How to install Django in your Windows Machine Part 1

Django is a framework use to build the backend of a Web Application. Django is written in Python programing language.

Framework: A framework is a structure that allows you build software on. It serves as a foundation, so you
don't have to write every code from scratch.

Websites that use Django

Below are the list of popular websites that use Django

1. Instagram
2. Mozila
3. DropBox
4. YouTube
5. Spotify

Download Miniconda

Since Django is written in Python you need to install python first, there are various ways of installing  Python in your Windows Machine, We are choosing to install Python via the Miniconda Distribution, click on the link here to download miniconda. On that page you can see the two versions of miniconda for Windows (Miniconda3 Wondows 64-bit and Miniconda3 Windows 32-bit), you can download the version of Miniconda that corresponds to your Windows OS architecture as seen in the screenshot below.

Install Miniconda

After Miniconda have been downloaded you can click on the installation file to install Miniconda

Click on the next button as seen on the screenshot below

Click on "I Agree"

Click on "Just Me"

Click on "Next"

Advance Options

Click "Add Miniconda to my PATH environment variable"

This is a very important step as it will allow to run Python anywhere in your computer systen.

Click "Install"

Test your Miniconda Installation

On Windows Search type "cmd"

cmd screen will popup as seen below

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19042.1826]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\DELL PC>

Type conda and press enter

Options:

positional arguments:
  command
    clean        Remove unused packages and caches.
    config       Modify configuration values in .condarc. This is modeled after the git config command. Writes to the user .condarc file (C:\Users\DELL PC\.condarc) by
                 default.
    create       Create a new conda environment from a list of specified packages.
    help         Displays a list of available conda commands and their help strings.
    info         Display information about current conda install.
    init         Initialize conda for shell interaction. [Experimental]
    install      Installs a list of packages into a specified conda environment.
    list         List linked packages in a conda environment.
    package      Low-level conda package utility. (EXPERIMENTAL)
    remove       Remove a list of packages from a specified conda environment.
    uninstall    Alias for conda remove.
    run          Run an executable in a conda environment. [Experimental]
    search       Search for packages and display associated information. The input is a MatchSpec, a query language for conda packages. See examples below.
    update       Updates conda packages to the latest compatible version.
    upgrade      Alias for conda update.

optional arguments:
  -h, --help     Show this help message and exit.
  -V, --version  Show the conda version number and exit.

conda commands available from other packages:
  env

(base) C:\Users\DELL PC>

The message above indicates that mini conda is installed successfully

A Virtual Environment

A virtual environment allows you to isolate the installation of different versions of Python and its packages (Django can also be referred to as a Python Package). You can install or remove a python package on one project and it will not affect any other project you may have.

Creating a Virtual Environment

The syntax for creating a virtual environment is shown below

conda create --name name_of_env python==version_number

conda, create, --name are keywords while name_of_env can be anything you want to use to identify the name of your virtual environment, python is also a keyword version_number is the version of Python you are installing in a particular virtual environment, It is important to note that the syntax can be written without specifying the Version Number of Python, when the syntax is written as seen below it installs the latest version of Python in that Virtual Environment

conda create --name name_of_env

Launch your command prompt to type the command below and then press enter

conda create --name my_ecommerce_env python==3.7

Type "y" to continue

==> WARNING: A newer version of conda exists. <==
  current version: 4.8.3
  latest version: 4.13.0

Please update conda by running

    $ conda update -n base -c defaults conda     



## Package Plan ##

  environment location: C:\Users\DELL PC\.conda\envs\my_ecommerce_env  

  added / updated specs:
    - python==3.7


The following NEW packages will be INSTALLED:

  certifi            pkgs/main/win-64::certifi-2022.6.15-py37haa95532_0
  pip                pkgs/main/win-64::pip-22.1.2-py37haa95532_0       
  python             pkgs/main/win-64::python-3.7.0-hea74fb7_0
  setuptools         pkgs/main/win-64::setuptools-61.2.0-py37haa95532_0
  vc                 pkgs/main/win-64::vc-14.2-h21ff451_1
  vs2015_runtime     pkgs/main/win-64::vs2015_runtime-14.27.29016-h5e58377_2
  wheel              pkgs/main/noarch::wheel-0.37.1-pyhd3eb1b0_0
  wincertstore       pkgs/main/win-64::wincertstore-0.2-py37haa95532_2


Proceed ([y]/n)? y

To activate your virtual environment run the command below

C:\Users\DELL PC>conda activate my_ecommerce_env

(my_ecommerce_env) C:\Users\DELL PC>

The virtual environment name in parenthesis (my_ecommerce_env) indicates that the virtual environment is activated

To verify the version of python in your virtual environmment run the command below

(my_ecommerce_env) C:\Users\DELL PC>python --version
Python 3.7.0

To deactivate your virtual environment run the command below

(my_ecommerce_env) C:\Users\DELL PC>conda deactivate  

To list out all virtual envronment in your system  type the command below

C:\Users\DELL PC>conda info --envs

my_ecommerce_env         C:\Users\DELL PC\.conda\envs\my_ecommerce_env  
nneka_python             C:\Users\DELL PC\.conda\envs\nneka_python      
paminas                  C:\Users\DELL PC\.conda\envs\paminas
phsaid                   C:\Users\DELL PC\.conda\envs\phsaid

The above screen shows a list of all the Virtual Environment you have on your Computer System and that is all for now checkout the complete tutorials here