When to Use Django? Comparison with other Development Stacks

Prerequisite - Django Introduction and Installation 

Django is a high-level Python web framework which allow us to quickly create web applications without all of the installation or dependency problems that we normally face with other frameworks. 

One should be using Django for web development in the following cases: 

• For developing a Web Application or API Backend.
• For Rapid Development of some web application.
• Deploying the application Fast and Scaling it according to your needs
• A Perfect ORM for working with databases instead of database queries
• To develop a secure single-page application for either retrieving data or posting data.
   

Django is a good choice when:

1. Data-Heavy Applications

• Django’s built-in ORM and migrations make handling large databases easy.
• The admin panel helps manage data without extra setup.

2. Applications with User Functionality

• Built-in support for user registration, login, forms, and permissions.

3. Quick Project Launches

• Django follows a “batteries-included” philosophy- most tools are built-in, reducing the need for extra libraries.

4. Python Developers

• If you're already comfortable with Python, Django is a natural fit.

When Django Might Not Be the Best Choice

We should consider some alternative development frameworks when:

• Building a small or simple site/SPA: Use JavaScript frameworks like React or Angular.
• Creating real-time apps: Node.js handles concurrency better with its non-blocking I/O.
• Developing a mobile app: Use tools like React Native or Flutter

Below are examples of a simple Django view function:

Handling a GET Request:

from django.shortcuts import render

def my_view(request):
    if request.method == 'GET':
        return render(request, 'mytemplate.html')

Explanation:

• render() returns an HTML template response.
• This view only processes GET requests and loads mytemplate.html.

Handling a POST Request:

from django.shortcuts import render, redirect
from .models import MyModel
from .forms import MyForm

def my_view(request):
    if request.method == 'POST':
        form = MyForm(request.POST)
        if form.is_valid():
            data = form.cleaned_data
            MyModel.objects.create(**data)
            return redirect('success_page')
    else:
        form = MyForm()
    return render(request, 'mytemplate.html', {'form': form})

Explanation:

• On POST, it initializes a form with submitted data.
• If valid, it creates a new model entry and redirects to a success page.
• On GET, it renders an empty form in the template.

Please note that you need to have the necessary imports and correctly set up models and forms for the above examples to work.

Companies using Django:

• Instagram
• Disqus
• Pinterest
• Mozilla Firefox
• Spotify
• YouTube

Also read:

• Django Project MVT Structure
• How to Create a Basic Project using MVT in Django ?