Server setup

If you are just testing your app on your personal computer, you can use otree devserver. You don’t need a full server setup.

However, when you want to share your app with an audience, you must use a web server.

Choose which option you need:

You want to launch your app to users on the internet

Use Heroku.

You want the easiest setup

Again, we recommend Heroku.

You want to use your own computer as a server on your local network

e.g. running a lab study or field study. Follow these steps:

1. Conventional installation (macOS instructions not available yet)
2. Set up your PC as an ad-hoc server

You want to set up a dedicated Linux server

Ubuntu Linux instructions.

Next steps After setting up your server, see Server deployment: final steps.

• Basic Server Setup (Heroku)
  • Heroku setup
• Windows Server
  • Why do I need to install server software?
  • Upgrade oTree
  • psycopg2
  • resetdb
  • (Optional) create a virtualenv
  • (Optional) use git
• Configure your computer to be a server
  • Windows
  • MacOS
  • Run the server
  • Make sure your IP address doesn’t change
  • Try using port 80 (optional)
• Linux Server
  • Install apt-get packages
  • Create a virtualenv
  • Database (Postgres)
  • Install Redis
  • Push your code to the server
  • Reset the database on the server
  • Running the server
  • Troubleshooting
  • Database backups
  • Sharing a server with other oTree users
  • Next steps
• Server deployment: final steps
  • Look at your server check
  • Testing with browser bots
  • Sentry service
  • Modifying an existing database
• Set up Git
  • On the server
  • On your PC