Django is a high-level Python web framework that enables rapid development of secure and maintainable websites. It's designed to help developers take applications from concept to launch as quickly as possible.
"The web framework for perfectionists with deadlines."
Key Features of Django
-
Rapid Development
-
Built-in Authentication
-
ORM (Object Relational Mapping)
-
Templating Engine
-
URL Routing
-
⚙️ Admin Interface
-
Middleware Support
-
Modular Apps
Setting Up Django
✅ Install Django
pip install django
✅ Create a Django Project
django-admin startproject myproject
cd myproject
✅ Run Development Server
python manage.py runserver
Visit: http://127.0.0.1:8000/
Project Structure
myproject/
│
├── manage.py
├── myproject/
│ ├── __init__.py
│ ├── settings.py
│ ├── urls.py
│ └── wsgi.py
-
manage.py: Command-line utility -
settings.py: Configuration file -
urls.py: URL declarations -
wsgi.py: Web server gateway interface
Creating an App
python manage.py startapp blog
Add 'blog' to INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py.
✍️ Creating Models
# blog/models.py
from django.db import models
class Post(models.Model):
title = models.CharField(max_length=200)
content = models.TextField()
created_at = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
Run migrations:
python manage.py makemigrations
python manage.py migrate
Admin Panel
Enable admin by registering the model:
# blog/admin.py
from .models import Post
from django.contrib import admin
admin.site.register(Post)
Create admin user:
python manage.py createsuperuser
Access at: http://127.0.0.1:8000/admin/
URL Routing
Project URL Configuration
# myproject/urls.py
from django.contrib import admin
from django.urls import path, include
urlpatterns = [
path('admin/', admin.site.urls),
path('blog/', include('blog.urls')),
]
App URLs
# blog/urls.py
from django.urls import path
from . import views
urlpatterns = [
path('', views.index, name='index'),
]
Views and Templates
View
# blog/views.py
from django.shortcuts import render
from .models import Post
def index(request):
posts = Post.objects.all()
return render(request, 'blog/index.html', {'posts': posts})
Template
Create blog/templates/blog/index.html:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head><title>Blog</title></head>
<body>
<h1>My Blog</h1>
{% for post in posts %}
<h2>{{ post.title }}</h2>
<p>{{ post.content }}</p>
{% endfor %}
</body>
</html>
Forms and User Input
Django Form
# blog/forms.py
from django import forms
class ContactForm(forms.Form):
name = forms.CharField()
message = forms.CharField(widget=forms.Textarea)
Handling Form in View
# blog/views.py
from .forms import ContactForm
def contact(request):
if request.method == 'POST':
form = ContactForm(request.POST)
if form.is_valid():
# process data
pass
else:
form = ContactForm()
return render(request, 'blog/contact.html', {'form': form})
Static Files and Media
Configure in settings.py
STATIC_URL = '/static/'
MEDIA_URL = '/media/'
STATICFILES_DIRS = [BASE_DIR / "static"]
MEDIA_ROOT = BASE_DIR / "media"
In template:
{% load static %}
<link rel="stylesheet" href="{% static 'css/style.css' %}">
✉️ Sending Email
Configure in settings.py:
EMAIL_BACKEND = 'django.core.mail.backends.smtp.EmailBackend'
EMAIL_HOST = 'smtp.example.com'
EMAIL_PORT = 587
EMAIL_USE_TLS = True
EMAIL_HOST_USER = '[email protected]'
EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = 'yourpassword'
Send email:
from django.core.mail import send_mail
send_mail('Subject', 'Message', '[email protected]', ['[email protected]'])
Useful Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
runserver |
Start dev server |
makemigrations |
Create new migrations |
migrate |
Apply migrations |
createsuperuser |
Create admin user |
shell |
Open Django shell |
collectstatic |
Collect static files |
test |
Run unit tests |
Deployment Quick Notes
-
Set
DEBUG = Falseand addALLOWED_HOSTS -
Use Gunicorn + Nginx or Apache
-
Configure static/media with
collectstatic -
Use environment variables for secrets
-
Consider Docker for containerization
Tips & Best Practices
-
Keep
settings.pyorganized (use.envfor secrets) -
Use Class-Based Views (CBVs) for complex logic
-
Organize static and media files properly
-
Use Django signals for decoupled logic
-
Write tests using
pytestor Django’s built-in framework
❌ Common Pitfalls
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Template not found | Ensure correct path and app directory |
| CSRF token missing | Always use {% csrf_token %} in forms |
| Static files not loading | Run collectstatic and configure URLs |
| Admin not accessible | Create superuser and add to URLconf |
| Error 500 | Check logs, set proper DEBUG mode |
✅ Summary
Django simplifies full-stack web development with batteries-included features like:
-
ORM
-
Admin interface
-
URL routing
-
Forms
-
Templating
You now have a solid understanding to start building and deploying Django applications.
Suggested Next Steps
-
Build a blog or to-do app
-
Learn Django REST Framework (DRF)
-
Explore advanced topics like:
-
Caching
-
Signals
-
Middleware
-
Class-based views
-
-
Deploy on platforms like Render, Heroku, or DigitalOcean
