FAQ: Installation
=================

How do I get started?
---------------------

#. `Download the code`_.
#. Install Django (read the :doc:`installation guide </intro/install>`).
#. Walk through the :doc:`tutorial </intro/tutorial01>`.
#. Check out the rest of the :doc:`documentation </index>`, and `ask questions`_ if you
   run into trouble.

.. _`Download the code`: https://www.djangoproject.com/download/
.. _ask questions: https://www.djangoproject.com/community/

What are Django's prerequisites?
--------------------------------

Django requires Python, specifically Python 2.7 or 3.2 and above. Other Python
libraries may be required for some uses, but you'll receive an error about it
as they're needed.

For a development environment -- if you just want to experiment with Django --
you don't need to have a separate Web server installed; Django comes with its
own lightweight development server. For a production environment, Django follows
the WSGI spec, :pep:`3333`, which means it can run on a variety of server
platforms. See :doc:`Deploying Django </howto/deployment/index>` for some
popular alternatives.

If you want to use Django with a database, which is probably the case, you'll
also need a database engine. PostgreSQL_ is recommended, because we're
PostgreSQL fans, and MySQL_, `SQLite 3`_, and Oracle_ are also supported.

.. _Python: http://www.python.org/
.. _PostgreSQL: http://www.postgresql.org/
.. _MySQL: http://www.mysql.com/
.. _`SQLite 3`: http://www.sqlite.org/
.. _Oracle: http://www.oracle.com/

What Python version can I use with Django?
------------------------------------------

============== ===============
Django version Python versions
============== ===============
1.4            2.5, 2.6, 2.7
1.5            2.6, 2.7 and 3.2, 3.3 (experimental)
1.6            2.6, 2.7 and 3.2, 3.3
**1.7, 1.8**   **2.7** and **3.2, 3.3, 3.4**
============== ===============

For a given series of Python versions, only the latest release is officially
supported. For instance, at the time of writing (August 1st, 2014), the latest
release in the 2.7 series is 2.7.8.

What Python version should I use with Django?
---------------------------------------------

As of Django 1.6, Python 3 support is considered stable and you can safely use
it in production. See also :doc:`/topics/python3`. However, the community is
still in the process of migrating third-party packages and applications to
Python 3.

If you're starting a new project, and the dependencies you plan to use work on
Python 3, you should use Python 3. If they don't, consider contributing to the
porting efforts, or stick to Python 2.

Since newer versions of Python are often faster, have more features, and are
better supported, all else being equal, we recommend that you use the latest
2.x.y or 3.x.y release.

You don't lose anything in Django by using an older release, but you don't take
advantage of the improvements and optimizations in newer Python releases.
Third-party applications for use with Django are, of course, free to set their
own version requirements.

Should I use the stable version or development version?
-------------------------------------------------------

Generally, if you're using code in production, you should be using a
stable release. The Django project publishes a full stable release
every nine months or so, with bugfix updates in between. These stable
releases contain the API that is covered by our backwards
compatibility guarantees; if you write code against stable releases,
you shouldn't have any problems upgrading when the next official
version is released.
