You can use <ahref="https://www.docker.com/"class="external-link"target="_blank">**Docker**</a> for deployment. It has several advantages like security, replicability, development simplicity, etc.
Deploying a **FastAPI** application is relatively easy.
There are several ways to do it depending on your specific use case and the tools that you use.
You will see more about some of the ways to do it in the next sections.
## FastAPI versions
**FastAPI** is already being used in production in many applications and systems. And the test coverage is kept at 100%. But its development is still moving quickly.
New features are added frequently, bugs are fixed regularly, and the code is still continuously improving.
That's why the current versions are still `0.x.x`, this reflects that each version could potentially have breaking changes. This follows the <ahref="https://semver.org/"class="external-link"target="_blank">Semantic Versioning</a> conventions.
You can create production applications with **FastAPI** right now (and you have probably been doing it for some time), you just have to make sure that you use a version that works correctly with the rest of your code.
The first thing you should do is to "pin" the version of FastAPI you are using to the specific latest version that you know works correctly for your application.
For example, let's say you are using version `0.45.0` in your app.
If you use a `requirements.txt` file you could specify the version with:
```txt
fastapi==0.45.0
```
that would mean that you would use exactly the version `0.45.0`.
Or you could also pin it with:
```txt
fastapi>=0.45.0,<0.46.0
```
that would mean that you would use the versions `0.45.0` or above, but less than `0.46.0`, for example, a version `0.45.2` would still be accepted.
If you use any other tool to manage your installations, like Poetry, Pipenv, or others, they all have a way that you can use to define specific versions for your packages.
### About versions
Following the Semantic Versioning conventions, any version below `1.0.0` could potentially add breaking changes.
FastAPI also follows the convention that any "PATCH" version change is for bug fixes and non-breaking changes.
!!! tip
The "PATCH" is the last number, for example, in `0.2.3`, the PATCH version is `3`.
So, you should be able to pin to a version like:
```txt
fastapi>=0.45.0,<0.46.0
```
Breaking changes and new features are added in "MINOR" versions.
!!! tip
The "MINOR" is the number in the middle, for example, in `0.2.3`, the MINOR version is `2`.
### Upgrading the FastAPI versions
You should add tests for your app.
With **FastAPI** it's very easy (thanks to Starlette), check the docs: [Testing](tutorial/testing.md){.internal-link target=_blank}
After you have tests, then you can upgrade the **FastAPI** version to a more recent one, and make sure that all your code is working correctly by running your tests.
If everything is working, or after you make the necessary changes, and all your tests are passing, then you can pin your `fastapi` to that new recent version.
### About Starlette
You shouldn't pin the version of `starlette`.
Different versions of **FastAPI** will use a specific newer version of Starlette.
So, you can just let **FastAPI** use the correct Starlette version.
### About Pydantic
Pydantic includes the tests for **FastAPI** with its own tests, so new versions of Pydantic (above `1.0.0`) are always compatible with FastAPI.
You can pin Pydantic to any version above `1.0.0` that works for you and below `2.0.0`.
For example:
```txt
pydantic>=1.2.0,<2.0.0
```
## Docker
In this section you'll see instructions and links to guides to know how to:
@ -7,11 +95,7 @@ In this section you'll see instructions and links to guides to know how to:
* Set up a Docker Swarm mode cluster with automatic HTTPS, even on a simple $5 USD/month server. In about **20 min**.
* Generate and deploy a full **FastAPI** application, using your Docker Swarm cluster, with HTTPS, etc. In about **10 min**.
---
You can also easily use **FastAPI** in a standard server directly too (without Docker).
## Docker
You can use <ahref="https://www.docker.com/"class="external-link"target="_blank">**Docker**</a> for deployment. It has several advantages like security, replicability, development simplicity, etc.
If you are using Docker, you can use the official Docker image: