=====================
How to install Django
=====================

This document will get you up and running with Django.

Install Python
==============

Being a Python Web framework, Django requires Python.

It works with any Python version 2.3 and higher.

Get Python at www.python.org. If you're running Linux or Mac OS X, you probably
already have it installed.

Install Apache and mod_python
=============================

If you just want to experiment with Django, skip this step. Django comes with
its own Web server for development purposes.

If you want to use Django on a production site, use Apache with `mod_python`_.
mod_python is similar to mod_perl -- it embeds Python within Apache and loads
Python code into memory when the server starts. Code stays in memory throughout
the life of an Apache process, which leads to significant performance gains
over other server arrangements. Make sure you have Apache installed, with the
mod_python module activated. Django requires Apache 2.x and mod_python 3.x.

See `How to use Django with mod_python`_ for information on how to configure
mod_python once you have it installed.

If you can't use mod_python for some reason, fear not: Django follows the WSGI_
spec, which allows it to run on a variety of server platforms. See the
`server-arrangements wiki page`_ for specific installation instructions for
each platform.

.. _Apache: http://httpd.apache.org/
.. _mod_python: http://www.modpython.org/
.. _WSGI: http://www.python.org/peps/pep-0333.html
.. _How to use Django with mod_python: ../modpython/
.. _server-arrangements wiki page: http://code.djangoproject.com/wiki/ServerArrangements

Get your database running
=========================

If you plan to use Django's database API functionality, you'll need to
make sure a database server is running. Django works with PostgreSQL_
(recommended), MySQL_ and SQLite_.

Additionally, you'll need to make sure your Python database bindings are
installed.

* If you're using PostgreSQL, you'll need the psycopg_ package (version 2 is
  recommended with ``postgresql_psycopg2`` backend, version 1.1 works also with the
  ``postgresql``` backend). 
  
  If you're on Windows, check out the unofficial `compiled Windows version`_.
  
* If you're using MySQL, you'll need MySQLdb_, version 1.2.1p2 or higher.

* If you're using SQLite, you'll need pysqlite_. Use version 2.0.3 or higher.

.. _PostgreSQL: http://www.postgresql.org/
.. _MySQL: http://www.mysql.com/
.. _Django's ticket system: http://code.djangoproject.com/report/1
.. _psycopg: http://initd.org/tracker/psycopg
.. _compiled Windows version: http://stickpeople.com/projects/python/win-psycopg/
.. _MySQLdb: http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-python
.. _SQLite: http://www.sqlite.org/
.. _pysqlite: http://initd.org/tracker/pysqlite

Install the Django code
=======================

Installation instructions are slightly different depending on whether you're
using the latest official version or the latest development version.

It's easy either way.

Installing the official version
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    1. Check the `distribution specific notes`_ to see if your
       platform/distribution provides official Django packages/installers.
       Distribution-provided packages will typically allow for automatic
       installation of dependancies and easy upgrade paths.

    2. Download the latest release from our `download page`_.

    3. Untar the downloaded file (e.g. ``tar xzvf Django-NNN.tar.gz``).

    4. Change into the downloaded directory (e.g. ``cd Django-NNN``).

    5. Run ``sudo python setup.py install``.

The command will install Django in your Python installation's ``site-packages``
directory.

.. _distribution specific notes: ../distributions/

Installing the development version
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you'd like to be able to update your Django code occasionally with the
latest bug fixes and improvements, follow these instructions:

1. Make sure you have Subversion_ installed.
2. Check out the Django code into your Python ``site-packages`` directory.
   On Linux / Mac OSX / Unix, do this::

       svn co http://code.djangoproject.com/svn/django/trunk/ django_src
       ln -s `pwd`/django_src/django /usr/lib/python2.3/site-packages/django

   (In the above line, change ``python2.3`` to match your current Python version.)

   On Windows, do this::

       svn co http://code.djangoproject.com/svn/django/trunk/django c:\Python24\lib\site-packages\django

3. Copy the file ``django_src/django/bin/django-admin.py`` to somewhere on your
   system path, such as ``/usr/local/bin`` (Unix) or ``C:\Python24\Scripts``
   (Windows). This step simply lets you type ``django-admin.py`` from within
   any directory, rather than having to qualify the command with the full path
   to the file.

You *don't* have to run ``python setup.py install``, because that command
takes care of steps 2 and 3 for you.

When you want to update your copy of the Django source code, just run the
command ``svn update`` from within the ``django`` directory. When you do this,
Subversion will automatically download any changes.

.. _`download page`: http://www.djangoproject.com/download/
.. _Subversion: http://subversion.tigris.org/
