Django project structure walkthrough - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Django Project Structure Walkthrough

📖 Scenario: You are starting a simple Django web project to manage a library's book collection. Understanding the project structure will help you organize your code and files properly.

🎯 Goal: Build the basic Django project structure with a project folder, an app folder, and essential files like settings.py, urls.py, and models.py.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create the main Django project folder named library_project

Inside library_project, create an app folder named books

Add the essential files: settings.py, urls.py in the project folder

Add models.py inside the books app folder

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Django projects organize web applications into a main project and multiple apps, each handling specific features like managing books.

💼 Career

Understanding Django project structure is essential for web developers working with Django to build maintainable and scalable web applications.

1

Create the main Django project folder

Create a folder named library_project to hold your Django project files.

Django

# Create a folder named library_project
# Your code here

Hint

Think of library_project as the main container for your Django project.

2

Add the app folder inside the project

Inside the library_project folder, create a folder named books to hold your app files.

Django

# Folder: library_project
# Create a folder named books inside library_project
# Your code here

Hint

The books folder will contain the code related to managing books.

3

Add essential project files

Inside the library_project folder, create two files named settings.py and urls.py.

Django

# Folder: library_project
# Folder: books inside library_project
# Create settings.py and urls.py inside library_project
# Your code here

Hint

settings.py holds configuration, and urls.py manages URL routing.

4

Add models.py inside the app folder

Inside the books folder, create a file named models.py to define your data models.

Django

# Folder: library_project
# Files: settings.py, urls.py inside library_project
# Folder: books inside library_project
# Create models.py inside books
# Your code here

Hint

models.py is where you define the structure of your data, like books.

Practice

1. Which file in a Django project is used to run commands like starting the server or creating migrations?

easy

A. manage.py

B. settings.py

C. urls.py

D. wsgi.py

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the command runner file

   The manage.py file is designed to run commands like starting the server or making migrations.

2. Step 2: Understand other files' roles

   settings.py holds configuration, urls.py routes URLs, and wsgi.py is for deployment interface.

3. Final Answer:

   manage.py -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Command runner = manage.py [OK]

Hint: Remember: manage.py runs commands for your project [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing settings.py as command runner
• Thinking urls.py runs commands
• Assuming wsgi.py runs server commands

2. Which folder typically contains the settings and URL configuration files in a Django project?

easy

A. The app folder

B. The templates folder

C. The project folder

D. The static folder

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify where settings.py and urls.py live

   These files are inside the main project folder, which shares the project name.

2. Step 2: Differentiate folders

   App folders contain app-specific code, templates hold HTML files, static holds CSS/JS/images.

3. Final Answer:

   The project folder -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Settings and URLs = project folder [OK]

Hint: Settings and URLs live in the project folder, not apps [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking settings.py is inside an app folder
• Confusing templates folder with project folder
• Assuming static folder holds config files

3. Given this Django project structure snippet:

myproject/
  manage.py
  myproject/
    settings.py
    urls.py
  blog/
    models.py
    views.py
    urls.py

Which file would you edit to add a new URL route for the blog app?

medium

A. myproject/settings.py

B. blog/urls.py

C. myproject/urls.py

D. manage.py

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand URL routing in Django

   The main project urls.py includes app URLs, but app-specific routes go in the app's urls.py.

2. Step 2: Locate where to add blog routes

   To add blog-specific URLs, edit blog/urls.py where blog views are connected to paths.

3. Final Answer:

   blog/urls.py -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   App URLs go in app's urls.py [OK]

Hint: Add app URLs inside the app's own urls.py file [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding app URLs directly in project urls.py
• Editing settings.py for URL routes
• Trying to add routes in manage.py

4. You try to run your Django project but get an error: ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'blog'. Which of these is the most likely cause?

medium

A. You forgot to import models.py in views.py

B. You did not create a urls.py file in the blog app

C. You ran manage.py from the wrong folder

D. You forgot to add the blog app to INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the error meaning

   The error means Python cannot find the blog app module when loading the project.

2. Step 2: Check common causes

   Not adding the app name to INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py causes this error because Django doesn't recognize the app.

3. Final Answer:

   Forgot to add blog to INSTALLED_APPS -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Missing app in INSTALLED_APPS = ModuleNotFoundError [OK]

Hint: Always add new apps to INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming missing urls.py causes ModuleNotFoundError
• Running manage.py from wrong folder usually gives different error
• Forgetting imports in views.py causes different errors

5. You want to create a new Django app called shop inside your project. Which sequence of actions correctly follows Django project structure best practices?

hard

A. Run python manage.py startapp shop, then add shop to INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py

B. Create a folder named shop manually, then add shop to urls.py

C. Add shop to INSTALLED_APPS first, then run python manage.py startapp shop

D. Run python manage.py startproject shop inside your project folder

Solution

1. Step 1: Create the app properly

   Use python manage.py startapp shop to create the app folder with correct files.

2. Step 2: Register the app in settings

   Add shop to INSTALLED_APPS in settings.py so Django knows about it.

3. Final Answer:

   Run startapp then add to INSTALLED_APPS -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Start app then register in settings [OK]

Hint: Always start app with manage.py then add to INSTALLED_APPS [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Manually creating app folder misses essential files
• Adding app to INSTALLED_APPS before creating it
• Using startproject instead of startapp for apps