Django Tutorial for Beginners: Learn Web Development Step-by-Step (2025 Edition)

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Introduction to Django
Django is a high-level Python web framework that allows developers to build robust and scalable web applications quickly. It follows the “batteries-included” philosophy, meaning it comes with a wide range of built-in features like user authentication, admin interface, and more.

Whether you’re a student, a developer transitioning to web development, or a complete beginner, this tutorial will walk you through creating your first Django project step-by-step.

What You’ll Learn

  • How to install Django
  • Create your first Django project and app
  • Understand the MTV (Model-Template-View) architecture
  • Build models and use the Django admin
  • Create dynamic views and URLs
  • Use templates to build HTML pages
  • Run and test your Django web application

Prerequisites

  • Basic knowledge of Python
  • Python installed on your system (Python 3.10+ recommended)
  • Code editor (VS Code recommended)
  • Terminal/Command Prompt

Step 1: Install Django

pip install django
django-admin --version

Step 2: Create a Django Project

django-admin startproject myproject
cd myproject
python manage.py runserver

Visit http://127.0.0.1:8000/ to confirm your project is running.

Step 3: Create a Django App

python manage.py startapp myapp

Then, register your app in settings.py:

INSTALLED_APPS = [
    ...
    'myapp',
]

Step 4: Understand the MTV Architecture

  • Model: Defines the data structure (database tables).
  • Template: Controls how data is presented (HTML).
  • View: Handles logic and connects model to template.

Step 5: Create Your First Model

Edit myapp/models.py:

from django.db import models

class Post(models.Model):
    title = models.CharField(max_length=100)
    content = models.TextField()

    def __str__(self):
        return self.title
python manage.py makemigrations
python manage.py migrate

Step 6: Use Django Admin

python manage.py createsuperuser

Login at /admin/ and add your data via the admin dashboard.

Step 7: Create Views and URLs

Edit myapp/views.py:

from django.http import HttpResponse

def home(request):
    return HttpResponse("Welcome to Django!")

Create myapp/urls.py:

from django.urls import path
from . import views

urlpatterns = [
    path('', views.home, name='home'),
]

Include this in myproject/urls.py:

from django.contrib import admin
from django.urls import path, include

urlpatterns = [
    path('admin/', admin.site.urls),
    path('', include('myapp.urls')),
]

Step 8: Create Templates

Create a file at templates/myapp/home.html:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head><title>Django App</title></head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to Django!</h1>
</body>
</html>

Modify the view:

from django.shortcuts import render

def home(request):
    return render(request, 'myapp/home.html')

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve just created your first Django web app. From project setup to creating templates and views, you’ve covered the fundamentals. Next, explore Django forms, user authentication, REST APIs, and deployment options.

Stay tuned for more tutorials and subscribe to our blog for updates!

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