Running Django Development Server: A Comprehensive Guide

To run a Django development server, you can use the django-admin runserver command. This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, provide tips, and answer any questions you might have.

Step-by-Step Guide to Running Django Development Server

Step 1: Open Your Terminal or Command Prompt

Begin by opening your terminal or command prompt on your computer. This is where you will run the commands necessary to start your Django development server.

Step 2: Navigate to Your Django Project Directory

Next, navigate to the directory where your Django project is located. This directory should contain the file, typically named You can use the cd command to change your current working directory. For example:

cd path/to/your/project

If you are not sure of the directory path, you can use the pwd command on Unix-based systems or cd / followed by cd back/to/your/project on Windows to traverse back to the project root.

Step 3: Run the Development Server

Once you have navigated to the project directory, run the following command to start the development server:

django-admin runserver

By default, the server will run on the URL http://127.0.0.1:8000/. If you prefer to run the server on a different address or port, you can specify it in the command. For example, to run it on port 8080, use:

django-admin runserver 8080

Step 4: Access Your Application

To view your Django application running, open a web browser and navigate to the URL suggested by the server or the one you specified. Typically, this will be:

http://127.0.0.1:8000/

Additional Tips and Notes

Note: Ensure Django is Installed

Before running the server, make sure Django is installed in your environment. You can install it using pip if you haven't already:

pip install django

If you are working within a virtual environment, ensure it is activated before running the server. You can activate it using:

source venv/bin/activate (Unix-based systems)
venvScriptsactivate (Windows systems)

Note: Running Django in Production

The runserver command is intended for development purposes only. For production, you should use a proper web server configuration. Popular choices include Gunicorn, uWSGI, or Nginx with Gunicorn/uWSGI.

Alternative Methods for Running the Server

Aside from using the django-admin runserver command, you can also use the Django Command Shell. Here’s how you can do it:

Method 1: Using Django Command Shell

Open your terminal and run:

python runserver

This command is similar to using django-admin runserver, but it uses the Django-specific command shell.

Method 2: Using Windows PowerShell

To run the Django server using PowerShell, follow these steps:

Open PowerShell. Navigate to your project directory. Run the following command: python runserver

The server URL will be displayed, usually something like:

http://127.0.0.1:8000/

Note: Django Wrapper

While django-admin runserver provides a straightforward way to start the server, you can also use a Django wrapper like This is a thin wrapper over django-admin that allows you to run server commands more conveniently.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ: DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE

While the set DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE is often necessary for production settings, it's automatically handled by Django when running runserver. This is not required when using django-admin runserver, but may still be needed if you are customizing your environment further.

FAQ: Compatibility with Virtual Environment

If you are using a virtual environment, ensure it is activated before running any Django commands. Activation is typically done using:

source venv/bin/activate (Unix-based systems)
venvScriptsactivate (Windows systems)

FAQ: Setting Up for Production

For production, consider using a web server like Gunicorn or uWSGI. A basic configuration can be set up using the following command:

gunicorn --bind 0.0.0.0:8000 your_project_

This sets up the server to bind to all available network interfaces and listen on port 8000. Adjust the port and settings to match your specific needs.

Conclusion

Running a Django development server is a fundamental task for Django developers. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you should be able to set up and run your application locally for development purposes. Remember, for production, always consider more robust server setups.