---
description: Premium Django Starter coded on top Material Kit PRO Design (BS4 version).
---

# Django Material Kit PRO

Django Web App generated by the AppSeed platform on top of **Material Kit PRO** Design (BS4 version) crafted by `Creative-Tim`.

> Version: [**v1.0.2**](https://github.com/app-generator/django-material-kit-pro/releases) - release date `2022-06-11`

* UI Kit: **Material Kit PRO** (BS4 version)
* SQLite Database, Django Native ORM
* Session-Based Authentication, Forms validation
* Deployment scripts: Docker, Gunicorn/Nginx

## ✨ Design Information

Designed for those who like bold elements and beautiful websites, **Material Kit PRO** is ready to help you create stunning websites and web apps.

**Material Kit PRO** is built with over 60 frontend individual elements, like buttons, inputs, navbars, nav tabs, cards, or alerts, giving you the freedom of choosing and combining. All components can take variations in color, which you can easily modify using SASS files and classes.

![Material Kit PRO (BS4) - Starter generated by AppSeed.](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/51070104/173187736-25a61fd2-d96b-4710-85a5-aac075981f36.png)

## ✨ Environment

To use the starter, [Python3](https://www.python.org) should be installed properly in the workstation. If you are not sure if Python is installed, please open a terminal and type `python --version`. Here is the full list with dependencies and tools required to build the app:

* [Python3](https://www.python.org) - the programming language used to code the app
* [GIT](https://git-scm.com) - used to clone the source code from the Github repository
* Basic development tools (g++ compiler, python development libraries ..etc) used by Python to compile the app dependencies in your environment.
* (Optional) `Docker` - a popular virtualization software

\\

## ✨ Start the app in Docker

> 👉 **Step 1** - Download the [code](https://appseed.us/product/material-kit-pro/django/) and unzip the sources (requires a `purchase`).

```bash
$ # Get the code
$ unzip django-material-kit-pro.zip
$ cd django-material-kit-pro
```

> 👉 **Step 2** - Start the APP in `Docker`

```bash
$ docker-compose up --build 
```

Visit `http://localhost:5085` in your browser. The app should be up & running.

\\

## ✨ Manual Build

> Download the [code](https://appseed.us/product/material-kit-pro/django/) and unzip the sources (requires a `purchase`).

```bash
$ # Get the code
$ unzip django-material-kit-pro.zip
$ cd django-material-kit-pro
```

\\

### 👉 Set Up for `Unix`, `MacOS`

> Install modules via `VENV`

```bash
$ virtualenv env
$ source env/bin/activate
$ pip3 install -r requirements.txt
```

> Set Up Database

```bash
$ python manage.py makemigrations
$ python manage.py migrate
```

> Start the app

```bash
$ python manage.py runserver
```

At this point, the app runs at `http://127.0.0.1:8000/`.

\\

### 👉 Set Up for `Windows`

> Install modules via `VENV` (windows)

```
$ virtualenv env
$ .\env\Scripts\activate
$ pip3 install -r requirements.txt
```

> Set Up Database

```bash
$ python manage.py makemigrations
$ python manage.py migrate
```

> Start the app

```bash
$ python manage.py runserver
```

At this point, the app runs at `http://127.0.0.1:8000/`.

\\

## ✨ Manage App `Users`

By default, the starter is not provided with users. To access the private pages and the admin section (reserved for `superusers`) follow up the next sections.

### 👉 Create `Superusers`

To access the `admin` section, Django requires `superuser` privilegies. Let's create a new `superuser` and access the `admin` section of the project:

```bash
$ python.exe manage.py createsuperuser
>>> Username (leave blank to use 'test'): test
>>> Email address: admin@appseed.us
>>> Password: *******
>>> Password (again): *******
>>> Superuser created successfully.
```

Once the `superuser` is successfully created, we can access the `admin` section:

`http://localhost:8000/admin/` (make sure you have a `/` at the end).

\\

### 👉 Create (Ordinary) Users

By default, the app redirects guest users to authenticate. In order to access the private pages, follow this set up:

* Start the app via `python manage.py runserver`
* Access the `registration` page and create a new user:
  * `http://127.0.0.1:8000/register/`
* Access the `sign in` page and authenticate
  * `http://127.0.0.1:8000/login/`

