Django - Get Started

Before You Start

Python 3.10+

Django runs on Python

pip

Python package manager

Virtual environment

Recommended for isolation

Get It Running

Recommended

Standard Setup

Create a Django project with pip.

First, open your Terminal:

⌘ + Space → type "Terminal" → press Enter

Open Terminal

Create a folder for your project and navigate to it

mkdir myproject && cd myproject

Create a virtual environment (keeps your project's packages separate)

python3 -m venv venv

Activate the virtual environment (you'll see "(venv)" appear in your terminal)

source venv/bin/activate

Install Django inside the virtual environment

pip install django

Create your Django project

django-admin startproject config .

Start the development server

python manage.py runserver

Open http://127.0.0.1:8000 in your browser - you should see the Django welcome page!

First, open your Terminal:

Win + R → type "cmd" or "powershell" → press Enter

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell

Create a folder for your project and navigate to it

mkdir myproject && cd myproject

Create a virtual environment (keeps your project's packages separate)

python -m venv venv

Activate the virtual environment (you'll see "(venv)" appear in your terminal)

venv\Scripts\activate

Install Django inside the virtual environment

pip install django

Create your Django project

django-admin startproject config .

Start the development server

python manage.py runserver

Open http://127.0.0.1:8000 in your browser - you should see the Django welcome page!

Start Vibe Coding

Create your project, push to GitHub, and start coding with AI in one go.

First, make sure you have these installed:

Git - Version control
GitHub CLI - Create repos from terminal
Cursor - AI-powered code editor

Project Name

Download Setup Script Recommended

Download and run a script that sets up everything automatically.

How to run on Mac

1. Open Terminal (Cmd + Space, type "Terminal")

2. Navigate to Downloads: cd ~/Downloads

3. Run: chmod +x setup-*.sh && ./setup-*.sh

How to run on Windows

1. Open your Downloads folder

2. Double-click the .bat file

3. If warned, click "More info" → "Run anyway"

Manual Setup (Copy & Paste)

# Enter a project name above to generate your script

Paste this in your terminal to create your project, initialize git, push to GitHub, and open in Cursor.

Build with Claude Code

Use Claude Code to build your Django project by describing what you want in plain English.

Get your Anthropic API key (one-time)

You'll need an API key to use Claude Code. It's free to sign up!

1. Go to console.anthropic.com and sign up or log in
2. Navigate to API Keys in the sidebar
3. Click Create Key and copy it somewhere safe

Get API Key

Add your API key to your system (one-time)

Run this in your terminal to save the key permanently. Replace your-api-key with your actual key.

echo 'export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-api-key"' >> ~/.zshrc && source ~/.zshrc

This adds the key to your shell config so it's always available.

setx ANTHROPIC_API_KEY "your-api-key"

This sets a permanent environment variable. Restart your terminal after running this.

Install Claude Code (one-time setup)

Run this command once in your terminal from anywhere.

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Start Claude in your project

Navigate to your Django project folder, then run:

claude

Describe what you want to build

Claude will read your project and help you build it. Try prompts like:

"Add a responsive navbar" "Create a contact form" "Add dark mode toggle" "Explain this code"

Learn more about Claude Code

Go Live

Ready to share your Django project with the world? Deploy it in minutes.

Deploy Your Project

Learn More

Django Documentation

Django Girls Tutorial

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