Development server and runserver in Django - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the purpose of Django's runserver command?

The runserver command starts a lightweight development server that lets you see your Django app in action on your local machine. It helps you test and develop your app without needing a full web server setup.

beginner

How do you start the Django development server on the default port?

You run the command python manage.py runserver in your project folder. This starts the server on http://127.0.0.1:8000/ by default.

beginner

Can you change the port number when running Django's development server? How?

Yes, you can specify a different port by adding it after the command, like python manage.py runserver 8080. This starts the server on port 8080 instead of the default 8000.

intermediate

Why should you not use Django's development server in a production environment?

The development server is simple and not designed for security or performance. It can crash easily and is not safe for real users. For production, use a proper web server like Gunicorn or Apache.

beginner

What happens when you save changes to your Django code while the development server is running?

The development server automatically reloads your app to show the changes immediately. This makes development faster because you don't have to stop and start the server manually.

What command starts the Django development server?

A python manage.py runserver

B django startserver

C python runserver.py

D manage.py startserver

The correct command is python manage.py runserver to start the development server.

By default, on which port does Django's development server run?

A 8080

B 3000

C 80

D 8000

Django's development server runs on port 8000 by default.

Which of these is NOT a reason to avoid using Django's development server in production?

A It lacks security features

B It automatically reloads on code changes

C It is not optimized for performance

D It can crash easily under heavy load

Automatic reload is a helpful feature for development, not a reason to avoid production use.

How can you specify a custom port when running the Django development server?

A python manage.py runserver -p 9000

B python manage.py runserver --port=9000

C python manage.py runserver 9000

D python manage.py runserver port 9000

You specify the port by adding it directly after the command, like python manage.py runserver 9000.

What URL do you visit in your browser to see your Django app running on the default development server?

A http://127.0.0.1:8000

B http://localhost:3000

C http://localhost:80

D http://0.0.0.0:8000

The default URL is http://127.0.0.1:8000 which points to your local machine on port 8000.

Explain how to start the Django development server and how to change its port.

Think about the command line steps and default settings.

Why is Django's development server not suitable for production use?

Consider what a production server needs that the development server lacks.