Django Pixel Lite

Open-Source Django starter coded with basic modules, database, ORM and deployment scripts on top of Pixel Lite UI Kit, a fully responsive and modern Bootstrap 5 UI Kit that will help you build creative and professional websites. The Django codebase is provided with database, ORM, authentication, and deployment scripts.

Features

• Up-to-date dependencies: Django 3.2.6 LTS
• UI Kit: Pixel Lite (Free Version) by Themesberg
• SQLite Database, Django Native ORM
• Modular design, clean codebase
• Session-Based Authentication, Forms validation
• Deployment scripts: Docker, Gunicorn / Nginx
• Support via Github (issues tracker) and Discord.

Links

• Django Pixel Lite - product page
• Django Pixel Lite - LIVE Deployment
• Django Pixel Lite - product documentation

How to use it

$ # Get the code
$ git clone https://github.com/app-generator/django-pixel-lite.git
$ cd django-pixel-lite
$
$ # Virtualenv modules installation (Unix based systems)
$ virtualenv env
$ source env/bin/activate
$
$ # Virtualenv modules installation (Windows based systems)
$ # virtualenv env
$ # .\env\Scripts\activate
$
$ # Install modules - SQLite Storage
$ pip3 install -r requirements.txt
$
$ # Create tables
$ python manage.py makemigrations
$ python manage.py migrate
$
$ # Start the application (development mode)
$ python manage.py runserver # default port 8000
$
$ # Start the app - custom port
$ # python manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:<your_port>
$
$ # Access the web app in browser: http://127.0.0.1:8000/

Note: To use the app, please access the registration page and create a new user. After authentication, the app will unlock the private pages.

Code-base structure

The project is coded using a simple and intuitive structure presented bellow:

< PROJECT ROOT >
   |
   |-- core/                               # Implements app logic and serve the static assets
   |    |-- settings.py                    # Django app bootstrapper
   |    |-- wsgi.py                        # Start the app in production
   |    |-- urls.py                        # Define URLs served by all apps/nodes
   |    |
   |    |-- static/
   |    |    |-- <css, JS, images>         # CSS files, Javascripts files
   |    |
   |    |-- templates/                     # Templates used to render pages
   |         |
   |         |-- includes/                 # HTML chunks and components
   |         |    |-- navigation.html      # Top menu component
   |         |    |-- sidebar.html         # Sidebar component
   |         |    |-- footer.html          # App Footer
   |         |    |-- scripts.html         # Scripts common to all pages
   |         |
   |         |-- layouts/                  # Master pages
   |         |    |-- base-fullscreen.html # Used by Authentication pages
   |         |    |-- base.html            # Used by common pages
   |         |
   |         |-- accounts/                 # Authentication pages
   |         |    |-- login.html           # Login page
   |         |    |-- register.html        # Register page
   |         |
   |      index.html                       # The default page
   |     page-404.html                     # Error 404 page
   |     page-500.html                     # Error 404 page
   |       *.html                          # All other HTML pages
   |
   |-- apps/
   |    |-- authentication/                # Handles auth routes (login and register)
   |    |    |
   |    |    |-- urls.py                   # Define authentication routes  
   |    |    |-- views.py                  # Handles login and registration  
   |    |    |-- forms.py                  # Define auth forms  
   |    |
   |    |-- app/                           # A simple app that serve HTML files
   |         |
   |         |-- views.py                  # Serve HTML pages for authenticated users
   |         |-- urls.py                   # Define some super simple routes  
   |
   |-- requirements.txt                    # Development modules - SQLite storage
   |
   |-- .env                                # Inject Configuration via Environment
   |-- manage.py                           # Start the app - Django default start script
   |
   |-- ************************************************************************

The bootstrap flow

• Django bootstrapper manage.py uses core/settings.py as the main configuration file
• core/settings.py loads the app magic from .env file
• Redirect the guest users to Login page
• Unlock the pages served by app node for authenticated users

Recompile CSS

To recompile SCSS files, follow this setup:

Step #1 - Install tools

• NodeJS 12.x or higher
• Gulp - globally
  • npm install -g gulp-cli
• Yarn (optional)

Step #2 - Change the working directory to assets folder

$ cd core/static/assets

Step #3 - Install modules (this will create a classic node_modules directory)

$ npm install
// OR
$ yarn

Step #4 - Edit & Recompile SCSS files

$ gulp scss

The generated file is saved in static/assets/css directory.

Deployment

The app is provided with a basic configuration to be executed in Docker, Gunicorn, and Waitress.

Docker execution

---

The application can be easily executed in a docker container. The steps:

Get the code

$ git clone https://github.com/app-generator/django-pixel-lite.git
$ cd django-pixel-lite

Start the app in Docker

$ sudo docker-compose pull && sudo docker-compose build && sudo docker-compose up -d

Visit http://localhost:85 in your browser. The app should be up & running.

Gunicorn

---

Gunicorn 'Green Unicorn' is a Python WSGI HTTP Server for UNIX.

Install using pip

$ pip install gunicorn

Start the app using gunicorn binary

$ gunicorn --bind=0.0.0.0:8001 core.wsgi:application
Serving on http://localhost:8001

Visit http://localhost:8001 in your browser. The app should be up & running.

Waitress

---

Waitress (Gunicorn equivalent for Windows) is meant to be a production-quality pure-Python WSGI server with very acceptable performance. It has no dependencies except ones that live in the Python standard library.

Install using pip

$ pip install waitress

Start the app using waitress-serve

$ waitress-serve --port=8001 core.wsgi:application
Serving on http://localhost:8001

Visit http://localhost:8001 in your browser. The app should be up & running.

Credits & Links

• Django - The official website
• Boilerplate Code - Index provided by AppSeed
• Boilerplate Code - Index published on Github

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Django Pixel Lite - Provided by AppSeed App Generator.