mysite

mysite#

What is mysite?#

mysite is the Django project directory that contains apps, the database, and a nested configuration package used by Django to run the project.

In project, mysite appears twice, and this is intentional.

Structure:

django_project/
├── djenv/
└── mysite/          ← outer mysite (PROJECT ROOT)
   ├── myapp/
   ├── mysite/      ← inner mysite (DJANGO CONFIG)
   ├── db.sqlite3
   └── manage.py

Let’s break this down carefully.

1️⃣ Outer mysite/ (Project root)#

This folder is created when you run.

django-admin startproject mysite
This outer mysite/ is:

  • The Django project root

  • Where you run Django commands

  • NOT a Python package

  • NOT imported in code

It contains:

  • manage.py

  • apps (myapp)

  • database file

  • inner Django configuration folder

2️⃣ manage.py (command center)#

Location:

mysite/manage.py

This is the main control script for Django.

You use it for:

python manage.py runserver
python manage.py startapp myapp
python manage.py makemigrations
python manage.py migrate
python manage.py createsuperuser

Think of it as:

“The remote control for your Django project”

3️⃣ db.sqlite3 (default database)#

Location:

mysite/db.sqlite3

  • Default database (SQLite)

  • Used for development and learning

  • Auto-created after first migration

In real projects:

  • Often replaced with PostgreSQL

  • Usually ignored in Git

4️⃣ myapp/ (Django app)#

Location:

mysite/myapp/
This is actual application code:

  • views

  • models

  • urls

  • admin

Django projects are collections of apps.

5️⃣ Inner mysite/ (Django configuration package)#

Location:

mysite/mysite/

This inner folder is the real Django configuration module.

It IS a Python package and contains:

mysite/mysite/
├── __init__.py
├── settings.py
├── urls.py
├── asgi.py
└── wsgi.py
This is where Django looks for:

  • settings

  • URL routing

  • deployment configuration

Why are there TWO mysite folders?#

This confuses almost everyone at first

Here’s the reason:

Folder

Purpose

outer mysite/

project workspace

inner mysite/

Django settings package
Django must have:

  • a project directory (workspace)

  • a Python package with settings

They often share the same name by default.

You can rename the outer one if you want — Django doesn’t care.

How Django uses mysite#

When you run:

python manage.py runserver
Django:

  1. Uses manage.py

  2. Loads settings from mysite.settings

  3. Reads URLs from mysite.urls

  4. Starts the server

That mysite.settings refers to the inner folder.

Analogy (very helpful)

  • 🏠 Outer mysite/ → house

  • 🧠 Inner mysite/ → brain

  • 🧱 myapp/ → rooms

  • 🕹 manage.py → remote control

Common beginner mistakes

  • Editing files in the wrong mysite

  • Thinking outer mysite is imported

  • Deleting manage.py

  • Renaming inner mysite without updating settings

You avoided all of these

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