'django-admin startproject' vs 'python -m django startproject'
Both commands achieve the same result—creating a new Django project—but they differ slightly in how they are executed.
1. django-admin startproject myproject
- Uses django-admin, which is a standalone command-line utility installed with Django.
- It directly calls Django’s project creation script.
- Can be run from anywhere in the terminal, provided Django is installed in the system or virtual environment.
2. python -m django startproject myproject
- Runs Django as a module (-m django), invoking it through Python itself.
- This ensures that the correct Python environment is being used, which can be helpful in cases where multiple versions of Python or Django are installed.
- Useful when working in virtual environments where django-admin might not be accessible directly.
Which One Should You Use?
- If your virtual environment is properly activated and django-admin is recognized, both commands work the same.
- If you ever encounter issues with django-admin (e.g., command not found), using python -m django ensures Python finds Django correctly.
- In short, django-admin startproject is more commonly used, but python -m django startproject is a safer alternative in some environments.