings by clicking on the settings icon in the projects dropdown.

Then navigate to the "Deployment" section.

As we want to deploy to dotCloud we click on the "dotCloud" button.

To retrieve your API key, just follow the link to Dotcloud.

Copy the key and insert it into your deployment configuration at the Codeship.

You can name your application whatever you like. The application will be automatically created the first time you deploy to Dotcloud.

Now save your deployment by clicking on the green checkmark on the right.

From now on the Codeship will deploy your application to dotCloud everytime you push to your Bitbucket repository.

Let's get your application ready for Dotcloud. Dotcloud expects a file dotcloud.yml in the root directory of your application. In this configuration file you need to tell Dotcloud that your web application is of type "python".

www:
  type: python

Dotcloud also needs a wsgi.py file in the root directory of your application. Just copy the content from the Dotcloud Django documentation page

and replace the app name hellodjango with your own Django application's name.

Now you can commit and push this change

And immediately another build will start running on the Codeship. Let's go back to your project overview.

After the commands we already know from your first build, your application also gets deployed to dotCloud now.

And about 2 minutes later your application is online.

When you open the URL of your dotCloud app now, your deployed application appears. You can find mine on codefish-clemens.dotcloud.com.

If you need help with setting up your own application, please use the support link in the top-right corner or please tweet us @codeship!

PS: Interested in a convenient CI and CD solution? Give Codeship a try!