This guide explains how to create and deploy a Python Django web app. To run this example, follow these steps:
-
Install the CLI. Use the unikraft CLI or the legacy kraft CLI. You need a BuildKit builder. The easiest way to get one is via Docker. Alternatively, you can also directly set up and use BuildKit, see the quick start.
Note: The unikraft CLI is the current standard, while kraft is the legacy version. Choose one of the CLIs below and only run the commands associated with it for the rest of this guide.
-
Clone the
examplesrepository andcdinto theexamples/httpserver-python3.12-django5.0/directory:git clone https://github.com/unikraft-cloud/examples cd examples/httpserver-python3.12-django5.0/
Make sure to log into Unikraft Cloud and pick a metro close to you.
This guide uses fra (Frankfurt, π©πͺ):
Using the unikraft CLI (Recommended)
unikraft loginor
Using the legacy kraft CLI
# Set Unikraft Cloud access token
export UKC_TOKEN=token
# Set metro to Frankfurt, DE
export UKC_METRO=fraWhen done, invoke the following command to deploy this app on Unikraft Cloud:
Using the unikraft CLI (Recommended)
unikraft build . --output <my-org>/httpserver-python312-django50:latest
unikraft run --metro fra \
-m 1G \
-p 443:80/tls+http \
--scale-to-zero policy=on,cooldown-time=1000,stateful=true \
--image <my-org>/httpserver-python312-django50:latestor
Using the legacy kraft CLI
kraft cloud deploy \
-M 1Gi \
-p 443:80/tls+http \
--scale-to-zero on \
--scale-to-zero-stateful \
--scale-to-zero-cooldown 1s \
.The output shows the instance address and other details:
Using the unikraft CLI (Recommended)
metro: fra
name: httpserver-python312-django50-vt56c
uuid: d8469447-fdf6-4caf-9fea-494218ca6f72
state: starting
image: <my-org>/httpserver-python312-django50
resources:
memory: 1024MiB
vcpus: 1
service:
uuid: 109aa11f-da45-8d57-d5e4-6eb509ee3e73
name: dawn-sound-n5wrkxi2
domains:
- fqdn: dawn-sound-n5wrkxi2.fra.unikraft.app
networks:
- uuid: 95f37ba4-2586-54a2-bf3e-5764c91c4fc1
private-ip: 10.0.6.5
mac: 12:b0:9c:af:65:e7
timestamps:
created: just now
or
Using the legacy kraft CLI
[β] Deployed successfully!
β
ββββββββββ name: httpserver-python312-django50-vt56c
ββββββββββ uuid: d8469447-fdf6-4caf-9fea-494218ca6f72
βββββββββ metro: https://api.fra.unikraft.cloud/v1
βββββββββ state: starting
ββββββββ domain: https://dawn-sound-n5wrkxi2.fra.unikraft.app
βββββββββ image: oci://unikraft.io/<my-org>/httpserver-python312-django50@sha256:221666d414299aff54dbf10020b3d540270ee0c5907c1c6a728ca254ce8b0e50
ββββββββ memory: 1024 MiB
βββββββ service: dawn-sound-n5wrkxi2
ββ private fqdn: httpserver-python312-django50-vt56c.internal
ββββ private ip: 10.0.6.5
In this case, the instance name is httpserver-python312-django50-vt56c and the address is https://dawn-sound-n5wrkxi2.fra.unikraft.app.
They're different for each run.
Use curl to query the Unikraft Cloud instance of the Django web app server:
curl https://dawn-sound-n5wrkxi2.fra.unikraft.app<!doctype html>
<html lang="en-us" dir="ltr">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>The install worked successfully! Congratulations!</title>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<style>
html {
line-height: 1.15;
}
a {
color: #19865C;
}
[...]Or point a browser at the address and/or its /admin area.
You can set the username and password in the Dockerfile (more on this file later) to unikraft/unikraft.
Caution: The example sets ALLOWED_HOSTS to * and runs in debug mode. For a production site, ensure you read the recommended deployment guides of the official Django project.
