Fixes #6739 -- better development installation docs. Thanks to Adam Vandenberg for inspiration.

version from 2.4 to 2.7 (due to backwards

incompatibilities in Python 3.0, Django does not currently work with

Python 3.0; see :doc:`the Django FAQ </faq/install>` for more

information on supported Python versions and the 3.0 transition), but we recommend installing Python 2.5 or later. If you do so, you won't need to set up a database just yet: Python 2.5 or later includes a lightweight database called SQLite_.

information on supported Python versions and the 3.0 transition), but we

recommend installing Python 2.5 or later. If you do so, you won't need to set

up a database just yet: Python 2.5 or later includes a lightweight database

called SQLite_.

.. _sqlite: http://sqlite.org/

.. _jython: http://www.jython.org/

You can verify that Python's installed by typing ``python`` from your shell; you should see something like::

You can verify that Python is installed by typing ``python`` from your shell;

you should see something like::

    Python 2.5.1 (r251:54863, Jan 17 2008, 19:35:17)

    [GCC 4.0.1 (Apple Inc. build 5465)] on darwin

    features that are only available in development versions of Django, and

    they likely won't work with an official release.

Verifying

---------

To verify that Django can be seen by Python, type ``python`` from your shell.

Then at the Python prompt, try to import Django::

    >>> import django

    >>> print django.get_version()

    1.3

That's it!

----------

and remove the reference to the egg in the file named ``easy-install.pth``.

This file should also be located in your ``site-packages`` directory.

.. _finding-site-packages:

.. admonition:: Where are my ``site-packages`` stored?

    The location of the ``site-packages`` directory depends on the operating

       svn co http://code.djangoproject.com/svn/django/trunk/ django-trunk

3. Next, make sure that the Python interpreter can load Django's code. There

   are various ways of accomplishing this.  One of the most convenient, on

   Linux, Mac OSX or other Unix-like systems, is to use a symbolic link:

3. Next, make sure that the Python interpreter can load Django's code. The most

   convenient way to do this is to

   `modify Python's search path <modify-python-path>`_. Add a ``.pth``

   file containing the full path to the ``django-trunk`` directory to your

   system's ``site-packages`` directory. For example, on a Unix-like system:

   .. code-block:: bash

       ln -s WORKING-DIR/django-trunk/django SITE-PACKAGES-DIR/django

       echo WORKING-DIR/django-trunk > SITE-PACKAGES-DIR/django.pth

   (In the above line, change ``SITE-PACKAGES-DIR`` to match the location of

   your system's ``site-packages`` directory, as explained in the

   "Where are my ``site-packages`` stored?" section above. Change WORKING-DIR

   to match the full path to your new ``django-trunk`` directory.)

   Alternatively, you can define your ``PYTHONPATH`` environment variable

   so that it includes the ``django-trunk`` directory. This is perhaps the

   most convenient solution on Windows systems, which don't support symbolic

   links. (Environment variables can be defined on Windows systems `from the

   Control Panel`_.)

   .. admonition:: What about Apache and mod_wsgi?

      If you take the approach of setting ``PYTHONPATH``, you'll need

      to remember to do the same thing in your WSGI application once

      you deploy your production site. Do this by appending to

      ``sys.path`` in your WSGI application.

      More information about deployment is available, of course, in our

      :doc:`How to use Django with mod_wsgi </howto/deployment/modwsgi>`

      documentation.

   :ref:`Where are my site-packages stored? <finding-site-packages>` section

   above. Change ``WORKING-DIR/django-trunk`` to match the full path to your

   new ``django-trunk`` directory.)

4. On Unix-like systems, create a symbolic link to the file

   ``django-trunk/django/bin/django-admin.py`` in a directory on your system

.. _`download page`: http://www.djangoproject.com/download/

.. _Subversion: http://subversion.tigris.org/

.. _from the Control Panel: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/sysdm_advancd_environmnt_addchange_variable.mspx

.. _modify-python-path: http://docs.python.org/install/index.html#modifying-python-s-search-path