Django

Description #

Django is a high-level Python web framework that encourages rapid development and clean, pragmatic design. It comes with built-in features for user authentication, admin panels, database models, and URL routing, making it ideal for building scalable, secure web applications fast.

History #

Django was created in 2003 by Adrian Holovaty and Simon Willison while working at a newspaper, the Lawrence Journal-World, to build content-heavy sites quickly. It was open-sourced in 2005 and named after jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.

Key milestones:

• 2005: Django 1.0 released with full admin, ORM, and templating system
• 2017: Django 2.0 drops Python 2 support
• 2020+: Django 3+ and 4+ embrace async views and modern features
• Used by large platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, Mozilla, and Disqus

Hello World Code #

# hello/views.py
from django.http import HttpResponse

def hello_world(request):
    return HttpResponse("Hello, World!")

# hello/urls.py
from django.urls import path
from .views import hello_world

urlpatterns = [
    path('', hello_world),
]

How to Run #

Locally: #

1. Install Django:

pip install django

2. Create project and app:

django-admin startproject mysite
cd mysite
python manage.py startapp hello

3. Add your view and URL pattern (as shown above)
4. Include hello.urls in the main mysite/urls.py
5. Run the server:

python manage.py runserver

Visit http://127.0.0.1:8000/ to see “Hello, World!”

Key Concepts #

• MTV architecture — Model, Template, View (similar to MVC)
• ORM — interact with databases using Python classes
• Admin panel — auto-generated backend for managing content
• URL routing — maps URLs to views cleanly
• Templates — HTML with dynamic tags using the Django template language
• Forms & Validation — built-in tools for handling user input
• Middleware — process requests/responses globally
• Authentication system — user login, logout, and permissions
• Security features — CSRF protection, XSS prevention, HTTPS support
• Asynchronous support — added in Django 3.1+ for performance

Try It Online #

🔗 Replit – Django Template
🔗 PythonAnywhere – Django Web App
🔗 Django Girls Tutorial

Fun Facts #

• Named after Django Reinhardt, a Belgian jazz guitarist
• Built originally for online journalism, now used by startups and enterprise apps
• The admin dashboard is one of Django’s standout features
• Emphasizes “Don’t Repeat Yourself” (DRY) principles
• Many popular platforms began as Django MVPs, including Instagram

Resources #

• Django Official Website
• Django Documentation
• Real Python – Django Tutorials
• Django GitHub Repository