readme

Readme.md

-virtualenv
-----------
+Python Language Pack
+--------------------
+The Python Language Pack (PLP) is a language pack for running Python and Django
+apps on Heroku.
 
-pip
----
+If `requirements.txt` is present, the PLP considers the directory a Python app
+with packages to install via pip.
 
-Django settings.py
-------------------
-
-Sets up a db for every ENV ${NAME}_URL => postgres:// var:
-
-    DATABASES["DATABASE"]
-    DATABASES["SHARED_DATABASE"]
-    DATABASES["HEROKU_POSTGRESQL_ONYX"]
+Furthermore, if `${project}/settings.py` is present, the PLP considers the
+directory a Python/Django app, and patches `settings.py` to parse the Heroku
+DATABASE_URL config vars. It then sets default process types to use the Django
+web server and console.
 
-Aliases DATABASE_URL to default database:
+Compile Hooks
+-------------
+The PLP uses a Makefile for user-controlled hooks into slug compilation. If
+present, the `environment` rule will be eval'd in the compile script, allowing
+user-defined exports.
 
-    DATABASES["default"] = DATABASES["DATABASE"]
+The environment variables referenced in the compile script are:
 
-Injected right after DATABASES = {...}
+    PIP_OPTS
 
-Hooks
------
-
-Uses a Makefile for user-controlled hooks into slug compilation.
-Target `environment` will be evald in the build script, allowing
-custom exports. PIP_OPTS is passed to pip if set.
+A sample Makefile to force a re-build of every pip package is:
 
     environment:
     	export PIP_OPTS=--upgrade
+
+Django settings.py
+------------------
+The PLP injects code into settings.py to alias every Heroku database URL
+config var. Every variable of the format ${NAME}_URL => postgres:// will be
+added to the settings.DATABASES hash.
+
+On an app with both a shared SHARED_DATABASE_URL and a dedicated
+HEROKU_POSTGRESQL_RED_URL that is promoted to DATABASE_URL, settings will look
+like:
+
+    {
+      'DATABASE':               {'ENGINE': 'psycopg2', 'NAME': 'dedicated', ...},
+      'HEROKU_POSTGRESQL_RED':  {'ENGINE': 'psycopg2', 'NAME': 'dedicated', ...},
+      'SHARED':                 {'ENGINE': 'psycopg2', 'NAME': 'shared', ...},
+      'default':                {'ENGINE': 'psycopg2', 'NAME': 'dedicated', ...},
+    }
+
+These aliases can be referenced and further modified at the end of the settings file.