\\

## ✨ Codebase structure

The project is coded using a simple and intuitive structure presented below:

```bash
< PROJECT ROOT >
   |
   |-- core/                           # Implements app configuration
   |    |-- settings.py                # Defines Global Settings
   |    |-- wsgi.py                    # Start the app in production
   |    |-- urls.py                    # Define URLs served by all apps/nodes
   |
   |-- apps/
   |    |
   |    |-- home/                      # A simple app that serve HTML files
   |    |    |-- views.py              # Serve HTML pages for authenticated users
   |    |    |-- urls.py               # Define some super simple routes  
   |    |
   |    |-- authentication/            # Handles auth routes (login and register)
   |    |    |-- urls.py               # Define authentication routes  
   |    |    |-- views.py              # Handles login and registration  
   |    |    |-- forms.py              # Define auth forms (login and register) 
   |    |
   |    |-- static/
   |    |    |-- <css, JS, images>     # CSS files, Javascripts files
   |    |
   |    |-- templates/                 # Templates used to render pages
   |         |-- includes/             # HTML chunks and components
   |         |    |-- navigation.html  # Top menu component
   |         |    |-- footer.html      # App Footer
   |         |    |-- scripts.html     # Scripts common to all pages
   |         |
   |         |-- layouts/              # Master pages
   |         |    |-- base.html        # Used by common pages
   |         |
   |         |-- accounts/             # Authentication pages
   |         |    |-- login.html       # Login page
   |         |    |-- register.html    # Register page
   |         |
   |         |-- home/                 # UI Kit Pages
   |              |-- index.html       # Index page
   |              |-- page-404.html    # 404 page
   |              |-- *.html           # All other pages
   |
   |-- requirements.txt                # Development modules - SQLite storage
   |
   |-- .env                            # Inject Configuration via Environment
   |-- manage.py                       # Start the app - Django default start script
   |
   |-- ************************************************************************
```

\\

## ✨ Application Bootstrap Flow

The entry point of the project is the `core.settings.py` file where the project configuration is bundled. The `most important files` that make the project functional are listed below:

* `manage.py` (saved in the root of the project) loads `core/settings.py`
* `core/settings.py`:
  * Loads the `.env` file (dynamic configuration)
  * Loads the project routing:
    * `core.urls.py`
  * Defines the `templates` directory
    * `apps/templates`
  * Defines the `INSTALLED_APPS` section
    * `apps.home` - custom app that serve all pages
  * If the `DB_ENGINE` variable is not present in the environment
    * `SQLite` persistence is used
  * If the `DB_ENGINE` is present
    * The DB URI is built dynamically for `MySql` or `PostgreSQL`.

\\

## ✨ Project Routing

The core file that bundles together all routing rules is `core/urls.py`.

The `home` application being a generic router that serves all pages defined in the `templates/home` directory, should be the last rule defined in the `urlpatterns`.

> NOTE: all new apps, should be included above `apps.home.urls` generic rule.

```python
urlpatterns = [
    path('admin/', admin.site.urls),          # Django admin route
    path("", include("apps.authentication.urls")), # Auth routes - login / register

    # ADD NEW Routes HERE

    # Leave `Home.Urls` as last the last line
    path("", include("apps.home.urls"))
]
```

\\

## ✨ UI Assets and Templates

The project comes with a modern UI fully migrated and usable with Django Template Engine.

### 👉 Page Templates

All pages and components are saved inside the `apps/templates` directory. Here are the standard directories:

* `templates/layouts`: UI masterpages
* `templates/includes`: UI components (used across multiple pages)
* `templates/accounts`: login & registration page
* `templates/home`: all other pages served via a generic routing by `apps/home` app

```bash
< PROJECT ROOT >
   |
   |-- core/                           # Implements app configuration
   |-- apps/
   |    |
   |    |-- home/                      # A simple app that serve HTML files
   |    |-- authentication/            # Handles auth routes (login and register)
   |    |
   |    |-- static/
   |    |    |-- <css, JS, images>     # CSS files, Javascripts files
   |    |
   |    |-- templates/                 # Templates used to render pages
   |         |-- includes/             # HTML chunks and components
   |         |    |-- navigation.html  # Top menu component
   |         |    |-- footer.html      # App Footer
   |         |    |-- scripts.html     # Scripts common to all pages
   |         |
   |         |-- layouts/              # Master pages
   |         |    |-- base.html        # Used by common pages
   |         |
   |         |-- accounts/             # Authentication pages
   |         |    |-- login.html       # Login page
   |         |    |-- register.html    # Register page
   |         |
   |         |-- home/                 # UI Kit Pages
   |              |-- index.html       # Index page
   |              |-- page-404.html    # 404 page
   |              |-- *.html           # All other pages
   |
   |-- ************************************************************************
```

\\

### 👉 Static Assets

The static assets used by the project (`JS`, `CSS`, `images`) are saved inside the `apps/static/assets` folder. This path can be customized with ease via `ASSETS_ROOT` variable saved in the `.env` file.

