Django is a powerful and popular web framework written in Python that simplifies the development of web applications. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to install Django on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. Whether you're using a Windows VPS UK or any other hosting service, this guide will help you get Django up and running efficiently.

Prerequisites

Before you start, ensure you have the following:

• An Ubuntu 20.04 LTS server, which can be hosted on a UK Windows VPS, Windows Virtual Private Servers, or another Windows VPS Hosting UK solution.
• Root or sudo privileges on your server.
• Basic knowledge of Python and virtual environments.

Step 1: Update Your System

Before installing Django, make sure your system is up to date. Run the following commands:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Python and Pip

Django is written in Python, so you need to have Python and Pip (Python's package installer) installed. You can install them by running the following command:

sudo apt install python3 python3-pip -y

Verify the installation by checking the Python and Pip versions:

python3 --version
pip3 --version

Step 3: Set Up a Virtual Environment

It is recommended to use a Python virtual environment to isolate your Django project’s dependencies from your system’s Python packages. Install the venv module if it's not already installed:

sudo apt install python3-venv -y

Create a new directory for your Django project and navigate into it:

mkdir ~/mydjangoapp
cd ~/mydjangoapp

Create a virtual environment:

python3 -m venv myenv

Activate the virtual environment:

source myenv/bin/activate

Step 4: Install Django

With the virtual environment activated, install Django using Pip:

pip install django

Once the installation is complete, verify that Django is installed by checking the version:

django-admin --version

Step 5: Create a Django Project

Now that Django is installed, you can create a new Django project. Use the django-admin command to create your project:

django-admin startproject myproject

This will create a directory named myproject with the necessary files for your Django application.

Step 6: Run the Django Development Server

Navigate to your project directory:

cd myproject

Start the development server to test that Django is working correctly:

python manage.py runserver

By default, the server will run on port 8000. Open your web browser and navigate to http://your-server-ip:8000. You should see the Django welcome page, confirming that Django is installed and running successfully.

Step 7: Configure Django for Production (Optional)

If you are deploying Django in a production environment, it’s recommended to use a more robust web server like Nginx along with Gunicorn. This setup will allow your application to handle more traffic efficiently. Follow the official Django documentation to configure your production environment.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you have successfully installed Django on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and set up a new project. Whether you're hosting on a Windows VPS UK, Windows VPS Italy, or another Windows Virtual Dedicated Server Hosting environment, Django provides a powerful framework for building web applications.