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Code Issues 32 Releases Wiki Activity

magic-removal: Proofread docs/faq.txt

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Adrian Holovaty 2006-04-28 04:47:12 +00:00
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@ -8,14 +8,20 @@ General questions
Why does this project exist?
----------------------------
Django grew from a very practical need: in our fast-paced newsroom, we often
have only a matter of hours to take a complicated Web application from
concept to public launch. Django was designed to not only allow us to
build Web applications quickly, but to allow us to build them right.
Django grew from a very practical need: World Online, a newspaper Web
operation, is responsible for building intensive Web applications on journalism
deadlines. In the fast-paced newsroom, World Online often has only a matter of
hours to take a complicated Web application from concept to public launch.
At the same time, the World Online Web developers have consistently been
perfectionists when it comes to following best practices of Web development.
Thus, Django was designed not only to allow fast Web development, but
*best-practice* Web development.
Django would not be possible without a whole host of open-source projects --
`Apache`_, `Python`_, and `PostgreSQL`_ to name a few -- and we're thrilled to be
able to give something back to the open-source community.
`Apache`_, `Python`_, and `PostgreSQL`_ to name a few -- and we're thrilled to
be able to give something back to the open-source community.
.. _Apache: http://httpd.apache.org/
.. _Python: http://www.python.org/
@ -29,25 +35,28 @@ to early 1950s. To this day, he's considered one of the best guitarists of all t
Listen to his music. You'll like it.
According to Wikipedia_, "Django is pronounced **zhane**-go (with a long 'a')."
Django is pronounced **JANG**-oh. Rhymes with FANG-oh.
.. _Django Reinhardt: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Reinhardt
.. _Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Reinhardt
Is Django stable?
-----------------
We've been using Django for almost two years. Sites built on Django have
weathered traffic spikes of over one million hits an hour, and at least
one Slashdotting. Yes, it's quite stable.
Yes. World Online has been using Django for more than two years. Sites built on
Django have weathered traffic spikes of over one million hits an hour and at
least one Slashdotting. Yes, it's quite stable.
Does Django scale?
------------------
Yes. Compared to development time, hardware is cheap, and so Django is
designed to take advantage of as much hardware as you can throw at it.
Django ships with clean separation of the database layer from the
application layer and a simple-yet-powerful `cache framework`_.
Django uses a "shared-nothing" architecture, which means you can add hardware
at any level -- database servers, caching servers or Web/application servers.
The framework cleanly separates components such as its database layer and
application layer. And it ships with a simple-yet-powerful `cache framework`_.
.. _`cache framework`: http://www.djangoproject.com/documentation/cache/
@ -60,32 +69,34 @@ Lawrence, Kansas, USA.
`Adrian Holovaty`_
Adrian is a Web developer with a background in journalism. He was lead
developer at World Online for 2.5 years, during which time Django was
developed and implemented on World Online's sites. Now he's editor of
editorial innovations at washingtonpost.com, and he continues to oversee
Django development. He likes playing guitar (Django Reinhardt style) and
hacking on side projects such as `chicagocrime.org`_. He lives in Chicago.
developed and implemented on World Online's sites. Now he works for
washingtonpost.com building rich, database-backed information sites, and
continues to oversee Django development. He likes playing guitar (Django
Reinhardt style) and hacking on side projects such as `chicagocrime.org`_.
He lives in Chicago.
On IRC, Adrian goes by ``adrian_h``.
`Jacob Kaplan-Moss`_
Jacob is a whipper-snapper from California who spends equal time coding and
cooking. He's lead developer at World Online and actively hacks on various
cool side projects. He's contributed to the Python-ObjC bindings and was
the first guy to figure out how to write Tivo apps in Python. Lately he's
been messing with Python on the PSP. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas.
On IRC, Jacob goes by ``jacobkm``.
`Simon Willison`_
Simon is a well-respected Web developer from England. He had a one-year
internship at World Online, during which time he and Adrian developed
Django from scratch. He's enthusiastic, he's passionate about best
practices in Web development, and he really likes squirrels. Probably to a
fault. He went back to university to finish his degree and is poised to
continue doing big, exciting things on the Web. He lives in England.
