Utility shell script to create Django projects on Mac

.zshrc

# ...

djsetup() {
    if [ -z "$1" ]; then
        echo "Error: No project name provided."
        echo "Usage: djsetup project_name"
        return 1 # Exit the function with an error status
    fi

    ~/bin/djsetup.zsh "$1" && cd ~/code/python/django/"$1"
}

# ...

djsetup.zsh

#!/bin/zsh

# Check if a name was provided
if [ "$#" -ne 1 ]; then
  echo "Usage: $(basename $0) project_name"
  exit 1
fi

NAME=$1

# Navigate to the directory
cd ~/code/python/django

# Make a directory with the given name and enter it
mkdir "$NAME"
cd "$NAME"

# Set up a Python virtual environment
python3 -m venv .venv

# Activate the virtual environment
source .venv/bin/activate

# Install Django
python3 -m pip install django

# Start a new Django project with the given name
django-admin startproject "$NAME" .

# Output installed packages to requirements.txt
pip freeze > requirements.txt

# Create a .gitignore file with the .venv folder
echo ".venv/" > .gitignore

# Initialize git, add all files, and commit
git init
git add -A
git commit -m "Initial commit"

echo "Project $NAME setup is complete."

Instructions.md

This is a utility shell script to speed up the process of setting up a Django project, from running multiple commands to simply running:

djsetup hello_world

WHAT THE SCRIPT WILL DO

• Create a folder in your Django projects folder for this new project (e.g., ~/code/python/django/hello_world).
• Create a .venv Python environment within that folder and activate it.
• Install Django in .venv.
• django-admin startproject your project
• pip freeze > requirements.txt
• Create a .gitignore file and add .venv/ to it.
• Initialize git and make the initial commit.

IMPORTANT NOTE

This is a script for my machine, so it makes a few assumptions about the existence and location of certain folders. For instance, I assume that the script djsetup.zsh lives in the ~/bin folder and the django projects folder is located at ~/code/python/django. Adjust them according to your preference.

PREREQUISITES

Make sure you're using the zsh (check with echo $SHELL).

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Create the file ~/bin/djsetup.zsh.
2. Make it executable (run chmod a+x ~/bin/djsetup.zsh).
3. Add the djsetup() function to your ~/.zshrc.