Understanding the Basics of Django Web Development

Django is a high-level Python web framework that enables developers to build robust, scalable, and secure web applications quickly. It follows the Model-View-Template (MVT) architectural pattern and comes with many built-in features like an ORM, authentication, and admin interface to streamline development.

How to Install Django?

Before starting with Django, you need to have Python installed on your system. Once ready, you can install Django using pip:

pip install django

After installation, you can verify it by checking the Django version:

django-admin --version

Creating Your First Django Project

To create a new Django project, run the following command:

django-admin startproject myproject

This creates a directory named myproject with the basic structure needed for a Django project.

Understanding the Project Structure

After creating your project, you will see the following files and folders:

• manage.py: A command-line utility for managing your project.
• myproject/: The main project directory containing:
  • __init__.py: Marks the directory as a Python package.
  • settings.py: Contains project configuration.
  • urls.py: Defines URL routing.
  • wsgi.py: Used for deploying the project.
  • asgi.py: Used for asynchronous deployment.

Running the Development Server

You can run the built-in development server to see your project in action:

python manage.py runserver

Open your browser and go to http://127.0.0.1:8000/ to see the default Django welcome page.

Creating a Simple App

In Django, an app is a web module with a specific functionality. To create an app, use the following command:

python manage.py startapp myapp

This will create a folder myapp containing files for models, views, tests, and more.

What's Next?

After setting up your app, you can define models, create views, and build templates to create dynamic, database-driven applications. Django's robust ecosystem makes it easy to extend functionality and deploy your application efficiently.