Hello Web App: Learn How to Build a Web App with Django 3.0

by Tracy Osborn

Learn how to code your first web app and get on the path to building your next side project, your lifestyle business, or your startup. Written by a designer and aimed at non-programmers, Hello Web App teaches the basics of web app programming using Python and Django. The tutorial uses down-to-earth, friendly, and jargon-free writing to walk you through choosing a project, setting up a database, creating your website, building features, and launching your app so you can start working with real customers and users. Simply the easiest way to get started building your own dynamic websites. Table of Contents Chapter 1: What We’re Building Chapter 2: Prerequisites Chapter 3: Getting Started Chapter 4: Setting Up Your Templates Chapter 5: Fun With Template Tags Chapter 6: Adding Dynamic Data Chapter 7: Displaying Dynamic Information in the Templates Chapter 8: Setting Up Individual Object Pages Chapter 9: Forms.py Funsies Chapter 10: Adding a Registration Page Chapter 11: Setting Up Basic Browse Pages Chapter 12: Quick 404 Pages, requirements.txt, and Testing Chapter 13: Deploying Your Web App Chapter 14: What To Do If Your App Is Broken Chapter 15: Important Things to Know Chapter 16: Moving Forward

Genres: Programming, Nonfiction, Technical

132 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 4, 2015

Reviews

[Pavel Karateev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and short introduction to web development with Django. Seems to be a good point to start, but I will definitely recommend to use DjangoGirls tutorial instead (or side-by-side) - same content but much more clearly explained and free.

Pros:
- Easy to read
- A lot of good references (!)
- Open forum to ask for help

Cons:
- Beginners will feel the pain with deployment (heroku is a bad choice and deployment chapter is horrible)
- Some topics are poorly described (static files, models)
- Few errors (newcomers may struggle with debug)
- A lot of attention is given to user handling - not really such a major topic for beginners in my opinion
- Too short

[Robbie Engler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is fine for a cursory glance at what making a web app with django is like. It's more like a small demonstration of some of django's most convenient features. It's not a how-to and it's not technical enough to qualify as educational material. In other words, if you had a semester-long class that covered web applications with django, this book is the first day. I'm not really disparaging the book, I'll be reading the second one as well, they're quick and easy and sometimes I like learning about these things away from the computer screen.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple and short introduction to Django. I like that it focus purely on the backend and leaves HTML/CSS to a separate topic!

A couple of things stuck out as odd to me:
- Why all function based views? This skips half the power of Django!
- Some of the suggestedpackages seem obscure to me (whitenoise and waitress?)
- Suggesting django-registration-redux just isn't a good idea, it isn't really maintained

I'm excited to check out the intermediate book!

[Bagus Santoso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read it 2 months ago. The book design are beautiful, that makes me want to read it again and again. Language used by the author are easy to understand, perhaps because it's aiming newbie developer. Recommended.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, quick, accessible Python Django tutorial. Love how Tracy explained database migrations, which is usually much more confusing.

[Paul]

Very practical and informative. I highly recommend for anyone who is getting into Django development for the first time.