# Deploy Django on Light Cloud

> Django is the batteries-included Python web framework. Light Cloud detects it from a manage.py, or django in requirements.txt or pyproject.toml. It runs as a container that scales with traffic and down to zero when idle.

## Django at a glance

- **Detected from:** a `manage.py`, or `django` in `requirements.txt` or `pyproject.toml`
- **Runs as:** Container that scales with traffic and to zero when idle
- **Python:** Python 3.10 to 3.14 (default 3.12), read from `.python-version`, `runtime.txt` or `requires-python`
- **Start command:** gunicorn serving `<project>.wsgi`, falling back to `runserver`
- **Port:** 8000
- **Good to know:** Migrations and `collectstatic` are not run for you. Add them to the start command or bring a Dockerfile.

## How to deploy Django

1. **Bring the code.** Pick a repository, upload a folder, or ask Claude Code or GitHub Copilot to put it online.
2. **Django, detected.** The files are read and the build is filled in. Every setting can be changed by hand.
3. **Built into a container.** An image is built and started, listening on the port the app expects.
4. **Live.** A light-cloud.io URL in minutes, a preview URL for every branch, and logs and metrics beside it.

## More on Python

- [Python](https://light-cloud.com/runtimes/python): Python 3.10 to 3.14
- [FastAPI](https://light-cloud.com/frameworks/fastapi): Async Python APIs
- [Flask](https://light-cloud.com/frameworks/flask): Python microframework

## Add a database

- [PostgreSQL](https://light-cloud.com/databases/postgresql): Shared or dedicated

## Questions

### How do I deploy Django?

Connect the repository, upload the folder, or ask Claude Code or GitHub Copilot to deploy it. Light Cloud reads the files, builds Django and returns a live URL in minutes, with a preview URL for every branch.

### How much does it cost to host Django?

The Free plan runs up to 3 server apps with $1 of usage a month and no card. A container is billed by the hour only while it runs, so an idle app costs nothing and a quiet one uses about $0.10 a month. Paid plans start at $5 a month with $5 of usage included.

### Can a Django app use a database?

Yes. Create a PostgreSQL database in the same project and set its connection string as DATABASE_URL. Databases come with paid plans, from $5 a month.

### Can I use my own Dockerfile instead?

Yes. A Dockerfile at the root of the repository always wins over detection: it is built as is and runs as a container.

Docs: https://docs.light-cloud.com/platform/frameworks/django
Page: https://light-cloud.com/frameworks/django
Deploy Django: https://console.light-cloud.com/new?repo=https://github.com/light-cloud-templates/django-rest-framework-postgresql-api
Start free, no card: https://console.light-cloud.com/signup