Finished proofreading docs/fastcgi.txt

lighttpd setup

==============

lighttpd is a light-weight asynchronous Web server commonly used for serving

static files. It supports FastCGI natively, though, and thus is a good choice

for serving both static and dynamic pages, if your site doesn't have any

Apache-specific components.

lighttpd is a lightweight Web server commonly used for serving static files. It

supports FastCGI natively and, thus, is a good choice for serving both static

and dynamic pages, if your site doesn't have any Apache-specific needs.

Make sure ``mod_fastcgi`` is in your modules list, somewhere after

mod_rewrite and mod_access, but not after mod_accesslog.  You'll probably

want mod_alias as well, for serving admin media.

``mod_rewrite`` and ``mod_access``, but not after ``mod_accesslog``. You'll

probably want ``mod_alias`` as well, for serving admin media.

Add the following to your lighttpd config file::

        "^(/.*)$" => "/mysite.fcgi$1",

    )

Running multiple django sites on one lighttpd

Running multiple Django sites on one lighttpd

---------------------------------------------

lighttpd allows you to use what is called conditional configuration to allow

configuration to be customized per-host.  In order to specify multiple fastcgi

sites, simply add a conditional block around your fastcgi config for each site::

lighttpd lets you use "conditional configuration" to allow configuration to be

customized per host. To specify multiple FastCGI sites, just add a conditional

block around your FastCGI config for each site::

    $HTTP["host"] == "www.website1.com" {

    # If the hostname is 'www.example1.com'...

    $HTTP["host"] == "www.example1.com" {

        server.document-root = "/foo/site1"

        fastcgi.server = (

           ...

        ...

    }

    $HTTP["host"] == "www.website2.com" {

    # If the hostname is 'www.example2.com'...

    $HTTP["host"] == "www.example2.com" {

        server.document-root = "/foo/site2"

        fastcgi.server = (

           ...

        ...

    }

You can also run multiple django installations on the same site simply by

specifying multiple entries in the ``fastcgi.server`` directive, add one

fastcgi host for each.

You can also run multiple Django installations on the same site simply by

specifying multiple entries in the ``fastcgi.server`` directive. Add one

FastCGI host for each.

Running Django on a shared-hosting provider

===========================================

Running Django on a shared-hosting provider with Apache

=======================================================

For many users on shared-hosting providers, you aren't able to run your own

server daemons nor do they have access to the httpd.conf of their webserver.

However, it is still possible to run Django using webserver-spawned processes.

Many shared-hosting providers don't allow you to run your own server daemons or

edit the ``httpd.conf`` file. In these cases, it's still possible to run Django

using Web server-spawned processes.

.. admonition:: Note

    If you are using webserver-managed processes, there's no need for you

    to start the FastCGI server on your own.  Apache will spawn a number

    of processes, scaling as it needs to.

    If you're using Web server-spawned processes, as explained in this section,

    there's no need for you to start the FastCGI server on your own. Apache

    will spawn a number of processes, scaling as it needs to.

In your web root directory, add this to a file named .htaccess ::

In your Web root directory, add this to a file named ``.htaccess`` ::

    AddHandler fastcgi-script .fcgi

    RewriteEngine On

    RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f

    RewriteRule ^/(.*)$ /mysite.fcgi/$1 [QSA,L]

Now you must add a small shim script in order for apache to properly

spawn your FastCGI program.  Create a mysite.fcgi and place it in your

web directory, making it executable ::

Then, create a small script that tells Apache how to spawn your FastCGI

program. Create a file ``mysite.fcgi`` and place it in your Web directory, and

be sure to make it executable ::

    #!/usr/bin/python

    import sys, os

    # add a custom pythonpath

    # Add a custom Python path.

    sys.path.insert(0, "/home/user/python")

    # switch to the directory of your project. (optional)

    # Switch to the directory of your project. (Optional.)

    # os.chdir("/home/user/myproject")

    # change to the name of your app's settings module

    # Set the DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE environment variable.

    os.environ['DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE'] = "myproject.settings"

    from django.core.servers.fastcgi import runfastcgi

Restarting the spawned server

-----------------------------

If you change the code of your site, to make apache re-load your django

application, you do not need to restart the server.  Simply re-upload or

edit your ``mysite.fcgi`` in such a way that the timestamp on the file

will change.  When apache sees that the file has been updated, it will

restart your django application for you.

If you change any Python code on your site, you'll need to tell FastCGI the

code has changed. But there's no need to restart Apache in this case. Rather,

just reupload ``mysite.fcgi``, or edit the file, so that the timestamp on the

file will change. When Apache sees the file has been updated, it will restart

your Django application for you.

If you have access to a command shell on a unix system, restarting the

server can be done with the ``touch`` command::

If you have access to a command shell on a Unix system, you can accomplish this

easily by using the ``touch`` command::

    touch mysite.fcgi