• Django is a python based web framework that was originally designed as a CMS for a newspaper. The CMS that was originally developed is called Ellington which is not open source but, the framework that built it is (that is Django)

• Object-relational mapper. A drat fun one I might add if your coming from a PHP world. You'll soon see
  
• Automatic Admin Interface. If there is a 'killer' component of Django, this is it. This is the biggest time saver I've ever used in web development
  
• Elegant URL design. Do you know regex? Good you make any URL you want. If you don't, like me.. Fake it. It's still pretty easy
  
• Template System. Some people love it. Some people hate it. Good thing? If you really hate you don't have to use it
  
• Internationalization. I've never used it but, it's there I guess
  

I'll quote Jacob Kaplan-Moss here, one of the creators of Django to answer that

• Django works - right now
  
• Deployment is a breeze (it can be a bit tricky though, I take a bit of qualms with this one which I'll discuss later)
  
• Your site won't go down (obviously it can.. If you build it wrong)
  
• Django is fast
  
• Django admin will blow your mind (100% agreed!)
  
• You don't need to go whole-hog
  
• Django plays will with designers
  
• Django comes from the real world
  
• We're here to help (thats what this thread is for too!)
  

 
django-admin.py startproject blog
#This creates the a directory called blog and places in it the basic files for a django project
cd blog/
# Lets change directories 
django-admin.py startapp main
#This creates a directory called main that is an application in our project.

blog/
	__init__.py
	main/
		__init__.py
		models.py
		views.py
	manage.py
	settings.py
	urls.py

• manage.py
  - This is the script you'll run from the command line that does all sorts of neat stuff like start your development server, sync your database with your defined models, start-up your admin interface, etc
  
• settings.py
  - Your basic config file. Contains your DB connection data, directory to your templates, what apps and extra Django modules you want the framework to load, etc.
  
• urls.py
  - This is the file where you define what specific URLs do when called by your application.
  
• models.py
  - This is a fun file. This is really where you conceive your web application. You merely define your models and Django can build almost the rest of the app for you
  
• views.py
  - This is where all the real work happens. This is where you control and gather the information to send to the browser
  

$python manage.py runserver
Validating models...
0 errors found.

Django version 0.97-pre, using settings 'blog.settings'
Development server is running at [url]http://127.0.0.1:8000/[/url]
Quit the server with CONTROL-C.

DATABASE_ENGINE = 'sqlite3'       
DATABASE_NAME = './blog_test.db'          
DATABASE_USER = ''           
DATABASE_PASSWORD = ''
DATABASE_HOST = ''          
DATABASE_PORT = '' 

INSTALLED_APPS = (
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.sites',
    'django.contrib.admin',
)

$ python manage.py syncdb
Creating table auth_message
Creating table auth_group
Creating table auth_user
Creating table auth_permission
Creating table django_content_type
Creating table django_session
Creating table django_site
Creating table django_admin_log

You just installed Django's auth system, which means you don't have any superusers defined.
Would you like to create one now? (yes/no):

You just installed Django's auth system, which means you don't have any superusers defined.
Would you like to create one now? (yes/no): yes
Username (Leave blank to use 'ATLBeer'): ATLBeer
E-mail address: [email]atlbeer@gmail.com[/email]
Password: 
Password (again): 
Superuser created successfully.
Installing index for auth.Message model
Installing index for auth.Permission model
Installing index for admin.LogEntry model
Loading 'initial_data' fixtures...
No fixtures found.

$ python manage.py runserver
Validating models...
0 errors found.

Django version 0.97-pre, using settings 'blog.settings'
Development server is running at [url]http://127.0.0.1:8000/[/url]
Quit the server with CONTROL-C.

from django.conf.urls.defaults import *

urlpatterns = patterns('',
    # Example:
    # (r'^blog/', include('blog.foo.urls')),

    # Uncomment this for admin:
#     (r'^admin/', include('django.contrib.admin.urls')),
)

from django.conf.urls.defaults import *

urlpatterns = patterns('',
    # Example:
    # (r'^blog/', include('blog.foo.urls')),

    # Uncomment this for admin:
    (r'^admin/', include('django.contrib.admin.urls')),
)

INSTALLED_APPS = (
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.sites',
    'django.contrib.admin',
    'main',
)

class Category(models.Model):
	Name		= models.CharField(maxlength=255)

	def __str__(self):
		return self.Name
	class Admin:
		pass
	class Meta:
		pass

$ python manage.py syncdb
[b]Creating table main_category[/b]
Loading 'initial_data' fixtures...
No fixtures found.

class Category(models.Model):
	Name		= models.CharField(maxlength=255)
	def __str__(self):
		return self.Name
	class Admin:
		pass
	class Meta:
		[b]verbose_name_plural = "Categories"[/b]

In [3]: from main.models import Category
In [4]: Category
Out[4]: <class 'main.models.Category'>

In [6]: Category.objects.all()
Out[6]: [<Category: Simple Category>, <Category: Other Category>, <Category: BEEESS!!!>]

