64. Skip to content

64. Building the Django-BIMS dev environment

64.1 Docker and VSCode

An easy way to set up a local development environment is with Docker and VSCode. In this approach you need to:

  • Install the Visual Studio Code Dev Containers extension in your VSCode
  • Click on the Remote status bar in the bottom-left, and then choose Open Folder in Container which will cause a new VSCode window to open.
  • Go to the development folder, select docker-compose.dev.yml, and then select the service dev. This will take some time as it builds all of the services.
  • Now the message Dev Containers: Existing Docker Compose (Extent) will appear in the bottom-left corner of the window, and in the VSCode terminal you are going to see: root@dev:/home/web/django_project#

64.2 Setup PyCharm to work with a remote Docker development environment

For deployment we use Docker, so you need to have Docker running on the host.

64.2.1 Build and run your development Docker image

This image extends the production one, adding ssh to it.

Linux and MacOS:

make dev

64.2.2 Create a remote interpreter in PyCharm

Open the project in PyCharm and then do the following steps:

  • Go to File -> Settings
  • Then go to Project Interpreter
  • Click on the gear icon next to Project Interpreter
  • Click on Add remote...

Now use these credentials:

  • SSH Credentials (tick the box)
  • Host: localhost
  • Port: (use the ssh port specified in the docker-compose.yml file)
  • User name: root
  • Auth type: password (and tick save password)
  • Password: docker
  • Python interpreter path: /usr/local/bin/python

When prompted about the host authenticity, click Yes. After the python interpreter is setup, set its path mapping:

  • Local path: <path to your git repo> (where your django project located)
  • Remote path: /home/web/django_project

After that you should see something like this: <Project root>/django_project→/home/web/django_project

In settings, Django support:

  • Tick to enable Django support.
  • Set the Django project root to the path on your host that contains the Django code e.g. <path to code base> (where your django project located)

  • Set the settings option to your settings profile e.g. core/settings/dev_docker.py. If you need to use custom settings, copy this file e.g. dev_docker_tim.py and make your modifications in your personalised copy. The first import of your custom file should import from dev_docker.

  • Manage script (leave default)

64.2.3 Create the Django Run Configuration

  • Go to Run -> Edit configurations
  • Click the + icon in the top left corner
  • Choose Django server from the popup list

Now set these options:

  • Name: Django Server
  • Host: 0.0.0.0
  • Port: (use the http port specified in the docker-compose.yml file, e.g. 8080)*
  • Run browser If checked, it will open the url after you click run. You should be able to access the running projects on 0.0.0.0:63302 (the port that was mapped to 8080)
  • Additional options: --settings=core.settings.dev_docker
  • Run browser: Optionally set this to your IP address (MacOS/Linux) or your specific IP address (Windows) followed by the port forward address for port 8080 that was specified in your docker-compose.yml file. For example: http://0.0.0.0:63302.
  • Environment vars: Leave as default unless you need to add something to the env
  • Python interpreter: Ensure it is set you your remote interpreter ( It should be set to that by default)
  • Interpreter options: Leave blank
  • Path mappings: Here you need to indicate equivalent paths between your host filesystem and the filesystem in the remote (Docker) host. Click the ellipsis and add a run that points to your git checkout on your local host and the /home/web directory in the Docker host. e.g.
  • Local path: <path to your git repo>/django_project
  • Remote path: /home/web/django_project
  • Click OK to save your run configuration

64.3 Setup a Database

Now that you have the application, and need a database to work with, you will need to restore the backup to your local database.

  • Restore Database:
docker cp PG_bims_gis.30-September-2022.dmp bims_dev_db:/tmp/PG_bims_gis.30-September-2022.dmp
docker exec -it bims_dev_db /bin/bash 
cd tmp/
pg_restore -d gis -p 5432 -U docker -h localhost -1 PG_bims_gis.30-September-2022.dmp
Last update: September 26, 2023