Django Web Development 101: The History, Features, Benefits, and Outsourcing Possibilities
Django is a free and open source web development framework written in Python.
Primarily used for building websites and web applications, Django was initially in development between 2003 and 2005 before officially launching in 2008, making it one of the oldest, most well-documented, and reliable frameworks around. This has made it a popular choice for developers and businesses alike due to being very easy to learn, feature-rich, scalable, and secure.
Furthermore, Django development has been embraced by some of the biggest companies in the world, powering websites with heavy traffic and large volumes of information like The Washington Post, Instagram, Pinterest and NASA, to name a few. So, whatever type of website or web application you wish to build, there’s a good chance Django can deliver what you need.
With that being said, let’s dive in to the technical details, and find out exactly what makes Django so special – and how it could be the perfect solution for your next web application.
Unique features of Django
‘Batteries included’ packages
Pretty much everything a developer needs to build a beautiful, functional, and scalable web application for you is right there. These include feature-rich tools like an MVT (Model-View-Template) layout, URL routing, Easy Database Migration, HTTP libraries, and content management systems.
Plus, since these tools are all included out-of-the-box, this means they work seamlessly together, and can be used as little or as much as you desire – while still following consistent design principles.
Incredibly versatile
For over a decade, Django web development teams have been using it to build all kinds of web applications, including social media platforms, news outlets, music streaming services, and image sharing providers.
One of the reasons why Django is so flexible is because it is compatible with virtually all client-side frameworks, which means you can deliver content in almost any format – including HTML, RSS feeds, and XML.
Django is also capable of creating websites designed to handle heavy traffic and large volumes of information, making it ideal for businesses that need a robust framework, one that can handle the massive influx of new and returning visitors.
Secure web browsing
Django features a range of built-in security features designed to protect user data and ensure a safe web browsing experience. These include built-in protection against Cross Site Scripting (XSS) attacks, Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF), and other useful protections against SQL injections, clickjacking, and invalidated hosts. As a result, your website will be protected from the latest and most threatening cyber-attacks.
Well-established
Django has been around for a long time, as far back as 2008. This means the framework has a strong, diverse user community and support network.
So when you build with Django, you benefit from a framework that is constantly updated and maintained, along with great documentation and community support groups, who are more than eager to help Django web developers solve any kind of code problem.
What does this mean for you as a client? You’ll enjoy a far more streamlined and seamless development cycle, including the freedom to experiment more – without fear of losing control of your project.
Easy to learn and use
Anyone familiar with the Python programming language can jump in, get-up-to-speed with Django, and start building the website and web application of their dreams. As a front-end developer framework, the template language is designed to be easy to use and intuitive for those used to working in HTML language.
So, what’s under the hood?
Django uses the MVT (Model-View-Template) architecture for building website and web applications. Based on the famous MVC structure, the MVT approach came about due to the creators of Django needing to solve a unique set of problems while managing busy and complex news outlet websites.
Some of the most common problems the creators faced were:
- The data team needed a common interface to work with different kinds of data sources, formats, and data base software
- The design team needed to manage the user experience with tools they already had on-hand (i.e. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript)
- The coding team needed a framework that allowed them to deploy new components and quickly make changes on the fly
After many years of hard work and Django development, the creators managed to come up with a framework that allowed each of these core components – data, design, and logic – to be worked on independently of each other.
This enabled developers to perfect and fine-tune every aspect of their web application, without interfering with one another, and then combine those components together in order to test the application in a range of configuration environments.
Most importantly, through the use of an ORM (Object-Relational-Mapping) layer, this helped simplify the process of creating and managing databases within a web application, allowing them to write the tables in simple Python code – instead of the more complex SQL language.
Last, but not least, Django makes it easy for developers to incorporate custom packages into the framework. This greatly reduces the amount of manual coding a Django web developer has to do. Instead, they can simply download and drop in the pre-built packages of their choice, and then modify to fit work the context of the web application.
Why choose Orient Software for Django development
Are you considering outsourcing your Django development to a third-party? If so, then here are a few helpful tips to ensure you find the right partner for your project:
- Dedicated Django developers – Who have years of experience building, testing, and deploying websites and web applications similar to what you are looking for.
- Clear and concise communication – In liaison with experienced project managers, who take the time to understand your goals, propose a custom solution for you, and then guide you through the process, step-by-step, until you absolutely love the final product.
- Ongoing support and maintenance – Launching your web application is just the beginning. For this reason, partner with a Django development company who can provide post-launch support, so that your web application is consistently secure, up-to-date, and compatible with the latest devices.
- Certified and trustworthy – With awards and certifications from reputable industry bodies. At Orient Software, we hold a number of awards and certifications from Microsoft and AWS (Amazon Web Services), as well as being listed as one of Vietnam’s leading IT companies.
By taking into account this key considerations, you’ll greatly improve the odds of choosing the right Django development company for you.
For a free price estimate on Django development services, contact Orient Software today. Our friendly and knowledgeable team will be happy to discuss your project, and give you a free quote