Django from scratch. The most enthusiastic Brit you'll ever meet, he's
passionate about best practices in Web development and has maintained a
well-read Web-development blog for years at http://simon.incutio.com.
He works for Yahoo UK, where he managed to score the title "Hacker Liason."
He lives in London.
On IRC, Simon goes by ``SimonW``.
`Jacob Kaplan-Moss`_
Jacob is a whipper-snapper from California who spends equal time coding and
cooking. He does Web development for World Online and actively hacks on
various cool side projects. He's contributed to the Python-ObjC bindings and
was the first guy to figure out how to write Tivo apps in Python. Lately
he's been messing with Python on the PSP. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas.
On IRC, Jacob goes by ``jacobkm``.
`Wilson Miner`_
Wilson's design-fu makes us all look like rock stars. When not sneaking
into apartment complex swimming pools, he's the Commercial Development
@ -106,18 +117,17 @@ Lawrence, Kansas, USA.
Which sites use Django?
-----------------------
The Django wiki features a `list of Django-powered sites`_. Feel free to add
your Django-powered site to the list.
The Django wiki features a consistently growing `list of Django-powered sites`_.
Feel free to add your Django-powered site to the list.
.. _list of Django-powered sites: http://code.djangoproject.com/wiki/DjangoPoweredSites
Django appears to be a MVC framework, but you call the Controller the "view", and the View the "template". How come you don't use the standard names?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's because Django isn't strictly a MVC framework. We don't really believe in
any capital-M Methodologies; we do what "feels" right. If you squint the right
way, you can call Django's ORM the "Model", the view functions the "View", and
the dynamically-generated API the "Controller" -- but not really.
That's because Django isn't strictly a MVC framework. If you squint the right
way, you can call Django's database layer the "Model", the view functions the
"View", and the URL dispatcher the "Controller" -- but not really.
In fact, you might say that Django is a "MTV" framework -- that is, Model,
Template, and View make much more sense to us.
@ -183,9 +193,13 @@ begin maintaining backwards compatibility. This should happen in a couple of
months or so, although it's entirely possible that it could happen earlier.
That translates into summer 2006.
The merging of Django's `magic-removal branch`_ went a long way toward Django
1.0.
Of course, you should note that `quite a few production sites`_ use Django in
its current status. Don't let the lack of a 1.0 turn you off.
.. _magic-removal branch: http://code.djangoproject.com/wiki/RemovingTheMagic
.. _quite a few production sites: http://code.djangoproject.com/wiki/DjangoPoweredSites
How can I download the Django documentation to read it offline?
@ -225,12 +239,12 @@ How do I get started?
How do I fix the "install a later version of setuptools" error?
---------------------------------------------------------------
Just run the ``ex_setup.py`` script in the Django distribution.
Just run the ``ez_setup.py`` script in the Django distribution.
What are Django's prerequisites?
--------------------------------
Django requires Python_ 2.3 or later.
Django requires Python_ 2.3 or later. No other Python libraries are required.
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
@ -256,7 +270,7 @@ Not if you just want to play around and develop things on your local computer.
Django comes with its own Web server, and things should Just Work.
For production use, though, we recommend mod_python. The Django developers have
been running it on mod_python for about two years, and it's quite stable.
been running it on mod_python for more than two years, and it's quite stable.
However, if you don't want to use mod_python, you can use a different server,
as long as that server has WSGI_ hooks. See the `server arrangements wiki page`_.
@ -325,6 +339,14 @@ but we recognize that choosing a template language runs close to religion.
There's nothing about Django that requires using the template language, so
if you're attached to ZPT, Cheetah, or whatever, feel free to use those.
Do I have to use your model/database layer?
-------------------------------------------
Nope. Just like the template system, the model/database layer is decoupled from
the rest of the framework. The one exception is: If you use a different
database library, you won't get to use Django's automatically-generated admin
site. That app is coupled to the Django database layer.
How do I use image and file fields?
-----------------------------------
@ -367,9 +389,8 @@ input.
