Django is a high-level Python web framework that encourages rapid development and clean, pragmatic design. It follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern, although it’s often referred to as a Model-View-Template (MVT) framework because it technically uses templates rather than views. Its emphasis on simplicity, flexibility, and scalability makes it a popular choice among developers for web development projects.

In this tutorial, we will show you how to install the Django framework on Ubuntu 22.04.

Step 1 – Install Required Dependencies

Before starting, you will need to install the latest version of Python and additional packages on your server.

First, install the software-properties-common package.

apt install software-properties-common -y

Then, add the Python repository.

add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa -y

Next, update the repository cache and install the latest version of Python using the following command:

apt update
apt install python3.10 -y

After the installation, you can verify the Python installation using the following command:

python3 --version

Output:

Python 3.10.12

Next, install some additional packages using the following command:

apt install python3-pip python3.10-venv -y

Step 2 – Install Django

First, navigate to the /opt directory and create a Python virtual environment.

cd /opt
python3 -m venv django-venv

Next, activate the Python virtual environment.

source django-venv/bin/activate

Then install the Django using the PIP command:

pip3 install django

After the installation, you can verify the Django version using the following command:

django-admin --version

Output:

5.0.3

Step 3 – Create a Django Project

Now, create a new Django project using the django-admin command:

django-admin startproject djangoproject .

Once the Django project is created, you can list all files and directories using the following command:

ls

Output:

djangoproject  django-venv  manage.py

Next, migrate the Django database using the command below:

python3 manage.py migrate

Step 4 – Create a Django Superuser

Next, you will need to create a superuser to manage the Django admin dashboard. You can create it using the following command:

python3 manage.py createsuperuser

Set your admin user and password as shown below:

Username (leave blank to use 'root'): admin
Email address: [email protected]
Password: 
Password (again): 
Superuser created successfully.

Step 5 – Start Django Project

First, edit the Django configuration file and add your server IP in the allowed host.

nano djangoproject/settings.py

Change the following line:

ALLOWED_HOSTS = ['your-server-ip']

Save and close the file, and then start your Django project using the following command:

python3 manage.py runserver your-server-ip:8000

You will see the following output:

Watching for file changes with StatReloader
Performing system checks...

System check identified no issues (0 silenced).
March 24, 2024 - 07:50:10
Django version 5.0.3, using settings 'djangoproject.settings'
Starting development server at http://209.23.12.27:8000/
Quit the server with CONTROL-C.

Step 6 – Access Django Project

At this point, your Django project is started and listening on port 8000. You can now access it using the URL http://your-server-ip:8000. You will see the Django dashboard on the following page.

You can also access your Django admin dashboard using the URL http://your-server-ip:8000/admin.

Conclusion

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can quickly set up Django and start building powerful web applications with ease. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just starting, Django’s robust framework and extensive documentation make it a valuable tool for any project. You can now test the Django application on dedicated server hosting from Atlantic.Net!