You can list information about the instance by running:
Using the unikraft CLI (Recommended)
unikraft instances listMETRO NAME STATE IMAGE ARGS MEMORY VCPUS FQDN CREATED
fra httpserver-python312-django50-vt56c running <my-org>/httpserver-python312-django50 1024MiB 1 dawn-sound-n5wrkxi2.fra.unikraft.app 2 minutes ago
or
Using the legacy kraft CLI
kraft cloud instance listNAME FQDN STATE STATUS IMAGE MEMORY VCPUS ARGS BOOT TIME
httpserver-python312-django50-vt56c dawn-sound-n5wrkxi2.fra.unikraft.app running 1 minute ago oci://unikraft.io/<my-org>/httpserver-python312-django50@sha256:... 1024 MiB 1 80.32 ms
When done, you can remove the instance:
Using the unikraft CLI (Recommended)
unikraft instances remove httpserver-python312-django50-vt56cor
Using the legacy kraft CLI
kraft cloud instance remove httpserver-python312-django50-vt56cTo customize the app, update the files in the repository, listed below:
main.py: the entry point for the appKraftfile: the Unikraft Cloud specificationDockerfile: the Docker-specified app filesystem
Lines in the Kraftfile have the following roles:
-
spec: v0.7: The currentKraftfilespecification version is0.7. -
runtime: base-compat:latest: The runtime kernel to use is the base compatibility kernel. -
rootfs: Build the app root filesystem.source: ./Dockerfilemeans the filesystem is built using theDockerfile.format: erofsmeans the filesystem type is EROFS. -
cmd: ["/usr/bin/python3", "/app/main.py"]: Use this as the starting command of the instance.
Lines in the Dockerfile have the following roles:
FROM scratch: Build the filesystem from thescratchcontainer image, to create a base image.
The following options are available for customizing the app:
-
If you only update the implementation in the
main.pysource file, you don't need to make any other changes. -
If you create any new source files, copy them into the app filesystem by using the
COPYcommand in theDockerfile. -
More extensive changes may require extending the
Dockerfile(seeDockerfilesyntax reference). This includes the use of Python frameworks and the use ofpip, as shown in the next section.
pip is a package manager for Python.
It's used to install dependencies for Python apps.
pip uses the requirements.txt file to list required dependencies (with versions).
The httpserver-python3.12-flask3.0 guide details the use of pip to deploy an app using the Flask framework on Unikraft Cloud.
Run the command below to deploy the app on Unikraft Cloud:
Using the unikraft CLI (Recommended)
unikraft build . --output <my-org>/httpserver-python312-flask30:latest
unikraft run --metro fra \
-m 1G \
-p 443:80/tls+http \
--scale-to-zero policy=on,cooldown-time=1000,stateful=true \
--image <my-org>/httpserver-python312-flask30:latestor
Using the legacy kraft CLI
kraft cloud deploy \
-M 1Gi \
-p 443:80/tls+http \
--scale-to-zero on \
--scale-to-zero-stateful \
--scale-to-zero-cooldown 1s \
.Differences from the Django app are also the steps required to create an pip-based app:
-
Add the
requirements.txtfile used bypip. -
Add framework-specific source files. In this case, this means the
server.pyfile. -
Update the
Dockerfileto:3.1.
COPYthe local files.3.2.
RUNthepip3 installcommand to install dependencies.3.3.
COPYof the resulting and required files (/usr/local/lib/python3.12andserver.py) in the app filesystem, using thescratchcontainer.
The following lists the files:
The requirements.txt file lists the flask dependency.
The Kraftfile is the same one used for Django.
For Dockerfile newly added lines have the following roles:
-
FROM python:3.12-bookworm AS base: Use the base image of thepython:3.12-bookwormcontainer. This provides thepip3binary and other Python-related components. Name the current imagebase. -
WORKDIR /app: Use/appas working directory. All other commands in theDockerfilerun inside this directory. -
COPY requirements.txt /app: Copy the package configuration file to the Docker filesystem. -
RUN pip3 install ...: Installpipcomponents listed inrequirements.txt. -
COPY --from=base ...: Copy generated Python files in the newbaseimage in thescratch-based image.
Similar actions apply to other pip3-based apps.
Use the --help option for detailed information on using Unikraft Cloud:
Using the unikraft CLI (Recommended)
unikraft --helpor
Using the legacy kraft CLI
kraft cloud --helpOr visit the CLI Reference or the legacy CLI Reference.