Two-Tier Web Application Deployment Using Docker Compose

Introduction

In today's fast-paced development world, deploying web applications has become a crucial part of any software project. Traditional deployment methods often involve a myriad of configurations and dependencies, making the process complex and error-prone. However, there's a solution that simplifies this process: Docker Compose. In this blog post, we will guide you through deploying a two-tier web application using Docker Compose on an AWS EC2 instance. We'll break it down into six essential steps to make the process easy to follow.

EC2 Instance Creation

To start your journey toward deploying a web application, you first need an AWS EC2 instance. Here's how to create one:

• Log in to your AWS Management Console.

• Navigate to the EC2 Dashboard and click "Launch Instance."

• Follow the instance creation wizard, specifying the desired instance type, security groups, and key pair.

• Once the instance is running, take note of its public IP address or DNS name for future access.

Update and Upgrade Your EC2 Instance

It's essential to ensure your EC2 instance is up to date before proceeding. Run the following commands to update and upgrade the installed packages:

sudo apt update -y
sudo apt upgrade -y

Docker Installation

Docker is the heart of containerization, making it easier to manage your application and its dependencies. Install Docker on your EC2 instance by executing the following commands:

sudo apt install docker.io -y
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

Change Ownership of docker.sock

To avoid running Docker commands with sudo each time, you can add your user to the docker group. This step is essential to streamline your workflow:

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Git Clone Your Django Project

Assuming your web application is built using Django, you'll need to clone the project's repository onto your EC2 instance. Replace <project_repository_url> with your project's Git URL:

git clone https://github.com/SagarOps/django-todo.git

Run a Docker Compose File

The final and most crucial step is deploying your Django web application using Docker Compose. You should have a docker-compose.yml file prepared for your project. Here's how to use it to launch your application:

sudo apt install docker-compose -y

• Navigate to the directory containing your docker-compose.yml file.

• Run the following command to start your application in detached mode:

docker-compose up -d

Your web application should now be up and running, and you can access it using the EC2 instance's public IP address or DNS name.

Conclusion

Deploying a two-tier web application on an AWS EC2 instance using Docker Compose simplifies the process and ensures consistency across different environments. By following the agenda outlined in this blog post, you can streamline your deployment process, allowing you to focus more on your application's development and less on infrastructure management. Docker Compose is a valuable tool for developers looking to make deployment a breeze, and with this guide, you'll be well on your way to successfully deploying your web application.