Day 18 – Deploying Python Web Apps on AWS or Heroku

Introduction

Building a Python Full Stack application is one thing; making it accessible to the world is another. Deployment transforms your local project into a live, production-ready web application.

At CuriosityTech, we stress that deployment is a crucial skill for Python Full Stack developers. Without it, your app remains a local experiment. Deploying on cloud platforms like AWS or Heroku ensures your app is scalable, reliable, and globally accessible.

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Choosing the Right Platform

Feature	AWS (EC2, Elastic Beanstalk)	Heroku
Setup Complexity	Moderate to High	Low (Beginner-friendly)
Scalability	High (Auto-scaling available)	Moderate (Dynos)
Pricing	Pay-as-you-go, flexible	Free tier + paid dynos
Customizability	High (full server control)	Limited server customization
Best For	Production apps, enterprise projects	Rapid prototyping, small-medium apps

💡 Analogy: AWS = Build your dream house from scratch, Heroku = Rent a furnished apartment ready to move in.

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Preparing Your App for Deployment

Steps common to both platforms:

1. Requirements File:
   
   

pip freeze > requirements.txt

2. Environment Variables:
   
   
3. Store secrets like API keys or database credentials in .env.
   
   
4. Example .env:
   
   

SECRET_KEY=your_secret_key

DATABASE_URL=postgres://user:pass@host:port/dbname

3. WSGI / ASGI Entry Point:
   
   
4. Flask: app = Flask(__name__) → wsgi.py
   
   
5. Django: Already has wsgi.py or asgi.py
   
   
6. Static Files:
   
   
7. Django: Run python manage.py collectstatic
   
   
8. Flask: Serve static folder properly
   
   
9. Procfile (for Heroku):
   
   

web: gunicorn app:app

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Deploying on Heroku

Step 1: Login and Create App

heroku login

heroku create my-python-app

Step 2: Initialize Git Repository

git init

git add .

git commit -m “Initial commit”

Step 3: Push to Heroku

git push heroku main

Step 4: Open App

heroku open

✅ Within minutes, your Python app is live and accessible globally.

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Deploying on AWS Elastic Beanstalk

1. Install AWS CLI and EB CLI
   
   

pip install awsebcli

2. Initialize Elastic Beanstalk
   
   

eb init -p python-3.9 my-python-app –region us-east-1

3. Create Environment and Deploy
   
   

eb create my-python-env

eb deploy

4. Open App
   
   

eb open

✅ AWS provides auto-scaling, monitoring, and full server control, ideal for production-ready applications.

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Common Deployment Issues & Fixes

Issue	Solution
App crashes on Heroku	Check Procfile and dependencies
Environment variables missing	Use heroku config:set KEY=value
Static files not loading (Django)	Run collectstatic and configure WhiteNoise
Database connection errors	Ensure proper DATABASE_URL and migrations applied

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Infographic Idea – “Deployment Workflow”

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Real-World Example – CuriosityTech Training

Students at CuriosityTech deployed a Python Full Stack blogging platform:

• Backend: Django + REST API
  
  
• Frontend: React SPA
  
  
• Deployment:
  
  
  • Heroku for rapid prototyping
    
    
  • AWS Elastic Beanstalk for production with PostgreSQL
    
    
• Outcome: Students gained hands-on experience with both beginner-friendly and enterprise-level deployment, learning how to handle environment variables, static files, and scaling considerations.
  
  

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Best Practices for Deployment

1. Always use environment variables for secrets.
   
   
2. Test locally before deploying.
   
   
3. Use Gunicorn or uWSGI for production servers.
   
   
4. Monitor logs (heroku logs –tail or eb logs) to catch issues early.
   
   
5. Enable HTTPS/SSL for security.
   
   
6. Use CI/CD pipelines for automated deployments.
   
   

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Conclusion

At CuriosityTech, deployment is taught as part of real-world projects, ensuring students not only write code but see it live on the web, ready to serve users globally.

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Tags:

#Python #FullStackDevelopment #Deployment #Heroku #AWS #Django #Flask #CuriosityTech

Keywords:

Python app deployment tutorial, Flask deployment on Heroku, Django deployment AWS, Full Stack Python production, CuriosityTech deployment guide