How to Build a Four-Stage CI/CD Pipeline for Django Apps Using GitHub Actions

A software developer has shared a detailed walkthrough for setting up a production-grade CI/CD pipeline for Python and Django applications using GitHub Actions. The pipeline follows a four-job sequence — dependency checking, image building and pushing, vulnerability scanning with Trivy, and zero-downtime SSH deployment — where each stage must pass before the next begins. Docker multi-stage builds are used to separate the compile environment from the production runtime, keeping the final image lean by excluding build tools and development headers. Container images are tagged with the exact Git commit SHA and pushed to GitHub Container Registry, ensuring traceability and reproducibility across deployments. The author notes that database and cache layers are deliberately left untouched by the automation, reducing the risk of unintended side effects during deploys.