Django App Fails to Start on Azure App Service Linux – ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'django'

Question

Hi Support,
I am deploying a Django application on Azure App Service (Linux). The application fails to start and logs show:

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'django'

Python runtime: 3.13 Startup command: gunicorn --bind=0.0.0.0 --timeout 600 ledger_project.wsgi:application

requirements.txt is uploaded but dependencies are not being installed.

Deployment was done via FTP. SCM_DO_BUILD_DURING_DEPLOYMENT environment variable is set to true.

How can I ensure Azure installs the packages from requirements.txt and starts the Django application successfully?

Attaching App service runtime logs below.
Azure appservice_linux_runtime_logs.txt

Answer 1

The error indicates that Django (and likely other dependencies) are not installed in the App Service container, so Gunicorn cannot import django when starting ledger_project.wsgi.

To have Azure App Service install packages from requirements.txt and start the Django app correctly, ensure all of the following are true and aligned with how App Service builds Python apps:

1. Place requirements.txt in the correct location
   • requirements.txt must be in the project root that is deployed to App Service, and end up directly under /site/wwwroot in the container.
   • If requirements.txt is in a subfolder (for example, /site/wwwroot/src/requirements.txt), Oryx will not find it and will log: Could not find setup.py or requirements.txt; Not running pip install.
   • Use SSH into the app container and verify:
     • cd /site/wwwroot
     • ls shows requirements.txt in that directory.
2. Do not deploy a local virtual environment
   • If a local virtual environment (for example, venv/, .venv/, env/) is deployed along with the code, it can cause ModuleNotFoundError issues because virtual environments are not portable across machines.
   • Remove any virtual environment folders from the deployed content. Only deploy application code and requirements.txt.
   • Let App Service create and manage its own virtual environment and install packages.
3. Use SCM_DO_BUILD_DURING_DEPLOYMENT=1 correctly
   • Ensure the app setting is configured exactly as expected:
     • Name: SCM_DO_BUILD_DURING_DEPLOYMENT
     • Value: 1 (string 1, not true or True).
   • After setting this, redeploy the app so that Oryx runs and installs packages from requirements.txt.
4. Redeploy using a build-aware method (instead of raw FTP)
   • FTP upload alone does not trigger the Oryx build process that installs Python packages.
   • Use one of these deployment methods so that Oryx runs and reads requirements.txt:
     • az webapp up / az webapp deployment (CLI-based deployment)
     • Git or GitHub Actions deployment
     • VS Code App Service extension deployment
   • If FTP must be used, combine it with a build trigger by setting SCM_DO_BUILD_DURING_DEPLOYMENT=1 and then redeploy via a supported method at least once so the container is built with dependencies.
5. Confirm the app is detected as Django and the startup command is valid
   • Ensure the Django project structure matches App Service expectations:
     • A wsgi.py file exists in the Django project module (for example, ledger_project/wsgi.py).
   • The default App Service behavior for Django is:

          gunicorn --bind=0.0.0.0 --timeout 600 <module>.wsgi
     

   • The custom startup command being used:

          gunicorn --bind=0.0.0.0 --timeout 600 ledger_project.wsgi:application
     

     is valid as long as ledger_project is the folder containing wsgi.py and that folder is on PYTHONPATH (typically the project root /site/wwwroot).
6. Check logs to verify package installation and startup
   • After redeploying with SCM_DO_BUILD_DURING_DEPLOYMENT=1 and a supported deployment method:
     • Use App Service diagnostics (Diagnose and solve problems → Availability and Performance) to check Application Logs and Container Issues for:
       • Oryx build logs showing pip install -r requirements.txt.
       • Any Could not find setup.py or requirements.txt; Not running pip install. messages.
     • Stream logs using az webapp log tail to confirm that Gunicorn starts without ModuleNotFoundError.

If all of the above are in place—requirements.txt in /site/wwwroot, no virtualenv deployed, SCM_DO_BUILD_DURING_DEPLOYMENT=1, and a build-aware deployment method—App Service will run Oryx, install Django and other dependencies, and the Django application will start successfully under Gunicorn.

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References:

• Configure a Linux Python app for Azure App Service
• Quickstart: Deploy a Python (Django, Flask, or FastAPI) web app to Azure App Service
• Configure a custom startup file for Python apps on Azure App Service

Answer 2

Hello @NITIN PARMAR-Kritva

Thank you for reaching out Microsoft Q&A.

Main reason is Django and dependencies were never installed in the container. Look for path, open ssh and run

cd /home/site/wwwroot

ls -la

requirement.tt should appear here.

Under Configuration > Application settings set SCM_DO_BUILD_DURING_DEPLOYMENT = 1

Perform Oryx build and deploy using deploy command.

Please comment below if you have any queries.