Getting started with Django can be an exciting journey into the world of web development. Django is a powerful web framework for Python that allows you to build robust and scalable web applications with ease. In this step-by-step guide, we will walk through the essential steps to set up your first web application using Django. Start by installing Django on your machine, which can be done via pip with the command pip install Django. Once installed, create your project by running django-admin startproject myproject, where myproject is your project name.

Next, navigate into your project directory using cd myproject and create your first application with the command python manage.py startapp myapp. This will create a new directory for your application, where you can define your models, views, and templates. To set up your application, remember to add 'myapp' to the INSTALLED_APPS list in your project's settings.py file. Finally, run your development server using python manage.py runserver and visit http://127.0.0.1:8000/ in your browser to see your first web application powered by Django.

Django is a powerful framework that accelerates web development with its myriad of packages designed to enhance functionality and efficiency. To streamline your development process, here are the Top 10 Django Packages you should consider integrating into your projects:

1. Django Rest Framework - A powerful toolkit for building Web APIs.
2. Celery - For asynchronous task queues, ensuring your web application runs smoothly.
3. Django Allauth - For handling user registration and authentication seamlessly.
4. Django Debug Toolbar - An essential tool for debugging and optimizing your applications.
5. Django Crispy Forms - For better control over form rendering and styling.
6. Django Storages - To easily manage file storage across different backends.
7. Django Rest Swagger - For automatic API documentation generation.
8. Django Guardian - Implementation of per-object permissions in your project.
9. Whitenoise - For serving static files efficiently in production.
10. Django Compressor - To compress and manage your CSS and JavaScript files like a pro.

Django is a powerful web framework that simplifies the development of robust web applications, but like any tool, it comes with its own set of challenges. Among the common Django errors developers encounter, the TemplateDoesNotExist error is particularly frequent. This error occurs when Django cannot locate the specified template file. To troubleshoot this, ensure that your TEMPLATES setting in your settings.py file correctly points to the directory containing your templates. Also, double-check the syntax of the template name you are providing in your views.

Another frequent issue is the ImproperlyConfigured error, which usually happens when your app is not set up correctly. This could be due to missing middleware or incorrect settings in settings.py. To resolve this, examine your configurations for potential typos or missing components. Make sure you have all necessary apps added to your INSTALLED_APPS list and that your database configurations are accurately set. Regularly checking for these common errors will streamline your development process and improve your workflow.