Django (web framework)

Django (web framework)
Name	Django
Developer	Django Software Foundation
Released	21 July 2005
Latest release version	5.0.6
Latest release date	15 May 2024
Programming language	Python
Genre	Web framework
License	3-clause BSD
Website	https://www.djangoproject.com/

Django (web framework) is a high-level Python (programming language) web framework that encourages rapid development and clean, pragmatic design. Developed by the Django Software Foundation, it follows the model–template–views architectural pattern. The framework is renowned for its "batteries-included" philosophy, providing a comprehensive suite of tools for common web development tasks out of the box.

Overview

Built by experienced developers, it handles much of the hassle of web development, allowing programmers to focus on writing their application without needing to reinvent the wheel. It emphasizes reusability and "pluggability" of components, less code, low coupling, and the principle of don't repeat yourself. It is used by many high-traffic sites, including Instagram, Pinterest, and The Washington Post, to handle their backend logic and data management. The framework's primary goal is to ease the creation of complex, database-driven websites.

History

The framework was created in the fall of 2003 by Adrian Holovaty and Simon Willison, web programmers at the Lawrence Journal-World newspaper in Lawrence, Kansas. It was developed to meet the fast-paced deadlines of the newsroom and the stringent requirements of the World Wide Web Consortium. It was released publicly under a BSD license in July 2005 and named after the jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. The project's stewardship was later assumed by the Django Software Foundation, a non-profit organization established to support its development.

Features

Its core features include a powerful object-relational mapping layer that allows developers to interact with databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite using Python (programming language) code. It provides an automatic admin interface for managing site content, a robust URL dispatcher, a templating system, and built-in protection against common security threats like Cross-site scripting and SQL injection. The framework also includes a lightweight, standalone web server for development and testing, and supports caching frameworks such as Memcached and Redis.

Architecture

It follows a slightly modified version of the Model–view–controller pattern, typically described as the Model–template–views architecture. The model, defined in Python (programming language)], represents the data structure and interacts with the database. The template is a text file, often HTML, that defines the presentation layer. The view contains the business logic, acting as an intermediary between the model and the template, processing requests and returning responses. This separation of concerns is a hallmark of its design, promoting maintainability and scalability in large applications.

Development and community

Development is guided by a Technical Board and follows a well-defined release process, with regular feature releases. The community is large and active, contributing to a vast ecosystem of third-party packages available through the Python Package Index. Major events include the annual DjangoCon conference held in regions like North America and Europe. The project's code is hosted on GitHub, where it receives contributions from developers worldwide, and its documentation is widely regarded as one of the best for any open-source project.

Applications

It is used to build a wide variety of web applications, from content management systems and social networks to scientific computing platforms and e-commerce sites. Notable implementations include the backend for Instagram, the photo-sharing platform owned by Meta Platforms, and Mozilla, which uses it for parts of its addons.mozilla.org website. Other significant deployments power National Geographic's online presence, the NASA website for the International Space Station, and the Guardian newspaper's content platform.

Category:Free software programmed in Python Category:Web frameworks Category:2005 software