# Getting started with Django

> Practical first-hour workflow, configuration defaults, and common pitfalls when working with Django.
>
> - **Resource:** Django (https://resources.yimatt.com/r/django/)
> - **Author:** yimatt.com
> - **Updated:** 2026-10-28
> - **Copyright:** © 2026 yimatt.com
> - **Source:** https://resources.yimatt.com/r/django/guides/getting-started/

## What you'll do

In this guide you will set up a clean, reproducible **Django** workflow from the official documentation, verify your local configuration, and run a minimal working check so you can build with confidence.

## Prerequisites

- Access to the official documentation at [Django (https://www.djangoproject.com)](https://www.djangoproject.com).
- A terminal and a modern code editor such as [VS Code](/r/vscode/) or [Neovim](/r/neovim/).
- Basic familiarity with command-line navigation and version control with [Git](/r/git/).

## Step-by-step setup

1. **Verify the official source and release channel.** Open [Django Documentation](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/stable/) and confirm you are reading the current stable release notes rather than outdated third-party blog posts.

2. **Initialize a minimal workspace.** Create a dedicated directory for testing Django in isolation before integrating it into a larger repository:

```sh title="terminal.sh"
mkdir -p ~/projects/django-starter
cd ~/projects/django-starter
git init
```

> **Tip:** Keep a small `README.md` in your starter folder recording the exact version and flags you used so future projects can copy a known-good baseline.

3. **Configure strict defaults early.** Create your baseline configuration file and commit it before adding optional plugins or third-party dependencies:

```json title="config.json"
{
  "resource": "django",
  "type": "framework",
  "strict": true,
  "verified": "2026-10-28"
}
```

4. **Run a smoke check.** Execute the minimal build, query, or verification step described in [Django Documentation](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/stable/) and confirm zero warnings in your terminal output.

> **Note:** When a project needs relational models, permissions, migrations, and a trustworthy admin back-office on day one, Django still beats assembling ten micro-libraries.

## Common mistakes

> **Common mistake:** **Copy-pasting unpinned snippets from older tutorials.** Always check the version selector in [Django Documentation](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/stable/) first. Major releases frequently simplify configuration and deprecate legacy flags.

> **Warning:** Avoid installing five companion libraries or extensions on day one. Run Django with its built-in defaults for a full day before adding abstractions.

## Next steps

- Bookmark [Django Documentation](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/stable/) for daily API lookups.
- Return to the [Django resource page](/r/django/) to watch the curated explainers or explore paired tools.

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### A note from yimatt.com

Field notes from using Django in production projects.

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© 2026 yimatt.com · Source: https://resources.yimatt.com/r/django/guides/getting-started/