Deploy Python Apps on CloudPanel

CloudPanel supports Python applications (Flask, Django, FastAPI) via Nginx reverse proxy + Gunicorn or PM2. Create a virtual environment, install dependencies, run Gunicorn, and proxy traffic through Nginx. CloudPanel handles the Nginx configuration; you manage the application process.

Python on CloudPanel

Architecture:

Client Request → Nginx (port 80/443) → Gunicorn (port 8000) → Python App

• Nginx acts as reverse proxy, handles SSL, compression
• Gunicorn runs your Python app on localhost:8000
• systemd keeps Gunicorn running (auto-restart on crash)

Virtual Environments

# Create venv in app directory
python3 -m venv venv

# Activate venv
source venv/bin/activate

# Verify Python is from venv
which python   # Should show /path/to/app/venv/bin/python

Install Dependencies

# From project root with venv activated
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Example requirements.txt for Flask:
# Flask==2.3.0
# Gunicorn==20.1.0
# python-dotenv==1.0.0

Setup Gunicorn

# Install gunicorn in venv
pip install gunicorn

# Test locally (from project root)
gunicorn --bind 127.0.0.1:8000 app:app
# For Flask app named 'app' in app.py

Nginx Reverse Proxy

# In CloudPanel, go to Site → Reverse Proxy
# Add upstream:
upstream gunicorn {
    server 127.0.0.1:8000;
}

# Proxy requests:
location / {
    proxy_pass http://gunicorn;
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
}

systemd Service File

# Create: /etc/systemd/system/myapp.service
[Unit]
Description=My Python App
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=notify
User=clpanel
WorkingDirectory=/home/clpanel/myapp
ExecStart=/home/clpanel/myapp/venv/bin/gunicorn \
    --workers 3 \
    --bind 127.0.0.1:8000 \
    app:app

Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=5

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

# Enable and start:
systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl enable myapp
systemctl start myapp
systemctl status myapp

Deploy and Restart

# Pull latest code from Git
cd /home/clpanel/myapp
git pull origin main

# Activate venv and update dependencies
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Restart Gunicorn
systemctl restart myapp

Troubleshooting

# Check if Gunicorn is running
systemctl status myapp

# View logs
journalctl -u myapp -n 50   # Last 50 lines
journalctl -u myapp -f       # Follow logs in real-time

# Test Nginx can reach Gunicorn
curl http://127.0.0.1:8000

# Check port 8000 is open
netstat -tlnp | grep 8000

Related: Python deployment | Node.js on CloudPanel | Git deployment | Gunicorn WSGI