From zero to Django: get Django going in windows within minutes —08 August 2012

My 5-step banana ice cream recipe got more reaction in one hour than my usual geeky posts in years. Maybe I should combine the two concepts! Or maybe not. Heck, I already like this title so here’s the geeky recipe: a decidedly imperfect recipe for getting my django project up and running on a fresh new install of windows.

Preparation time

minutes!

Ingredients

• latest stable python2.x:

  • http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.7.3/python-2.7.3.msi

• latest stable setuptools:

  • http://pypi.python.org/packages/2.7/s/setuptools/setuptools-0.6c11.win32-py2.7.exe
  • … just to easy_install pip

• (optional) latest stable Bazaar:

  • https://launchpad.net/bzr/2.5/2.5.1/+download/bzr-2.5.1-1-setup.exe
  • Because the django project is in Bazaar
  • … and it is my choice of VCS anyway

• (optional) latest stable git:

  • http://code.google.com/p/msysgit/downloads/detail?name=Git-1.7.11-preview20120710.exe
  • Because of the awesome bash shell

• (optional) putty:

  • http://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/x86/putty-0.62-installer.exe
  • for ssh, creating keys, and the key agent

Preparation

• (optional) Install putty, create ssh key with puttygen, save private and public keys, add to authorized_keys on repository server, start pagent, add the key to it.
• Install python, install setuptools

• Edit environmental variables:

  • Append to PATH: c:\python27;c:\python27\scripts
  • Set BZR_SSH=c:\program files\putty\plink.exe
• (optional) Install git

• Fire up the bash terminal (git bash or DOS command prompt):

  • easy_install pip
• (optional) Install Bazaar, bzr co bzr+ssh://myserver/~/repos/project
• Install Django using pip: pip install django==1.4 (use the version you need!)
• Install dependencies of the Django project, typically listed in a file: pip install -r requirements.txt
• Run in Django’s local server: python manage.py runserver

Best served in a modern browser like Chrome at http://localhost:7000/ Enjoy!

Variations for the more adventurous

• Screw putty, use the openssh that comes with git bash
• pip install virtualenv, create a virtual env and run Django inside it.