Python Backend Setup Guide (Beginner Friendly)

This guide uses Python + Django + Django REST Framework (DRF) because Django is one of the most
popular backend frameworks and works very well with Flutter.

1. What is Python?
Python is a programming language used for:

Web Development
APIs
Automation
Data Science
AI / Machine Learning
Desktop Apps

Popular Python frameworks:

Django
FastAPI
Flask

For beginners:

Django → Best choice

FastAPI → Modern and very fast
Flask → Lightweight

2. Install Python
Download:

[Link]

Verify installation:

1
 python --version

or

python3 --version

Example:

Python 3.13.x

3. Create Project Folder

mkdir backend
cd backend

4. Create Virtual Environment

Why?

Keeps project packages separate.

Create:

python -m venv venv

Activate:

Windows:

venv\Scripts\activate

Mac/Linux:

2
 source venv/bin/activate

You should see:

(venv)

5. Install Django

pip install django

Verify:

django-admin --version

6. Create Django Project

django-admin startproject config .

Project structure:

backend/

config/
[Link]
venv/

7. Run Server

python [Link] runserver

Visit:

3
 [Link]

8. Install Django REST Framework

Flutter communicates through APIs.

Install:

pip install djangorestframework

Add to:

INSTALLED_APPS = [

'rest_framework',

File:

config/[Link]

9. Create App
Think of apps like modules.

Create:

python [Link] startapp products

Structure:

products/

[Link]

4
 [Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]

Register:

INSTALLED_APPS = [

'rest_framework',
'products',

10. Project Structure

backend/

config/

apps/
│
├── accounts/
├── products/
├── cart/
├── orders/
├── payments/
│
media/
static/

[Link]

Professional structure:

apps/

accounts
products
cart

5
 orders
payments

11. Configure Database

Default:

SQLite

Production:

MySQL
PostgreSQL

Example MySQL:

Install:

pip install mysqlclient

[Link]

DATABASES = {

'default': {
'ENGINE': '[Link]',
'NAME': 'ecommerce',
'USER': 'root',
'PASSWORD': '',
'HOST': '[Link]',
'PORT': '3306',
}

6
12. Create Model
products/[Link]

from [Link] import models

class Product([Link]):

name = [Link](max_length=255)

description = [Link](
blank=True,
null=True
)

price = [Link](
max_digits=10,
decimal_places=2
)

stock = [Link]()

image = [Link](
upload_to='products/',
blank=True,
null=True
)

created_at = [Link](
auto_now_add=True
)

13. Create Migration

Generate:

python [Link] makemigrations

Apply:

7
 python [Link] migrate

14. Create Serializer

Serializer converts:

Database Object
↓
JSON

Create:

products/[Link]

from rest_framework import serializers

from .models import Product

class ProductSerializer(
[Link]
):

class Meta:

model = Product

fields = '__all__'

15. Create API View

products/[Link]

from rest_framework.response import Response

from rest_framework.views import APIView

from .models import Product

from .serializers import ProductSerializer

8
 class ProductListView(APIView):

def get(self, request):

products = [Link]()

serializer =
ProductSerializer(
products,
many=True
)

return Response(
[Link]
)

16. Create Routes

products/[Link]

from [Link] import path

from .views import ProductListView

urlpatterns = [

path(
'',
ProductListView.as_view()
),

Project urls:

config/[Link]

from [Link] import include

from [Link] import path

urlpatterns = [

9
 path(
'api/products/',
include('[Link]')
),

Visit:

[Link]

17. MVC Equivalent

Django uses:

Request
↓
URL
↓
View
↓
Model
↓
Database
↓
Serializer
↓
JSON Response

18. Authentication
Install:

pip install djangorestframework-simplejwt

[Link]

10
 REST_FRAMEWORK = {

'DEFAULT_AUTHENTICATION_CLASSES': (

'rest_framework_simplejwt.[Link]',

),

19. Generate JWT Token

POST /api/token/

Response:

{
"access": "token",
"refresh": "token"
}

Flutter stores:

access token

and sends it in headers.

20. Admin Panel

Create admin user:

python [Link] createsuperuser

Run:

11
 python [Link] runserver

Open:

[Link]

Login with admin account.

21. Upload Images

Install:

pip install pillow

[Link]

MEDIA_URL = '/media/'

MEDIA_ROOT =
BASE_DIR / 'media'

[Link]

from [Link] import settings

from [Link] import static

urlpatterns += static(
settings.MEDIA_URL,
document_root=settings.MEDIA_ROOT
)

22. Common E-Commerce Tables

users

categories

12
 products

product_images

carts

cart_items

orders

order_items

payments

reviews

addresses

23. Flutter Connection

Base URL:

const baseUrl =
"[Link]

Get Products:

final response =
await [Link](
[Link](
'$baseUrl/products/'
)
);

24. Daily Commands

Create app:

13
 python [Link] startapp app_name

Run server:

python [Link] runserver

Create migration:

python [Link] makemigrations

Apply migration:

python [Link] migrate

Create admin:

python [Link] createsuperuser

Shell:

python [Link] shell

25. Professional Django Structure

backend/

apps/
│
├── accounts/
├── products/
├── cart/
├── orders/
├── payments/
├── reviews/
│
config/

14
 media/
static/

[Link]

Keep:

Models

for database structure,

Views

for business logic,

Serializers

for JSON conversion,

URLs

for routes.

26. Learning Order

1. Python Basics
2. OOP (Classes & Objects)
3. Django Basics
4. Models
5. Migrations
6. Django REST Framework
7. Authentication (JWT)
8. File Uploads
9. Flutter Integration
10. Deployment

15
27. Complete Backend Flow

Flutter App
↓
API Request
↓
URL Route
↓
View
↓
Model
↓
Database
↓
Serializer
↓
JSON Response
↓
Flutter UI

Django is often considered one of the easiest and most productive backend frameworks for beginners
because it includes authentication, admin panel, ORM, migrations, validation, and security features out of
the box.

16