Django Server

The Django server is an integral part of the framework, providing a convenient way to develop, test, and debug your applications locally. This article by The Coding College explains everything you need to know about the Django server, from starting it to configuring advanced options.

1. What is the Django Development Server?

The Django development server is a lightweight web server included with Django. It is designed for local development and testing, allowing developers to see changes in real-time as they work on their projects.

Key Features:

  • Automatically reloads on code changes.
  • Displays detailed error messages for debugging.
  • Serves static files during development.

Note: The development server is not suitable for production. Use robust servers like Gunicorn or uWSGI in production environments.

2. Starting the Django Server

To start the Django server, follow these steps:

Step 1: Create and Navigate to Your Project

Ensure you have a Django project. If not, create one:

django-admin startproject myproject
cd myproject

Step 2: Run the Server

Use the runserver command:

python manage.py runserver

By default, the server runs on http://127.0.0.1:8000/. Open this URL in your web browser to view your application.

3. Specifying a Different Port and IP Address

You can customize the port and IP address as needed.

Example 1: Change the Port

python manage.py runserver 8080

The server will run on http://127.0.0.1:8080/.

Example 2: Change the IP Address

To allow external devices to access your server:

python manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:8000

Replace 0.0.0.0 with your system’s IP address to make it accessible from other devices on the same network.

4. Automatic Reloading

The Django server automatically detects code changes and restarts itself, which makes development faster.

Disabling Auto-Reload

If you want to disable this feature:

python manage.py runserver --noreload

5. Debugging with the Django Server

The development server provides detailed error pages with stack traces, making debugging easier.

Common Debugging Tips:

  • Check the terminal output for warnings or errors.
  • Ensure DEBUG = True in your settings.py file during development.
  • Look for hints and possible solutions on error pages.

6. Managing Static Files in Development

Django’s development server can serve static files, but only if django.contrib.staticfiles is included in INSTALLED_APPS.

Steps to Use Static Files:

  1. Define the STATIC_URL and STATICFILES_DIRS in settings.py.
  2. Place your static files in the appropriate directory.
  3. Run the server and verify static files are being served.

7. Production Considerations

The Django development server is not designed for production due to its limited performance and lack of security features. For deploying Django projects, consider the following:

Production Servers:

  • Gunicorn
  • uWSGI
  • Daphne (for asynchronous support with Django Channels)

Serving Static Files:

Use a server like NGINX or Apache to handle static files in production.

8. Troubleshooting the Django Server

Error: Port Already in Use

If you encounter the error 

lsof -i:8000
kill -9 <PID>
  • Find and kill the process using the port: lsof -i:8000 kill -9 <PID>

Error: Invalid Command

Ensure you are in the correct directory where manage.py is located and have activated the virtual environment.

9. Conclusion

The Django development server is an invaluable tool for building web applications. It provides flexibility, ease of use, and essential debugging features. However, always transition to a production-ready server for deployment.

Explore more Django tutorials and resources at The Coding College to advance your development skills.

Leave a Comment