How do you deploy changes to production env?

Frappe Framework
1

Hi!

Im new to frappe development and im wondering, how do you all deploy your changes in code/database to production?

So for example.

I have a client, and he wants from me to add some new fields to some already provided doctype (Purchase Invoice for example) and to add some code to custom script for this doctype and to backend. I have made this changes in my local development environment and how to push this changes to production? some changes are made in database some in code… are you guys using git for versioning? but what about changes in database?

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2

You should create an custom app and add custom fields as fixture?, Im not a developer but I think is better than customize the core.

3

Yes. As mentioned above deploy all changes as custom app. This will ensure the core doesn’t change and you are able to update/upgrade whenever there are changes in master of Frappe or ERPNext.

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4

I did this, i have made a new custom app, but… how in custom app hook into existing doctypes? Purchase Invoice for example? There is only place for new doctypes created by me.

5

Hi @wookiefc,

As mentioned above, the Recommended way of making changes is to create a custom App. This App’s code exists in its own directory. You can use Bench commands to download and install new Apps, remove them, etc. An App is essentially a bunch of files, in a directory that Frappe Framework knows about.

TL;DR - Stick with custom Apps unless you really know what you’re doing.

With that said, I will share more information with you…

Yes, ERPNext uses git for versioning. For the 2 main apps (Frappe, ERPNext), the .git files are located here:

  • Frappe Framework: …/frappe-bench/apps/frappe/
  • ERPNext: …/frappe-bench/apps/erp/

You can run

$ git status

in each directory, and view the repository info.

Because git is used for version control? Sure, you can certainly create your own Branches. Make changes. Push your code to your own fork on GitHub. Pull changes from that into a Production environment, etc. All the usual things.

Likewise, you could export certain SQL rows, the ones that contain scripts and reports. And later import those rows into another database, like your Production one.

That being said, most people won’t recommend you go down this road. Why not? Because maintaining ERPNext in this way requires a ton of work, experience, and skill. Yet ERPNext is meant to install and work for Everyone.

That is why there are tools like Bench. Bench provides a Command Line Interface (CLI) to tasks you commonly need to perform: git commands, backup commands, editing config files, starting services from a Procfile, applying patches, etc. Yet almost everything that Bench does could be done manually, from a normal shell. If you knew what to type.

So. If you’re already an experienced admin of Linux/Unix. If you have worked with other Python web frameworks, and are comfortable doing things manually? Then yes, you can deploy changes to Production like you would any other web application. Manage your own git branches. Take your own backups.

But…you’ll discover you are usually “on your own” when it comes to support. It’s very time consuming to troubleshoot and debug other people’s environments. If everyone on the forum did this?? We’d spent 24 hours/day troubleshooting other people’s stuff.

Which is why folks will recommend you stick to custom Apps, stick to Bench commands, and try not to break your ERPNext environment with custom code/data changes.

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6

There is a file called hooks.py in your custom app. You can connect your custom scripts and python functions to the desired documents

Hooks.py is self explanatory with comments
You can also define your custom fields in hooks.py

Upload ur code to git and install into production environment

Any changes u make afterwards in ur app. U just have to push to git and bench update in the production environment

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