In [7]: all_categories = Category.objects.all()
In [8]: one_category = all_categories[0]
In [9]: one_category
Out[9]: <Category: Simple Category>
In [10]: print one_category
Simple Category

In [11]: one_category.Name
Out[11]: u'Simple Category'
In [12]: one_category.Name = "Some New Name"

In [13]: one_category.save()

In [14]: new_category = Category()

In [15]: new_category.Name = "Brand New Category"

In [16]: new_category.save()
In [17]: Category.objects.all()
Out[17]: [<Category: Some New Name>, <Category: Other Category>, <Category: BEEESS!!!>, [b]<Category: Brand New Category>[/b]]

from django.db import models
[b]from django.contrib.auth.models import User[/b]

class BlogPost(models.Model):
	Title		= models.CharField(maxlength=255)
	Category	= models.ForeignKey(Category)
	Slug		= models.SlugField(prepopulate_from=('Title',))
	Author		= models.ForeignKey(User)
	PostText	= models.TextField()
	PublishDate	= models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
	
	def __str__(self):
		return self.Title
	class Admin:
		pass
	class Meta:
		pass			

$ python manage.py syncdb
[b]Creating table main_blogpost[/b]
Installing index for main.BlogPost model
Loading 'initial_data' fixtures...
No fixtures found.

In [1]: from main.models import BlogPost, Category
In [2]: BlogPost.objects.all()
Out[2]: [<BlogPost: new blog post here>, <BlogPost: second blog post>]

In [3]: all_posts = BlogPost.objects.all()
In [4]: one_post = all_posts[0]
In [5]: one_post
Out[5]: <BlogPost: new blog post here>
In [6]: one_post.Category
Out[6]: <Category: Some New Name>
In [7]: one_post.Category.Name
Out[7]: u'Some New Name'
In [8]: one_post.Author
Out[8]: <User: ATLBeer>
In [9]: one_post.Author.username
Out[9]: u'ATLBeer'

In [11]: all_categories = Category.objects.all()
In [12]: all_categories
Out[12]: [<Category: Some New Name>, <Category: Other Category>, <Category: BEEESS!!!>, <Category: Brand New Category>]
In [13]: all_categories[2]
Out[13]: <Category: BEEESS!!!>
In [14]: one_post.Category = all_categories[2]
In [15]: one_post.save()
In [16]: one_post.Category
Out[16]: <Category: BEEESS!!!>

In [17]: all_categories
Out[17]: [<Category: Some New Name>, <Category: Other Category>, <Category: BEEESS!!!>, <Category: Brand New Category>]
In [18]: a_category = all_categories[2]
In [19]: a_category
Out[19]: <Category: BEEESS!!!>
In [20]: posts_in_category = BlogPost.objects.filter(Category=a_category)
In [21]: posts_in_category
Out[21]: [<BlogPost: new blog post here>, <BlogPost: second blog post>]

In [22]: for post in posts_in_category:
   ....:     print post.Title
   ....:     
   ....:     
new blog post here
second blog post

class BlogPost(models.Model):
	Title		= models.CharField(maxlength=255)
	Category	= models.ForeignKey(Category)
	Slug		= models.SlugField(prepopulate_from=('Title',))
	Author		= models.ForeignKey(User)
	PostText	= models.TextField()
	PublishDate	= models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
	
	def __str__(self):
		return self.Title
	class Admin:
		pass
	class Meta:
		pass

class BlogPost(models.Model):
	Title		= models.CharField(maxlength=255)
	Category	= models.ForeignKey(Category)
	Slug		= models.SlugField(prepopulate_from=('Title',))
	Author		= models.ForeignKey(User)
	PostText	= models.TextField()
	PublishDate	= models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
	
	def __str__(self):
		return self.Title
	class Admin:
		[b]list_display = ['Title', 'Category', 'Author', 'PublishDate']
		list_filter = ['Category', 'Author', 'PublishDate'][/b]
	class Meta:
		pass	

<html>
	<title>My stupid Django Blog</title>
	<body>
		<center>
			Category 1 | Category 2 | Category 3
		</center>
		
		<hr>
		Blog post 1
		<hr>
		Blog post 2
	</body>
</html>

blog/
	__init__.py
	__init__.pyc
	blog_test.db
	main/
		__init__.py
		__init__.pyc
		models.py
		models.pyc
		views.py
	manage.py
	settings.py
	settings.pyc
	templates/
		frontpage.html
	urls.py
	urls.pyc

from django.conf.urls.defaults import *

urlpatterns = patterns('',
    # Example:
    # (r'^blog/', include('blog.foo.urls')),

    # Uncomment this for admin:
    (r'^admin/', include('django.contrib.admin.urls')),
	(r'^$', 	'main.views.front_page'),
)

def front_page(request):
	pass

from main.models import *
from django.http import HttpResponse
from django.template import Context, loader

from main.models import *
from django.http import HttpResponse
from django.template import Context, loader


def front_page(request):
	return HttpResponse()

