Setting Up Django for the First Time: A Multiplatform Step-by-Step Guide

Why Django?
Django is like a Swiss Army knife for web development—it gives you everything you need to build secure, scalable apps fast. Whether you’re on Windows, macOS, or Linux, this guide will get you started. Let’s go!

Step 1: Install Python

Django runs on Python. Here’s how to install it on your OS:

Windows

1. Download the latest Python installer from python.org.
2. Check “Add Python to PATH” during installation.
3. Open Command Prompt and verify:
   
   
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   python --version  
      # Should show Python 3.10+
   

macOS

1. Option 1 (Recommended): Use Homebrew:
   
   
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   brew install python
   

2. Option 2: Download from python.org.
3. Verify in Terminal:

python3 --version

Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)

1. Update packages:
   
   
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   sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
   

2. Install Python:

sudo apt install python3 python3-pip

3. Verify:

python3 --version

Step 2: Create a Project Directory

Organize your work! Open a terminal and run:

mkdir my_django_project && cd my_django_project

(Replace my_django_project with your project name.)

Step 3: Set Up a Virtual Environment

Why? To avoid dependency chaos.

Windows

python -m venv venv

macOS/Linux

python3 -m venv venv

Step 4: Activate the Virtual Environment

Windows (Command Prompt)

venv\Scripts\activate

(Your prompt will change to (venv).)

macOS/Linux

source venv/bin/activate

Step 5: Install Django

Run this in your activated environment:

pip install django

(This installs the latest stable Django version.)

Step 6: Start a Django Project

django-admin startproject myproject .

(The . creates the project in the current directory.)

Folder Structure:

my_django_project/  
├── venv/  
├── manage.py  
└── myproject/  
    ├── settings.py  
    ├── urls.py  
    └── ...

Step 7: Run Migrations

Django needs a database. By default, it uses SQLite (no setup required!).

python manage.py migrate

Step 8: Create a Superuser (Admin Account)

python manage.py createsuperuser

Follow prompts to set up your admin credentials.

Step 9: Start the Development Server

python manage.py runserver

Visit http://localhost:8000 in your browser. You’ll see the Django welcome page!
- Admin dashboard: http://localhost:8000/admin

Step 10: Build Your First App

1. Create an app (e.g., a blog):
   
   
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   python manage.py startapp blog
   

2. Add it to myproject/settings.py:

INSTALLED_APPS = [  
       ...,  
       'blog.apps.BlogConfig',  
   ]

Multiplatform Tips

• Windows Gotchas:
• Use Command Prompt or PowerShell (not Git Bash for virtual environments).
• If python doesn’t work, try py or python3.
• macOS/Linux Gotchas:
• Use python3 and pip3 if python defaults to Python 2.

Security Checklist

1. Never deploy with DEBUG = True (edit myproject/settings.py).
2. Hide your SECRET_KEY (use environment variables).
3. Use HTTPS in production.

What’s Next?

• 🛠️ Create Views & URLs: Define how your app behaves.
• 🎨 Design Templates: Make it look good.
• 🛡️ User Authentication: Let users sign up/login.

Troubleshooting

• “Command not found”: Did you activate the virtual environment?
• Port in use? Run python manage.py runserver 8080 to use port 8080.
• Database issues? Delete db.sqlite3 and re-run migrate.

Final Note

You’ve just set up Django on your machine! 🎉 Whether you’re building a blog, e-commerce site, or the next Instagram, Django’s got your back.

Need help? The Django community is famously friendly. Check out Django’s official docs or forums like Django Forum.