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. See the table in the next question for the versions of
Python that work with each version of Django. 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: https://www.python.org/
.. _PostgreSQL: http://www.postgresql.org/
.. _MySQL: http://www.mysql.com/
.. _`SQLite 3`: http://www.sqlite.org/
.. _Oracle: http://www.oracle.com/

.. _faq-python-version-support:

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

============== ===============
Django version Python versions
============== ===============
1.7            2.7 and 3.2, 3.3, 3.4
**1.8**        **2.7** and **3.2 (until the end of 2016), 3.3, 3.4, 3.5**
1.9            2.7, 3.4, 3.5
============== ===============

For each version of Python, only the latest micro release (A.B.C) is officially
supported. You can find the latest micro version for each series on the `Python
download page <https://www.python.org/downloads/>`_.

Typically, we will support a Python version up to and including the first
Django LTS release whose security support ends after security support for that
version of Python ends. For example, Python 3.3 security support ends September
2017 and Django 1.8 LTS security support ends April 2018. Therefore Django 1.8
is the last version to support Python 3.3.

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.
