Deploying a Django application with Apache and mod_wsgi is a stable, secure, and production-ready method. This guide walks you through setting up Apache to serve your Django project on a Linux-based server (Ubuntu/Debian).

Requirements

Before starting, make sure you have:

• A Linux server (Ubuntu/Debian preferred)

• Apache installed

• Python and Django installed (usually in a virtual environment)

• Your Django project ready to deploy

Step 1: Install Apache and mod_wsgi

Install Apache and mod_wsgi for Python 3:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2 libapache2-mod-wsgi-py3

✅ mod_wsgi bridges Apache and Python, allowing Apache to serve Python-based applications like Django.

Step 2: Prepare Your Django Project

Let's assume your Django project is located at:

/var/www/myproject/

Structure:

/var/www/myproject/
├── manage.py
├── myproject/
│   ├── settings.py
│   ├── urls.py
│   └── wsgi.py
├── myapp/
└── venv/

Activate your virtual environment:

cd /var/www/myproject/
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install django

Also install mod_wsgi if you're using it with a virtual environment:

pip install mod_wsgi

Then run:

mod_wsgi-express module-config

Copy the output lines and save them — you'll need them in your Apache config (it sets Python paths).

Step 3: Collect Static Files

Django doesn’t serve static files in production — you must collect them:

python manage.py collectstatic

Make sure STATIC_ROOT is defined in your settings.py:

STATIC_ROOT = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'static/')

Step 4: Configure Apache Virtual Host

Create a configuration file for your site:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/myproject.conf

Paste the following:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerAdmin [email protected]
    ServerName myproject.com
    ServerAlias www.myproject.com

    DocumentRoot /var/www/myproject

    Alias /static/ /var/www/myproject/static/
    <Directory /var/www/myproject/static>
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    <Directory /var/www/myproject/myproject>
        <Files wsgi.py>
            Require all granted
        </Files>
    </Directory>

    WSGIDaemonProcess myproject python-home=/var/www/myproject/venv python-path=/var/www/myproject
    WSGIProcessGroup myproject
    WSGIScriptAlias / /var/www/myproject/myproject/wsgi.py

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/myproject_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/myproject_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Replace paths and domain names accordingly.

Step 5: Enable the Site and Restart Apache

sudo a2ensite myproject
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Ensure mod_wsgi is enabled:

sudo a2enmod wsgi

⚙️ Step 6: Update Django Settings for Production

• Allowed Hosts

ALLOWED_HOSTS = ['yourdomain.com', 'www.yourdomain.com']

• Disable Debug

DEBUG = False

• Secure Settings (Optional)

CSRF_COOKIE_SECURE = True
SESSION_COOKIE_SECURE = True
SECURE_BROWSER_XSS_FILTER = True

Step 7: Test Your Deployment

Visit your domain (or IP) in the browser. You should see your Django site running through Apache!

If not:

• Check error logs:

  sudo tail -f /var/log/apache2/myproject_error.log
  

• Look for Python tracebacks or permission errors.

Example Directory Structure Recap

/var/www/myproject/
├── manage.py
├── static/
├── venv/
├── myproject/
│   ├── settings.py
│   ├── wsgi.py
│   └── ...
└── myapp/

Tips and Best Practices

Common Pitfalls

Serving Media Files (Optional)

Add this to your Apache config to serve user-uploaded media files:

Alias /media/ /var/www/myproject/media/
<Directory /var/www/myproject/media>
    Require all granted
</Directory>

Make sure MEDIA_URL and MEDIA_ROOT are set in settings.py.

Conclusion

Deploying Django with Apache and mod_wsgi provides a robust and scalable solution for production environments. While slightly more complex than using a built-in development server, it offers performance and security benefits crucial for real-world applications.