Feature: Set up stage environment in docker

[LoTerence]

Fixes #610

Goal: Set up the django backend for deployment to AWS.

As a developer, the develop branch should be ready to deploy to AWS at any moment.

Changes

• Install daphne
• Install whitenoise
• Configure django security settings to prepare for prod deployment
• remove frontend/dist folder from the repo and add to .gitignore
• Updated /stage/Dockerfile and docker-compose.stage.yml. They are now fully functional and ready to deploy to a staging environment.
• Added back in and updated /backend/entrypoint.sh from main-v1
• Installed 3 python dependencies (pyyaml, inflection, and uritemplate) required for Django REST Framework to generate an OpenAPI schema.
• Changed vite output directory to default /frontend/dist. The static frontend files should be copied over to the django app during the build phase in /stage/Dockerfile
• Added SSL settings to stage.env.example

Misc:

• ran some minor linting/formatting
• refactor .gitignore files
• refactor .dockerignore file
• fix vite npm warning
• fix npm security vulnerabilities

Testing

I fully tested on my local windows machine:

• docker compose develop environment - fully functional
• docker compose stage environment - working well

There is only one new bug in the stage environment - the frontend crashes when you try to visit the qualifiers page. This does not occur in dev mode. It has something to do with the static build and how react-router is set up. I will fix this later.

Starting a web server with daphne

• We will deploy using ASGI (Asynchronous Server Gateway Interface)
  - Before, v1 was using WSGI and gunicorn to serve static files. Imo this approach is a bit outdated.
  - ASGI will allow for dynamic API calls and will overall be better for the long term maintainability of the project.
• We will implement ASGI using Daphne
  • daphne is officially supported by Django:
    • "It’s written and maintained under the wing of the Django organization which is a big plus from a long-term support perspective. It should be maintained as long as Django exists."
  • Also supports runserver functionalities, so ASGI can be tested in dev mode:
    • "allows you to run your project under ASGI during development and benefit from all runserver functionalities"
• Django REST Framework is compatible with ASGI
• Whitenoise allows django + daphne to serve static files after running the django collectstatic command

daphne start server command:

poetry run daphne backend.asgi:application

OR

poetry run daphne -b 127.0.0.1 -p 8000 backend.asgi:application

Stage environment

Steps to start the staging environment on your local machine:

First, create a stage.env file in the /stage folder in your local repository.
You can use stage.env.example as a template. It can have all the same values as dev.env. The only significant difference as of now is ENVIRON=stage and DEBUG=false.

Next, open a terminal and simply run:

docker compose -f docker-compose.stage.yml up

Finally, open a browser and visit localhost:8000. You should see the CTJ website, and you should be able to access the API:

http://localhost:8000

http://localhost:8000/api/opportunities/

http://localhost:8000/api/healthcheck

Resources

• How to deploy Django | Django documentation | Django
• Deployment checklist | Django documentation | Django
• Django security: Security in Django | Django documentation | Django
• How to deploy with ASGI | Django documentation | Django
• How to use Django with Daphne | Django documentation | Django
• DjangoRESTFramework OpenAPI Schema: Schemas - Django REST framework