# Running Django with nginx (on webfaction)

- Published: 2015-01-06
- URL: https://notes.webutvikling.org/nginx-on-webfaction
- Tags: apache, django, nginx, webfaction

## Case:

You're using **virtualenv **and have used **apache** with a config somewhat like [this](http://michal.karzynski.pl/blog/2013/09/14/django-in-virtualenv-on-webfactions-apache-with-mod-wsgi/ "this").

**Problem: Apache 'goes to sleep'**

## Reason:

Apache caches your wsgi application, and if it's not used within a certain amount of time, it has to reload. And this takes like.. 10-15 seconds.

## Solution:

Use nginx instead:

Set up a custom application, and install nginx + uwsgi to point to your original application like [this](https://community.webfaction.com/questions/10242/installing-nginx-uwsgi "this").

**Potential new problem 2:** Doesn't find python – Can happen if you've installed the python version manually.

```
build_uwsgi.sh: line 41: python3.4: command not found
```

**Solution 2:** specify path to python instead of python version in build*uwsgi.sh *(you can find it with 'which python3.4' if you're unsure)\_

**Potential new problem 3:** Doesn't find application. Can happen if you're using virutalenv. Website responds with:

```
uWSGI Error
Python application not found
```

**Solution 3**: activate virtualenv in wsgi.py like this

```python
import sys, os
virtualenv_root = os.path.expanduser('~/webapps/your_app/env')
activate_this = "%s/bin/activate_this.py" % virtualenv_root

# Python 2
# execfile(activate_this, dict(__file__=activate_this))

# Python 3
with open(activate_this) as f:
    code = compile(f.read(), activate_this, 'exec')
    exec(code, dict(__file__=activate_this))

workspace = os.path.expanduser('~/webapps/your_app/your_app')
sys.path.insert(0,workspace)
os.environ.setdefault('DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'your_app.settings')

# Older django
# import django.core.handlers.wsgi
# application = django.core.handlers.wsgi.WSGIHandler()

# Django 1.7+
from django.core.wsgi import get_wsgi_application

# Python 2
# application = get_wsgi_application()

# Python 3
from dj_static import Cling
application = Cling(get_wsgi_application())
```

**Potential disappointment 4:** nginx was not really faster – if this happens, you've probably not enabled threading support for uwsgi.

**Solution 4:** add the flag `--enable-threading`.
For more flags, e.g. `--workers` to set number of processes spawned, see [uwsgi-docs](http://uwsgi-docs.readthedocs.org/en/latest/Options.html "wsgi docs").