If you do care about deleting data, you'll have to execute the ``ALTER TABLE``
statements manually in your database. That's the way we've always done it,
because dealing with data is a very sensitive operation that we've wanted to
avoid automating. That said, there's some work being done to add a
``django-admin.py updatedb`` command, which would output the necessary
``ALTER TABLE`` statements, if any.
avoid automating. That said, there's some work being done to add partially
automated database-upgrade functionality.
Do Django models support multiple-column primary keys?
------------------------------------------------------
@ -392,19 +413,19 @@ How can I see the raw SQL queries Django is running?
Make sure your Django ``DEBUG`` setting is set to ``True``. Then, just do
this::
>>> from django.core.db import db
>>> db.queries
>>> from django.db import connection
>>> connection.queries
[{'sql': 'SELECT polls_polls.id,polls_polls.question,polls_polls.pub_date FROM polls_polls',
'time': '0.002'}]
``db.queries`` is only available if ``DEBUG`` is ``True``. It's a list of
dictionaries in order of query execution. Each dictionary has the following::
``connection.queries`` is only available if ``DEBUG`` is ``True``. It's a list
of dictionaries in order of query execution. Each dictionary has the following::
``sql`` -- The raw SQL statement
``time`` -- How long the statement took to execute, in seconds.
``db.queries`` includes all SQL statements -- INSERTs, UPDATES, SELECTs, etc.
Each time your app hits the database, the query will be recorded.
``connection.queries`` includes all SQL statements -- INSERTs, UPDATES,
SELECTs, etc. Each time your app hits the database, the query will be recorded.
Can I use Django with a pre-existing database?
----------------------------------------------
@ -465,8 +486,8 @@ documentation.
My "list_filter" contains a ManyToManyField, but the filter doesn't display.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Django won't bother displaying the filter for a ManyToManyField if there are
fewer than two related objects.
Django won't bother displaying the filter for a ``ManyToManyField`` if there
are fewer than two related objects.
For example, if your ``list_filter`` includes ``sites``, and there's only one
site in your database, it won't display a "Site" filter. In that case,
@ -477,9 +498,9 @@ How can I customize the functionality of the admin interface?
You've got several options. If you want to piggyback on top of an add/change
form that Django automatically generates, you can attach arbitrary JavaScript
modules to the page via the model's ``admin.js`` parameter. That parameter is
a list of URLs, as strings, pointing to JavaScript modules that will be
included within the admin form via a <script> tag.
modules to the page via the model's ``class Admin`` ``js`` parameter. That
parameter is a list of URLs, as strings, pointing to JavaScript modules that
will be included within the admin form via a ``<script>`` tag.
If you want more flexibility than simply tweaking the auto-generated forms,
feel free to write custom views for the admin. The admin is powered by Django
@ -492,10 +513,23 @@ next question.
The dynamically-generated admin site is ugly! How can I change it?
------------------------------------------------------------------
We think it's very purty, but if you don't agree, you can modify the admin
site's presentation by editing the CSS stylesheet and/or associated image files.
The site is built using semantic HTML, so any changes you'd like to make should
be possible by editing the CSS stylesheet. We've got a `guide to the CSS used in
the admin`_ to get you started.
We like it, but if you don't agree, you can modify the admin site's
presentation by editing the CSS stylesheet and/or associated image files. The
site is built using semantic HTML and plenty of CSS hooks, so any changes you'd
like to make should be possible by editing the stylesheet. We've got a
`guide to the CSS used in the admin`_ to get you started.
.. _`guide to the CSS used in the admin`: http://www.djangoproject.com/documentation/admin_css/
How do I create users without having to edit password hashes?
-------------------------------------------------------------
We don't recommend you create users via the admin interface, because at the
moment it requires you to edit password hashes manually. (Passwords are hashed
using one-way hash algorithms for security; there's currently no Web interface
for changing passwords by entering the actual password rather than the hash.)
To create a user, you'll have to use the Python API. See `creating users`_ for
full info.
.. _creating users: http://www.djangoproject.com/documentation/authentication/#creating-users