opmorgan / learn-django

Quick reference for how to make a website with django, following Django's tutorial:

Dependencies

• System-wide: docker, docker-compose, python3, django
• Installed in project's python virtual environment: django, psycopg2
• Recommended (project python venv): wheel, pylint, redgreenunittest

To create project

Create project directory

1. django-admin startproject [appname] (use "app", "base", or "config" instead of project name to avoid django's default of nesting a directory with the same name, and allow hyphens in project name. See discussion on django forums)
2. rename project directory to [project name]

In project directory, set up python virtual environment and install django

1. python3 -m venv env (Create venv)
2. source env/bin/activate (Activate venv)
3. pip install django (Install django in venv)

Set up postgres database with docker-compose

1. Make docker-compose.yml in project directory, specifying default database name (e.g., postgres_dev) (Template)
2. Run docker.service (depends on: docker)
3. sudo docker-compose up (compose database; keep this process running while developing)
4. (Later, set up a separate databse for production)

Hook up postgres database to django

1. Open app/settings.py
2. Set DATABASES to match docker-compose.yml (Template)
3. python manage.py migrate(Make initial migrations)

Run server in venv

1. pip install psycopg2
2. python manage.py runserver
3. Preview site in browser at localhost:8000 (runserver's default port)

To set up testing environment, for existing project

1. sudo docker compose up (Run the docker container)
2. source env/bin/activate (Enter python virutal environment)
3. python manage.py runserver
4. Preview site in browser at localhost:8000

To make model changes and migrations

1. Change models (models.py)
2. Run python manage.py makemigrations to create migrations for those changes
3. Run python manage.py migrate to apply those changes to the database.

To install linter and test-output colorizer, in venv

1. pip install pylint (If using nvim/nvim-coc as IDE)
2. pip install redgreenunittest
3. In app/settings.py, add: TEST_RUNNER="redgreenunittest.django.runner.RedGreenDiscoverRunner"

Make admin user and modify database through admin interface

1. python manage.py createsuperuser
2. Navigate to admin site: localhost:8000/admin
3. Make the app modifiable by admin, by adding to [app name]/admin.py:

from django.contrib import admin
from .models import [ModelName]
admin.site.register([ModelName])