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SAINAPEI LENAPUNYA
SAINAPEI LENAPUNYA

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DAY 1 :The Django Playground: Let’s Set Things Up Like Pros!

🌀 Introduction: From Clueless to Configured

If you're reading this and wondering:

"What is Python really?"

"Wait, do I need all this WSL, Docker, VS Code, PIP stuff to use Django?"

"How do I even start?"

Breathe. You're not alone.
We’re kicking off Day 1 of our 20-Day Django Challenge with the essentials setting up your machine so you can write clean, bug-free code (or at least pretend to 😄).

Whether you’re on Windows, macOS, or Linux, this guide has your back.

What We’re Installing Today

Tool Purpose

  • Python 3.10+:(Language Django runs on)
  • pip:(Python’s package installer)
  • virtualenv:(Keeps your projects clean and isolated)
  • Django:(The main backend framework)
  • VS Code / PyCharm:(Where you’ll write your code)
  • Docker (optional):(Dev environment in containers)
  • WSL (for Windows only):(Makes Windows work like Linux)
  • Git + GitHub SSH:(For pushing code to the cloud)

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

1.Install Python 3.10+
Head over to

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Click "Download Python 3.10.x" (or newer)

Install it (check the box that says “Add Python to PATH”)

Confirm it's installed:

python --version

On Windows: You may use WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Here’s how to install WSL

2.Install pip

If you installed Python 3.10+, pip should come by default.
Check using:

pip --version

If not installed, follow this pip installation guide
pip install guide

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3.Configure Git and GitHub (SSH)
Go to Download Git

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Go to github and create an account
Create Github Account

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "you@example.com"
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Then, generate an SSH key

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "you@example.com"

Copy the SSH key to GitHub → Settings → SSH Keys.

Test:

ssh -T git@github.com

4.Install a Code Editor: PyCharm or VS Code
I personally love PyCharm,it's smooth and Django-friendly. But VS Code works great too

Download PyCharm

PyCharm
Or rather use Vs Code as your text editor Download VsCode

Vs Code

5.Set Up a Virtual Environment
Virtual environments keep your Django project clean from other projects.

python -m venv env
source env/bin/activate   # Mac/Linux
env\Scripts\activate      # Windows
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Your terminal will show (env) on the left. That means it’s working!

6.Install django

pip install django
django-admin --version
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7.Install Docker (Optional but 🔥 for DevOps)

Download Docker Desktop:Go to docker desktop
Follow install instructions for your OS
This step is for those who want to explore containerized Django development later.

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Test it:
docker --version

8.(Optional) Windows WSL
Want a Linux-like terminal?
Install WSL Guide

9.Test Everything!
Let’s build your first Django project:

django-admin startproject mysite
cd mysite
python manage.py runserver
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Then visit:
You should see the Django welcome page!

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✅ Your Checklist Today

[ ] Install Python 3.10+

[ ] Install pip

[ ] Create and activate virtual environment

[ ] Install Django

[ ] Install a code editor

[ ] Install Docker (optional)

[ ] Set up Git & GitHub SSH

💬 Final Thoughts

This might feel like a lot, but you’ve just built the foundation for everything to come. Without this setup, Django won’t run properly. Now that you're geared up, Day 2 will take you into the exciting world of Git, GitHub, forking, pushing, and collaborating like a real dev.

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