[django] Document setting up the secret key (#1455)

Author: msullivan

python/django-notes/README.md

@@ -19,6 +19,14 @@ A simple note-taking app built with Django, demonstrating server-side rendering,
 
 https://django-notes-example.vercel.app/
 
+## Setting the Secret Key
+
+Django requires a secret key for cryptographic signing to be set in the `DJANGO_SECRET` environment variable. This can be set in the web interface, or by running:
+
+```bash
+uv run python -c 'from django.core.management.utils import get_random_secret_key; print(get_random_secret_key())' | vercel env add -y DJANGO_SECRET prod
+```
+
 ## How it Works
 
 This example uses Django's ORM, templates, and `staticfiles` app, served via WSGI on Vercel. The database defaults to SQLite locally and switches to Postgres when `DATABASE_URL` is set — Vercel automatically provisions this environment variable when you add a Postgres database. You can add a database during project import or later from the Storage tab.

python/django-rest-framework/README.md

@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ A minimal [Django REST Framework](https://www.django-rest-framework.org/) API ru
 
 https://django-rest-framework-example.vercel.app/api/time/
 
+## Setting the Secret Key
+
+Django requires a secret key for cryptographic signing to be set in the `DJANGO_SECRET` environment variable. This can be set in the web interface, or by running:
+
+```bash
+uv run python -c 'from django.core.management.utils import get_random_secret_key; print(get_random_secret_key())' | vercel env add -y DJANGO_SECRET prod
+```
+
 ## How it Works
 
 A single DRF view in `api/views.py` returns the current UTC time as JSON:

python/django/README.md

@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ This example shows how to use Django on Vercel with Serverless Functions using t
 
 https://django-template.vercel.app/
 
+## Setting the Secret Key
+
+Django requires a secret key for cryptographic signing to be set in the `DJANGO_SECRET` environment variable. This can be set in the web interface, or by running:
+
+```bash
+uv run python -c 'from django.core.management.utils import get_random_secret_key; print(get_random_secret_key())' | vercel env add -y DJANGO_SECRET prod
+```
+
 ## How it Works
 
 Vercel detects Django's `manage.py` and uses that to find the WSGI entrypoint and the configuration for static files.