Vagrant-Python-Django VM

Get started with self-contained Python/Django projects quickly. Create contained Python environments via the command init_python_env and administer and swap between environments, projects and DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS(DBMS) quickly and with ease utilizing a number of commands and scripts, all wrapped up in a Virtual Machine managed by Vagrant.

CURRENTLY ONLY SUPPORTS POSTGRESQL
MORE DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS WILL BE ADDED IN THE FUTURE.

How’s It Work?

• You spin up a Virtual Machine and SSH in.
• You setup a new self-contained Python environment.(create as many as you’d like!)
• You start a Django project in that environment.
• You can then utilize a handful of scripts and commands to setup, integrate, and administer Database Management Systems into your projects, quickly and easily.
• The folder at /vagrant/$WORKON_HOME/ will contain your different environments, each consisting of different Python/Django versions, packages, modules, etc. The environments might use different Database Management Systems too. The point is to more easily navigate through your Django Projects and have a contained and version controlled environment to work with.
• You can share your projects and environments with team members and collaborators and also be sure everyone is working within the same system. Allow users to SSH into your VM, share globally accessible URLS to your current projects, and allow new collaborators to hop in on a project and be setup in minutes.

1) Installation

1-1) Prerequisites

• install VirtualBox(recommended) or VMWare for MAC, Windows or Linux on your host machine.
• install Vagrant on your host machine.

1-2) Configure Virtual Machine(VM) Settings

• edit config.yml to setup network, CPU and folder-sync configurations.

1-3) Logging Into Your VM

• vagrant up to setup and initialize the VM. ( only the first time you run vagrant up will take long 5-10 mins )
• After the VM is initialized, run vagrant ssh

1-4) Create a Contained Python/Django Environment.

• change the current directory to your projects root by typing cd $WORKON_HOME
• run init_python_env to create a new environment
• will ask if you’d like to create a new Django Project
• will ask if you’d like to setup a new Database for your project, and which DBMS you’d like to use. If the DBMS is not installed on the VM it will set everything up and continue afterwards. Just a note: the DBMS is a Machine level instance, it is not a contained instance._

1-5) Install and/or Setup a New Database For a Django Project

• manage_django_db. Switch to a Django Project Folder before running. This will create a new user, alter their role, create a new database, and assign them to a DB. If you just want to assign roles and not create new users/DBs, that works too. Running this command will also automatically update Django’s settings.py file for your project. More DBMS will be added in the future.

1-5-1) PostgreSQL Install & Notes

• Defaults to latest stable version PostgreSQL(current), select any version you’d like.
• Setup PgAdmin Web Interface (phpPgAdmin)
  • run the command setup_phppgadmin
• Apache is required for phpPgAdmin web interface.
• To change the port Apache and phpPgAdmin run on, run the command update_apache_ports and answer the prompts.

2) Notes to User:

• Feel free to change up the base-box OS, but note this has only been tested with Ubuntu 14.04/Trusty.
• The default settings will run Django on port 80
• To change the port Django runs on just run: python manage.py runserver [::]:YOUR_NEW_PORT in a Django project and that port will be accessible via the hostname entered in the config.yml file.
• VirtualEnv is not a VM container, it is simply to create self-contained python environments. Think of it as a sandbox, not a full fledged VM. Plus, we already have the VM!
• cd into the synced_folder and run the command init_python_env to create a new Python Environment so projects/packages are contained. All python environments will be initialized in the synced_folder (/vagrant/www/ by default).
• Be aware that self-contained Python Environments does NOT mean self-contained Database Environments. Future releases may take this into account through porting.
• Run python -V and django-admin --version to make sure everything checked out.
• run deactivate to exit virtualenv environment or workon [PROJECT_NAME] to activate it. Alternatively, whenever you navigate into a project folder, the virtual environment will become activated.
• the PS1 prompt is set up to let you know which virtualenv you are working with and what branch you are actively on when a git repo is there.
• If you are switching between many Python Environments and/or Django Projects, be absolutely sure that your active environment( which is assigned in the PS1) is the one you want to install packages and modules on.
• do not change Django Project folder names, as it may cause issues. Python Environments in the root directory may be renamed if needed though.
• although these projects are placed in the webserver’s root(for folder sync reasons), do not upload any of your Python files into the web document root in production environments, for security’s sake.

3) TO DO

3-1) Smaller To Dos

• Let user define PostgreSQL port when running manage_django_db. Edit sed /etc/postgresql/9.3/main/postgresql.conf port=5432. Might want to create a sepatate shell file or method, to scan /etc/postgresql/ for versions and ask which to update… sed return change before confirm and restart service.
• reconfigure configure_md5_login in manage_django_db_postgres shouldn’t be automatically run, only once or manually.
• don’t force any ports for a DBMS’. Let user configure any ports in config.yml
  • update PostgreSQL
• Organize the Installation section in the README for each individual DBMS. Have a “General Installation” then sub-headings for each DMBS, explaining extensions, commands, configurations, etc.

3-2) Bigger To Dos

• create a utility that installs necessary dependencies to run gulp/grunt tasks for Django Projects.
• also create task-runner templates for projects… init_taskrunner >>> 1) gulp…running. Maybe best to package it all up into one command so no separate install takes place; just run prior checks when init_taskrunner or similar. Setup BrowserSync, PostCSS, Autoprefixer, SourceMaps, Uglify, etc.

4) Useful Commands/Reminders

4-1) General VM CPU Info

• view CPU firmware and memory: sudo lshw -class memory
• view CPU info: lscpu
• check current OS info: lsb_release -a

4-2) Start a Django Project

• start a django project: django-admin startproject [PROJECT_NAME]
• start a django app for the project: python manage.py startapp [APP_NAME]
• start django server: python manage.py runserver [::]:80 or startserver

4-3) Sharing the Project

• navigate to a project folder so that it is active.
• run pip freeze > requirements.txt to export a list of installed packages for the environment, including the VM packages.
• if you’d to only export the local packages within the virtualenv environment, use the -l flag. pip freeze -l > requirements.txt
• to install these packages within a different environment: pip install -r requirements.txt
• run vagrant share on the HOST machine to share your project(s) with the world. For development and Q/A only. Be careful with sensitive data before proceeding. You can even use your own domain to share projects: http://projectname.yourwebsite.com

5) Issues

• Please open an issue for support.

6) Contributing

• Please contribute using Github Flow. Create a branch, add commits, and open a pull request.