In a typical Django setup, you may use SQLite3 for the database and store static files (such as CSS and JavaScript) and media files (like user-uploaded content) locally. However, when deploying on a cloud platform like Heroku, this approach needs to be adjusted. Heroku uses dynos, which are temporary virtual containers for running your application. The file system on these dynos is ephemeral, meaning that each time you redeploy, the system creates a new dyno, wiping out all files, this includes your database (SQLite3), static files, and media content. This behavior necessitates moving to cloud solutions such as RDS PostgreSQL for database storage and AWS S3 for static and media files, ensuring persistent storage across redeployments.
The reason Django developers often use Heroku is because of its streamlined deployment process. Heroku integrates seamlessly with GitHub using GitHub Actions, allowing developers to push their code and automatically deploy it without additional configurations. This provides a simple, efficient way to continuously integrate and deploy code. Additionally, Heroku handles SSL certificates automatically, securing your application and encrypting data without requiring manual configuration. These features make Heroku an ideal choice for rapid development and deployment, especially for projects that need both speed and security.
Despite its simplicity, Heroku's Eco Dyno (priced at $7/month) offers enough resources for small-scale applications, including 512MB of RAM for handling traffic. However, it’s important to note that the Eco Dyno refreshes every 24 hours, meaning a new dyno is spun up, causing the previous data to be erased. Therefore, to maintain persistent storage, services like RDS for the database and S3 for static/media files are essential. These services ensure your Django application remains secure, operational, and capable of scaling even as the dyno environment is refreshed daily.