TEMPLATE_DIRS = (
    # Put strings here, like "/home/html/django_templates" or "C:/www/django/templates".
    # Always use forward slashes, even on Windows.
    # Don't forget to use absolute paths, not relative paths.
    '/Volumes/Storage/Work/Projects/TestProjects/blog/templates/',
)

def front_page(request):
	[b]template = loader.get_template('frontpage.html')
	context = Context()
	
	return HttpResponse(template.render(context))[/b]

def front_page(request):
	template = loader.get_template('frontpage.html')
	
	all_categories = Category.objects.all()
	
	context = Context(
			{
				'all_categories'	:	all_categories,
			}
			)
	
	return HttpResponse(template.render(context))

<html>
	<title>My stupid Django Blog</title>
	<body>
		<center>
			{% for category in all_categories %}
				<a href="/category/{{category.id}}/">
					{{category}}
				</a>
				|
			{% endfor %}
		</center>
		
		<hr>
		Blog post 1
		<hr>
		Blog post 2
	</body>
</html>

def front_page(request):
	template = loader.get_template('frontpage.html')
	
	all_categories = Category.objects.all()
	first_posts = BlogPost.objects.all().order_by('-PublishDate')[:5]
	
	context = Context(
			{
				'all_categories'	:	all_categories,
				'first_posts'		:	first_posts,
			}
			)
	
	return HttpResponse(template.render(context))

<html>
	<title>My stupid Django Blog</title>
	<body>
		<center>
			{% for category in all_categories %}
				<a href="/category/{{category.id}}/">
					{{category}}
				</a>
				|
			{% endfor %}
		</center>
		
		{% for post in first_posts %}
			<a href="/post/{{post.Slug}}/"> {{post.Title}} </a><br>
			<i>Written By: {{post.Author}} posted {{post.PublishDate|timesince}}</i><br>
			{{post.PostText}}
			<hr><br>
		{% endfor %}
	</body>
</html>

(r'^category/(?P<cat_id>\d+)/$', 'main.views.category_filter'),

def category_filter(request, cat_id):
	template = loader.get_template('category_filter.html')
	all_categories = Category.objects.all()
	this_category = Category.objects.filter(id=cat_id)[0]
	posts_in_category = BlogPost.objects.filter(Category=this_category)
	
	context = Context(
			{
				'all_categories'	:	all_categories,
				'posts'				:	posts_in_category,
			}
			)
	return HttpResponse(template.render(context))

<html>
	<title>My stupid Django Blog</title>
	<body>
		<center>
			{% for category in all_categories %}
				<a href="/category/{{category.id}}/">
					{{category}}
				</a>
				|
			{% endfor %}
		</center>
		
		{% for post in posts %}
			<a href="/post/{{post.Slug}}/"> {{post.Title}} </a><br>
			<i>Written By: {{post.Author}} posted {{post.PublishDate|timesince}}</i><br>
			{{post.PostText}}
			<hr><br>
		{% endfor %}
	</body>
</html>

(r'^post/(?P<slug_url>[-\w]+)/$', 'main.views.post_view'),

def post_view(request, slug_url):
	template = loader.get_template('post_view.html')
	all_categories = Category.objects.all()
	blog_post = BlogPost.objects.filter(Slug=slug_url)[0]
	
	context = Context(
			{
				'all_categories'	:	all_categories,
				'post'				:	blog_post,
			}
			)
	return HttpResponse(template.render(context))

<html>
	<title>My stupid Django Blog</title>
	<body>
		<center>
			{% for category in all_categories %}
				<a href="/category/{{category.id}}/">
					{{category}}
				</a>
				|
			{% endfor %}
		</center>
		
		<hr>
		
			<a href="/post/{{post.Slug}}/"> {{post.Title}} </a><br>
			<i>Written By: {{post.Author}} posted {{post.PublishDate|timesince}}</i><br>
			{{post.PostText}}
			<hr><br>
		
	</body>
</html>

ATLbeer fucked around with this message at 23:39 on Mar 7, 2008

• Django Documentation
  
• Django Book
  
• Model Reference
  
• DB API
  
• Django Snippets
  

• The B List (*great Django blog)
  
• The software that powers The B List (Coltrane)
  
• Jacob Kaplan Moss (Co-Lead? Developer of Django)
  
• Adrian Holovaty (Co-Lead? Developer of Django)
  
• Django Podcast
  

• Django Sites
  
• Django Sites (but, with open source!)
  
• Many others... Django sites is the most official list of Django powered sites
  
• EveryBlock (Written by Holovaty)
  
• ChicagoCrime (Again by Holovaty)
  

• Django Tagging (for all your Web 2.0 tagging needs, also a great example of GenericRelations which is wicked cool)
  
• Django Comments (Extension of the built in comments system)
  

ATLbeer fucked around with this message at 02:40 on Mar 6, 2008

ATLbeer fucked around with this message at 15:50 on Apr 8, 2008