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FootyCollect can be deployed to production using either Docker Compose or directly on a VPS (bare metal). This section guides you through both deployment methods, environment configuration, and production best practices.

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Deployment Options

Choose the deployment method that best fits your infrastructure:

Docker Production

Deploy the full stack with Docker Compose including Django, PostgreSQL, Redis, Traefik, and Celery workers

Bare Metal VPS

Deploy directly on Ubuntu/Debian servers using Nginx, Gunicorn, and systemd services

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Architecture Overview

FootyCollect production deployment consists of these core components:

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Core Services

ServicePurposeRequired
Django + GunicornApplication serverYes
PostgreSQLDatabaseYes
RedisCache and Celery brokerYes
Celery WorkerBackground tasks (image downloads)Recommended
Celery BeatScheduled tasksRecommended
Nginx/TraefikReverse proxy and SSL terminationYes
S3/R2Static and media file storageRecommended

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Requirements

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System Requirements

  • Docker Engine 20.10+
  • Docker Compose v2+
  • 2GB RAM minimum (4GB recommended)
  • 20GB disk space
  • Ubuntu 20.04+ or Debian 11+

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External Services

ServicePurposeRequired
Domain nameSSL certificates and production accessYes
SendGridEmail deliveryRecommended
SentryError tracking and monitoringRecommended
AWS S3 or Cloudflare R2Static and media file storageRecommended
FKAPIFootball Kit Archive integrationOptional
Domain Required: You need a domain name for SSL certificates. Let’s Encrypt cannot issue certificates for IP addresses.

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Quick Start

1

Choose Deployment Method

Select either Docker production for containerized deployment or bare metal for traditional VPS deployment.
2

Configure Environment

Set up production environment variables following the environment setup guide. Generate a secure SECRET_KEY and configure database, Redis, email, and storage.
3

Deploy Application

Follow the deployment guide for your chosen method. Both guides include database setup, static file collection, and SSL configuration.
4

Verify Deployment

Complete the production checklist to ensure all security settings are configured and run Django’s deployment checks.

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Static and Media Files

In production, FootyCollect serves static and media files from S3-compatible storage:

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Storage Options

Configure AWS S3 for production static and media files:
STORAGE_BACKEND=aws
DJANGO_AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=your-access-key
DJANGO_AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=your-secret-key
DJANGO_AWS_STORAGE_BUCKET_NAME=your-bucket
DJANGO_AWS_S3_REGION_NAME=us-east-1
DJANGO_AWS_S3_CUSTOM_DOMAIN=cdn.yourdomain.com  # Optional CDN
Static files are uploaded during deployment with collectstatic.
Configure Cloudflare R2 for cost-effective S3-compatible storage:
STORAGE_BACKEND=r2
CLOUDFLARE_ACCESS_KEY_ID=your-access-key
CLOUDFLARE_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=your-secret-key
CLOUDFLARE_BUCKET_NAME=your-bucket
CLOUDFLARE_R2_ENDPOINT_URL=https://account-id.r2.cloudflarestorage.com
CLOUDFLARE_R2_CUSTOM_DOMAIN=cdn.yourdomain.com  # Optional
R2 offers free egress bandwidth with S3-compatible API.

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Security Considerations

Critical Security SettingsNever deploy to production without configuring these settings:
  • DEBUG=False - Prevents sensitive information exposure
  • Strong SECRET_KEY - Generate with Django’s get_random_secret_key()
  • ALLOWED_HOSTS - Restrict to your domain(s)
  • SECURE_SSL_REDIRECT=True - Force HTTPS
  • SSL/TLS certificates - Use Let’s Encrypt (free)

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Security Checklist

  • DEBUG disabled (DEBUG=False)
  • Unique SECRET_KEY generated and secured
  • ALLOWED_HOSTS configured with actual domain(s)
  • SSL/TLS certificates installed
  • Firewall configured (UFW or similar)
  • Fail2ban enabled for SSH protection
  • Strong database password set
  • Regular security updates enabled
  • Sentry configured for error tracking
  • Database backups automated
See the production checklist for the complete security configuration.

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Monitoring and Health Checks

FootyCollect includes built-in health check endpoints:
EndpointPurpose
/health/Basic health check (200 OK if running)
/ready/Readiness check (includes database connectivity)

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Django Deployment Checks

Run Django’s built-in deployment checks before going live: 
python manage.py check --deploy
This validates:
  • DEBUG is disabled
  • SECRET_KEY is secure
  • ALLOWED_HOSTS is configured
  • Database connectivity
  • Redis connectivity
  • SSL/HTTPS settings
  • Storage credentials (S3/R2)
See config/checks.py:1 for all production validation checks.

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Database Backups

Both deployment methods include automatic database backups: Docker: Uses the awscli container for automated backups to S3 Bare Metal: Automated backups during deployment via deploy.sh

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Manual Backup

# Backup database
sudo -u postgres pg_dump footycollect_db > backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql

# Restore database
sudo -u postgres psql footycollect_db < backup_20260302.sql

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Next Steps

Docker Deployment

Deploy with Docker Compose for containerized production environment

Bare Metal Deployment

Deploy on Ubuntu/Debian VPS with Nginx and Gunicorn

Environment Setup

Configure production environment variables and secrets

Production Checklist

Complete pre-deployment security and configuration checklist

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Support

For deployment issues:
  • Check the troubleshooting sections in Docker or bare metal guides
  • Review deployment logs and Django checks
  • Open an issue on GitHub