id	summary	reporter	owner	description	type	status	component	version	severity	resolution	keywords	cc	stage	has_patch	needs_docs	needs_tests	needs_better_patch	easy	ui_ux
12322	Improve FastCGI documentation	minasmorath	nobody	"
== Background ==

I have been attempting to install Django using lighttpd and FastCGI on a personal Arch Linux server for about 3-7 hours a day, for a week straight. I still don't have all the kinks worked out, and there is quite literally zero useful documentation anywhere, including within the documentation in this page.


== Problem ==

The Documentation on the use of FastCGI is terribly lacking, as well as the documentation on it's use with lighttpd to serve Django applications. There are files (specifically the 'mysite.fcgi' file) that are only mentioned in passing when they are actually the key to getting the system up and running, and their contents is never even dabble in, let alone suffiiently explained. Many config options and directories are given as examples and have no obvious correlation to anything relevant, and their repeated use does not clear up any of the issues supposedly addressed.


== Solution ==

Every section that mentions lighttpd and FastCGI needs to be heavily edited or completely rewritten, some extra content that absolutely needs to be added can be found *cannot include thanks to the spam filter*, such as the coverage of the elusive 'mysite.fcgi' file, and some extra effort needs to be made in the area of descriptive naming conventions.


== mysite.fcgi ==

Some content overview (or any mention of its existance whatsoever) would save many many hours of valuable time and many dollars of resources. A basic config I have happend upon is as such:

{{{
#!/usr/bin/python 
import sys, os 

# Add a custom Python path. 
sys.path.insert(0, ""/home/jdoe/django-projects"") 

# Switch to the directory of your project. (Optional.) 
# os.chdir(""/home/jdoe/django-projects/blog"") 

# Set the DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE environment variable. 
os.environ['DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE'] = ""blog.settings"" 

from django.core.servers.fastcgi import runfastcgi 
runfastcgi(method=""threaded"", daemonize=""false"")
}}}

== Concerning Pathname Conventions ==

Pathnames are a constant confusion point in this particular doc, what is the /media/ direcory even used for, why is it pointing to some arbitrary path in a users home directory? What is the 'favicon.ico' even used for and why the devil is it included in a server config file?

== Conclusion ==

My point is this: Considering the great lack of documentation in the entire open source realm, it would be a great step forward if one of the larger projects of that realm made headway in documentation quality. Django is a widely used tool in rapid website development, but much more documentation is needed to assist the newest of users."	Cleanup/optimization	closed	Documentation	1.1	Normal	wontfix	deployment lighttpd fastcgi		Accepted	0	0	0	0	0	0