Django Web Framework Tutorial Notes

Introduction

• Host: Dave Gray
• 3 hours of Django tutorials with 12 sequential lessons
• Links available in the video description, compiled on GitHub
• Django official website: djangoproject.com

What is Django?

• High-level Python web framework
• Encourages rapid development and clean design
• Secure and scalable with built-in features

Prerequisites

• Basic understanding of Python is recommended
• Visual Studio Code as code editor
• Install Python from python.org

Setting Up Django

1. Create a new folder for the project.
2. Open terminal in Visual Studio Code.
3. Verify Python installation with py --version.
4. Create a virtual environment with py -m venv venv.
5. Activate the environment:
   • Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
   • Mac/Linux: source venv/bin/activate
6. Install Django: py -m pip install Django
7. Verify Django installation with py -m django --version.
8. Create a Django project: django-admin startproject myproject
9. Navigate to the project directory.
10. Start the server: py manage.py runserver
11. Visit http://127.0.0.1:8000 to access the web app.

Creating Django Apps

• Use py manage.py startapp posts to create a new app.
• Add app to INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py.

URL Routing

• Define URL patterns in urls.py in the app directory.
• Use path() to route URLs to view functions.

Views and Responses

• Create view functions in views.py to handle requests.
• Render templates using render() and pass context data.

Working with Templates

• Use Django template language to create dynamic HTML.
• Use {% url 'name' %} syntax for linking routes.

Using Forms

• Create forms using Django forms framework.
• Validate forms and handle POST requests in views.

User Authentication

• Add user registration, login, and logout functionality.
• Use Django's built-in user management views.

Admin Interface

• Access Django admin interface to manage models and users.
• Register models in admin.py to display them in admin.

Static and Media Files

• Serve static files using Django's staticfiles app.
• Handle media uploads and serve them correctly.

Deployment Considerations

• Ensure DEBUG is set to False in production.
• Configure ALLOWED_HOSTS for security.
• Use environment variables for sensitive data in production.

Final Notes

• Review code from the GitHub repository for references.
• Apply learned concepts to build and deploy real-world applications.