docs
Django
Installation

Here's a step-by-step guide for installing Django using a virtual environment (venv):

1. Install Python

Ensure Python is installed on your system. Django works with Python versions 3.7 and above. You can check your Python version with:

python --version

If Python is not installed, you can download it from the official website: Python Downloads (opens in a new tab).

2. Create a Project Directory

Create a directory where your Django project will reside.

mkdir my_django_project
cd my_django_project

3. Set Up a Virtual Environment

To keep your project dependencies isolated, it's a good practice to use a virtual environment.

For Linux/macOS:

python3 -m venv venv

For Windows:

python -m venv venv

4. Activate the Virtual Environment

After creating the virtual environment, you need to activate it.

For Linux/macOS:

source venv/bin/activate

For Windows:

venv\Scripts\activate

Once activated, your command line will show (venv) indicating the virtual environment is active.

5. Upgrade pip

Before installing Django, it's recommended to upgrade pip to the latest version.

pip install --upgrade pip

6. Install Django

With the virtual environment active, install Django using pip:

pip install django

To confirm the installation, check the Django version:

django-admin --version

7. Create a Django Project

Now that Django is installed, create your first Django project:

django-admin startproject myproject

This will create a directory named myproject with the following structure:

myproject/
    manage.py
    myproject/
        __init__.py
        settings.py
        urls.py
        asgi.py
        wsgi.py

8. Run the Development Server

Navigate into the project directory and run the development server to ensure everything is set up properly.

cd myproject
python manage.py runserver

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

9. Deactivate the Virtual Environment

When you're done working, you can deactivate the virtual environment by running:

deactivate

These are the basic steps to install and set up Django with a virtual environment (venv).