> How it works

* `.env` defines the `ASSETS_ROOT` variable
* `core/settings.py` read the value of `ASSETS_ROOT` and defaults to `/static/assets` if not found:

```python
# content of core/settings.py (truncated content)

ASSETS_ROOT = os.getenv('ASSETS_ROOT', '/static/assets') 
```

* All pages and components use the `ASSETS_ROOT` variable. Here is a sample extracted from `templates/layouts/base.html`:

```html
<head>

    <!-- Source Code -->
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="{{ ASSETS_ROOT }}/css/style.css">

    <!-- RUNTIME -->
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/assets/css/style.css">
```

At runtime, the `href` property is resolved to `/static/assets/css/style.css` based on the value saved in the `.env` file:

```
# No Slash at the end
ASSETS_ROOT=/static/assets
```

\\

## ✨ Default Apps

The codebase comes with two simple apps that handle the authentication and serve all pages saved in the `apps/templates/home` directory.

### 👉 Authentication App

This default app defined in `apps/authentication` handles the authentication routes `login`, `register`. The most important files that make the authentication usable, are listed below:

* `forms.py` - defines the Login, Registration forms
* `views.py` - implements the login, registration flow
* `routes.py` - map routing rules over the views
* `models.py` - EMPTY file
  * The extended user model is NOT provided

### 👉 Home App

This app returns all pages saved in the `templates/home` directory to authenticated users. In case a page is not found, a generic page is returned using a `404` HTTP error status.

\\

## ✨ Customisation

### 👉 Set up the MySql Database

**Note:** Make sure your Mysql server is properly installed and accessible.

> **Step 1** - Create the MySql Database to be used by the app

* `Create a new MySql` database
* `Create a new user` and assign full privilegies (read/write)

> **Step 2** - Install `mysqlclient` package

```bash
$ pip install mysqlclient
```

> **Step 3** - Edit the `.env` to match your MySql DB credentials. Make sure `DB_ENGINE` is set to `mysql`.

* `DB_ENGINE` : `mysql`
* `DB_NAME` : default value = `appseed_db`
* `DB_HOST` : default value = `localhost`
* `DB_PORT` : default value = `3306`
* `DB_USERNAME`: default value = `appseed_db_usr`
* `DB_PASS` : default value = `pass`

\\

Here is a sample:

```
# .env sample

DB_ENGINE=mysql            # Database Driver
DB_NAME=appseed_db         # Database Name
DB_USERNAME=appseed_db_usr # Database User
DB_PASS=STRONG_PASS_HERE   # Password 
DB_HOST=localhost          # Database HOST, default is localhost 
DB_PORT=3306               # MySql port, default = 3306 
```

At this point, the app should use `MySql` for the persistence layer.

### 👉 Adding a new app

The existing codebase can be extended with ease with new apps and features. Here are the steps that create a new application named `polls`.

> **Create a new app** using `startapp` command (make sure you are in the root of the project)

```bash
$ python manage.py startapp polls
```

> **Write a simple view** for the new app - Edit `polls/views.py`

```python
from django.http import HttpResponse

def index(request):
    return HttpResponse("Hello! This is the polls APP index.")
```

> **Create urls.py** inside the `polls` directory

```python
from django.urls import path

from . import views

urlpatterns = [
    path('', views.index, name='index'),
]
```

> **Update project routing** - `core/urls.py` file:

```python
urlpatterns = [
    path('admin/', admin.site.urls),         
    path("", include("apps.authentication.urls")), 

    # ADD NEW Routes HERE
    path('polls/', include('polls.urls')),  # <-- NEW

    # Leave `Home.Urls` as last the last line
    path("", include("apps.home.urls"))
]
```

> **Enable the new app** - Update `core/settings.py` file:

```python
... (truncated content)

INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'django.contrib.admin',
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.messages',
    'django.contrib.staticfiles',
    'polls',                       # <-- NEW
    'apps.home' 
]

... (truncated content)
```

> **Start the project** and access the project in the browser:

`http://localhost:8000/polls/`

![Django new app - browser output.](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/51070104/172329836-93dfb838-87ba-4067-9983-93a95ca8571c.png)

\\

### 👉 Static Assets for `production`

As explained in the [Static Assets](#static-assets) section, the assets are managed via:

* `apps/static/assets` - the folder where `JS`, `CSS`, and `images` files are saved
* `ASSETS_ROOT` - environment variable, that defaults to `/static/assets` if not defined

In production, the contents of the `apps/static/assets` files should be copied to an external (public) directory and the `ASSETS_ROOT` environment variable updated accordingly.

For instance, if the `static` files are copied to `https://cdn.your-server.com/datta-able-assets`, the `.env` file should be updated as below:

```
# No Slash at the end
ASSETS_ROOT=https://cdn.your-server.com/datta-able-assets
```

## 🚀 Where to go from here

* 👉 Access the [support](https://appseed.us/support/) page in case something is missing
* 👉 Use [Material Kit Generator](https://appseed.us/generator/material-kit/) to generate a new project
