Fast-track guide to deploying a Flask app on Upsun

Here are all the steps required to successfully generate a Flask app with Cookiecutter, and deploy it on Upsun.

T: Run the line in a terminal/command prompt

1. T: pip3 install cookiecutter

2. T: cookiecutter https://github.com/cookiecutter-flask/cookiecutter-flask.git

3. Follow the prompts to submit the following information:

   • Name
   • Email
   • GitHub username
   • Project name
   • App name
   • Description
   • Pipenv
   • Python version
   • Node version
   • Heroku

4. cd into project directory (app_name defined at step 3)

5. T: git init .

6. T: git branch -m main

7. T: upsun project:init

8. Follow the prompts:

   • Select Python
   • Select your services

9. T: git add .

10. T: git commit -m "Init commit"

11. T: upsun p:create

12. Follow the prompts:

    • Create or select your organization
    • Name your project
    • Choose a region
    • Enter the branch name defined at step 6
    • Set the project as the remote (for now)
    • Select Y to continue

13. Open .upsun/config.yaml

14. Find the section describing variables

15. Uncomment # variables and the env: line

16. Add the following configuration:

    .upsun/config.yaml

    variables:
      env:
        FLASK_APP: autoapp.py

17. Find the section for mounts

18. Add the following configuration:

    .upsun/config.yaml

    mounts:
      "app_name/static":
        source: "storage"
        source_path: "static_assets"

19. Find the section for hooks:build

20. Add the following configuration:

    .upsun/config.yaml

    hooks:
      build: |
        set -eux
        pip install --upgrade pip
        pip install -r requirements.txt
        npm install      

21. Find the section for hooks:deploy

22. Add the following configuration:

    .upsun/config.yaml

       deploy:
         set -eux
         npm run build 

23. Find the section for web:commands:start

24. Add the following configuration:

    .upsun/config.yaml

    web:
      commands:
        start: "flask run -p $PORT"
      upstream:
        socket_family: tcp

25. T: git add .upsun/config.yaml

26. T: git commit -m "Adds FLASK_APP env var, adds mount for static builds, build commands, npm run build on deploy, web start command"

27. Open your .environment file

28. Change DATATABASE_URL to: your_service_type://${DB_USERNAME}:${DB_PASSWORD}@${DB_HOST}:${DB_PORT}/${DB_DATABASE}

29. Add the following lines to .environment:

    .environment

        export SECRET_KEY="${PLATFORM_PROJECT_ENTROPY}"
        export FLASK_DEBUG=$( [ "${PLATFORM_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE}" = "production" ] && echo 0 || echo 1)
        export FLASK_ENV="${PLATFORM_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE}"
        export GUNICORN_WORKERS=1
        export LOG_LEVEL=$( [ "${PLATFORM_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE}" = "production" ] && echo "info" || echo "debug")
        # In production, set to a higher number, like 31556926
        export SEND_FILE_MAX_AGE_DEFAULT=$( [ "${PLATFORM_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE}" = "production" ] && echo 31556926 || echo 0)

30. T: git add .environment

31. T: git commit -m "Adds needed flask env vars"

32. T: upsun environment:push

33. Enter Y.
    

34. If error, T: upsun resources:set and follow the prompts.

35. T: python3 -m venv env

36. T: source venv/bin/activate

37. T: pip install --upgrade pip

38. T: pip install -r requirements.txt

39. T: upsun tunnel:open -y

40. Open .upsun/config.yaml

41. Add the following variables:

    .upsun/config.yaml

    export PLATFORM_RELATIONSHIPS="$(upsun tunnel:info --encode)"
    export PORT=8888
    export PLATFORM_PROJECT_ENTROPY=$(openssl rand -base64 32)
    export PLATFORM_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE=production

42. T: source ./.environment

43. T: flask db init

44. T: flask db migrate

45. Open .upsun/config.yaml

46. Find the section for hooks:deploy

47. Add the following configuration:

    .upsun/config.yaml

    deploy: |
    set -eux
    npm run build
    flask db upgrade   

48. T: git add migrations/*

49. T: git commit -m "Adds migrations"

50. T: git add .upsun/config.yaml

51. T: git commit -m "Adds flask db upgrade to deploy hook"

52. T: upsun environment:push

The above steps do not include setting up a local development environment, or switching to Gunicorn as a web server.