How to Install Django 5 on Ubuntu 24.04

Install Python

Django is a Python framework that requires Python to be installed. If you haven’t done so yet, use the command below to install Python.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3.12 python3.12-venv

After installing 💿, you can check the Python version using the command below.

python3 -V

Install Django 5

To install Django 5 on Ubuntu 24.04, you need to create a virtual environment to keep your project files separate from the rest of your system. Once the virtual environment is ready and active, use the pip package manager to download and set up Django 5 on your machine by running the installation command in your terminal.

Within your home directory, run the command below to create a Python environment and download Django 5 packages.

python3 -m venv --system-site-packages ~/django5

Then, activate the environment.

source ~/django5/bin/activate

Install Django 5.

pip3 install 'Django>=5,<6'

You can check the Django version after installing using the command below.

django-admin --version

deactivate

Create your project

Creating your first Django 5 project involves using the django-admin command-line tool to generate the essential file structure and configuration settings for your website. After activating your virtual environment, you run a simple command to set up the project folder and prepare the default database so you can start building right away.

Activate the Django 5 environment.

source ~/django5/bin/activate

Create an app folder called myproject.

django-admin startproject myproject

Change into the myproject folder.

cd myproject

Configure a database. Default is SQLite.

python manage.py migrate

Create an admin user.

python manage.py createsuperuser

When prompted, enter a username, password, and email address.

Username (leave blank to use 'richard'):      
Email address: richard@example.com
Password: 
Password (again): 
Superuser created successfully.

You can now start the project using the command below.

python manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:8000

http://localhost:8000

To access the Django from another machine, edit the networking settings.

vi myproject/settings.py

Then, add this line

# SECURITY WARNING: don't run with debug turned on in production!
DEBUG = True

ALLOWED_HOSTS = ['*']

Save and exit.

Within your project folder, you can start creating your apps.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

In summary, installing Django on Ubuntu 24.04 using a Python virtual environment is a straightforward process that provides a clean workspace for your projects. Here are the key takeaways:

• Django Framework: Enables rapid development and follows the DRY principle for efficient coding.
• Virtual Environment: Keeps your project's dependencies isolated, avoiding conflicts with global Python installations.
• Installation Steps: Installing Python and setting up Django in a virtual environment is simple and manageable.
• Creating Your First App: You can quickly start developing your first app with the provided commands and configurations.
• Accessing Your Project: Adjust network settings to access your Django application from other machines.

This guide helps you start developing with Django, a web framework that provides powerful features for your web applications. Using Django enables faster and more efficient project creation.