Do you have your next app idea fleshed out, designed and ready to go into development?<\/p>\n
Now it\u2019s time to figure out how you\u2019re going to bring your app into the world, and here\u2019s where some big questions around technology arise. Perhaps you\u2019re clear on the frontend, but you are unsure which backend technology to use? There are countless programming languages and web frameworks out there \u2014 you can spend weeks looking at Flask vs. Django vs. Node.js comparisons and still not know which way to go.
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\nWith all the options open to you, the question is, why use the Django framework for your app and would it best suit your business needs?<\/p>\n
The Django framework can be used for both frontend and backend web development using the Python programming language.<\/p>\n
We call it a \u201cframework\u201d, but really it\u2019s easier to imagine as a sort of library or catalog \u2014 containing tools, packages, and extensions that are pre-programmed and ready to use in any web dev project. If you were to run Python outside of the Django framework, you\u2019d need to code and develop each of these modules from scratch instead.<\/p>\n
So is Django a part of Python? It\u2019s a question a lot of clients and app owners ask.<\/p>\n
Django was developed using Python. However, it’s a product and enhancement of the language, more than a part of the technology itself. There are other Python frameworks with which Django competes, and Python can exist outside of the Django framework.<\/p>\n
Django is a high-level web framework that encourages rapid development and clean, pragmatic design. Built by experienced developers, it takes care of much of the hassle of web development \u2014 meaning you can focus on writing your app (and solving users\u2019 needs) without reinventing the wheel.<\/p>\n
Of course, Django isn\u2019t the only web framework to boast these benefits, so what makes Django stand out from the rest?<\/p>\n
Python<\/a> is a powerful, general-purpose programming language that can be applied to many different software development use-cases. It has an elegant syntax and uses simple English keywords, allowing programmers to easily read and understand Python code.<\/p>\n Django is a framework built on top of the Python language, using Python tools to streamline the development process. This framework helps your developers get up and running; you\u2019ll achieve more in less time, and with less complexity as well.<\/p>\n Python is also one of the most prominent programming languages in use today. There’s never a shortage of great Python programmers out there to help make your app a success.<\/p>\n Django is a highly opinionated web framework \u2014 it has been built and designed to do things in a particular way. It favors certain patterns and has one \u201cright\u201d way to handle tasks; developers can\u2019t stray as far from the framework as others allow.<\/p>\n This means that Django code is kept clean and straightforward. Any developer you work with can come onto your team, read your code, and follow your train of thought. Since Django code is standardized, you can scale your team and quickly onboard productive new members.<\/p>\n It\u2019s this synergy that\u2019s inspired tight-knit Django and Python communities. It\u2019s easy for developers to share code online and help fellow developers out of a bind. In most cases, it\u2019s easy to integrate ideas from the Django community to speed up the development process.<\/p>\n Take a look at this curated list of Django packages in Github<\/a>, for starters.<\/p>\n Together, this results in an app that\u2019s easy to maintain and upgrade.<\/p>\n You would be hard-pressed to find any Django application that didn\u2019t include pre-built components from the Django framework. One of the great things about the framework is that much of the hard work is done for you, that\u2019s why Django is known as a \u201cbatteries-included\u201d web framework.<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s an admin section, membership system, or SEO, Django has what you need.<\/p>\n Security comes as standard, too. Django\u2019s default security measures offer sufficient protection for many businesses, and the framework is easily extended to cover additional compliance needs as well. Thanks to Django\u2019s large and growing community, not only are these security measures tried and tested, they are continually updated too \u2014 keeping your app secure, and reducing its vulnerabilities, well into the future.<\/p>\n Of course, you aren\u2019t limited to the pre-built libraries Django offers. The framework is as extensible as you want it to be. The pre-built libraries are there to save you time and money while allowing you to focus on your app’s unique functionality.<\/p>\n Our work with Skyroam<\/a> and Singular University<\/a> is a testament to this. Django\u2019s toolset gave us the tools necessary to build extensive feature sets for our clients.<\/p>\n You might be able to get away with an under-optimized app in the early days. However, once you start adding new features and getting more traffic, un-optimized apps can become a nightmare to maintain.<\/p>\n Django is scalable because of its simplicity. By sticking to the conventions laid out in Django\u2019s development framework, Django makes it easy for your developers to plug new features into your app with minimal effort.<\/p>\n This simplicity also applies to server hardware. You can scale it by adding more servers or upgrading the capacity of existing servers, allowing you to adapt fast, be budget-aware and grow your infrastructure capacity only as needed.<\/p>\n It hasn\u2019t always been easy to work with data. If you have complex data requirements, you\u2019re stuck with writing complicated database queries to find the data you need.<\/p>\n Django solves this problem with a powerful object-relational mapping (ORM) system. An ORM system removes the need for database code from developers and allows them to write in the programming language they know best.<\/p>\n This simplified approach to data management allows your development team to create complex queries on their own without reaching out to database administrators. They\u2019ll be able to get more done and adapt more quickly to your evolving data needs.<\/p>\n You may also like:<\/strong><\/p>\n As we\u2019ve covered already, Django was developed using Python. But does that make it better than frameworks using other languages like PHP?<\/p>\n To say whether Python is better than PHP means picking between two excellent options. Both Python and PHP are, without a doubt, the most popular and preferred programming languages for backend web development \u2014 and each has their pros and cons.<\/p>\n That said, if we were forced to pick a side, then here\u2019s what we\u2019d say:<\/p>\n There isn\u2019t a one-size-fits-all solution in the web development world, and Django is no different.<\/p>\n Django is our preferred web framework here at Cheesecake Labs \u2014 we\u2019ve amassed a wealth of collective intelligence using Django across 150+ development projects for over 8+ years. It\u2019s the framework we trust. But we can be flexible when needed.<\/p>\n Sometimes it\u2019s advantageous for our clients, and their projects, if we take a different route. Perhaps there\u2019s a library or service that\u2019s core to the app and it integrates better with Node.js, or the app we\u2019re building already has an existing codebase written in Golang.<\/p>\n Outside of those scenarios, though, Django is well-suited for almost any application you can think of. Its feature-set gives projects a running start and it’s extendable enough to let you build out any feature you can imagine.<\/p>\n And considering Instagram and YouTube use Django to help their sites run efficiently, then you know you\u2019re in good company.<\/p>\n With all the benefits Django brings to the table, there’s one that stands out with Cheesecake Labs: we’re Django experts. Our development team knows the ins and outs of the Django framework and can use it to create whatever app you need.<\/p>\n2. Django encourages great programming standards<\/h3>\n
3. Django has great tooling<\/h3>\n
4. Django is scalable<\/h3>\n
5. Django works great with data<\/h3>\n
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Is Python better than PHP?<\/h2>\n
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When shouldn\u2019t<\/em> you use Django?<\/h2>\n
Partner up with the experts on your Django app<\/h2>\n