A sort of hand crafted fabfile that servers my needs

fabfile.py

from os.path import join
from fabric.api import env, require, run, cd

# Fabfile to deploy a Django app. To use run:
#
# fab staging deploy
#
# or 
# 
# fab prod deploy


# Settings for each environment
# Defines the base location of each project plus values to override the defaults.
# Each host needs at least a host and project_root defined.
SETTINGS = {
    'staging': {
        'host': 'staging.example.com',
        'project_root': '/path/to/project',
    },
    'production': {
        'host': 'production.example.com',
        'project_root': '/path/to/project',
        'reload_file': '/different/path/to/django.wsgi',
    },
}

def set_host(host):
    """Sets all the environment variables for a host.
    
    Host should be one of the hosts within SETTINGS. 
    
    Note that dict.get() is used to get values from the host configuration with 
    default values if not set for a host.
    """
    # env.hosts is required by Fabric.
    env.hosts = [host['host']] 

    # Project root is used to define all other location.
    project_root = host['project_root']

    # Path to the virtualenv activate script
    env.activate_script = host.get('activate_script', join(project_root, 'bin/activate'))

    # Root of the project repository
    env.repo_root = host.get('repo_root', join(project_root, 'app/project'))

    # Path to the Django manage.py file
    env.manage_dir = host.get('manage_dir', env.repo_root)

    # Path to the pip requirments file
    env.requirements_file = host.get('requirements_file', join(env.repo_root, 'requirements.txt'))

    # Path to the wsgi file to touch for reloading the application
    env.reload_file = host.get('reload_file', join(env.repo_root, 'django.wsgi')) 

    # Command to update the repository
    env.update_command = host.get('update_command', 'svn update')
     
def staging():
    ""Fab command to set all the staging paths."""
    set_host(SETTINGS['staging'])

def production():
    """Fab task to set all the production paths."""
    set_host(SETTINGS['production'])
prod = production # Short name for production

def virtualenv(command):
    """ Wrapper to run all tasks in the virtualenv."""
    run('source "%s" && %s' % (env.activate_script, command))

def update():
    """Task to update the repository"""
    require('repo_root', provided_by=['staging', 'production'])
    with cd(env.repo_root):
        run(env.update_command)

def install_requirements():
    """Task to install any new dependencies for the project."""
    require('repo_root', provided_by=['staging', 'production'])
    virtualenv('pip install -q -r %(requirements_file)s' % env)

def manage_py(command):
    """Task to run any management tasks."""
    require('repo_root', provided_by=['staging', 'production'])
    with cd(env.manage_dir):
        virtualenv('python manage.py %s' % command)

def syncdb():
    """Task to sync the database.""" 
    require('repo_root', provided_by=['staging', 'production'])
    manage_py('syncdb --noinput')

def migrate():
    """Task to migrate the database."""
    require('repo_root', provided_by=['staging', 'production'])
    manage_py('migrate')

def collectstatic():
    """Task to collect all the static files."""
    require('repo_root', provided_by=['staging', 'production'])
    manage_py('collectstatic --noinput')

def reload():
    """Task to reload the application."""
    require('repo_root', provided_by=['staging', 'production'])
    run('touch %s' % env.reload_file)

def deploy():
    """Task to deploy the latest version of the app."""
    update()
    install_requirements()
    syncdb()
    migrate()
    collectstatic()
    reload()