Django (web framework)
| File:Djangologo.gif | |
 The default Django page | |
| Developer(s) | Lawrence Journal-World |
|---|---|
| Stable release | 0.96
/ March 23, 2007 |
| Preview release | 2.2 rc1[1] (18 March 2019) [±] |
| Repository | |
| Type | Web application framework |
| License | BSD License |
| Website | www.djangoproject.com |
Django is an open source web application framework, written in Python, which loosely follows the model-view-controller design pattern. It was originally developed to manage several news-oriented sites for the World Company of Lawrence, Kansas, and was released publicly under a BSD license in July 2005; the framework was named after gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.
Django's primary goal is to ease the creation of complex, database-driven websites. Django emphasizes reusability and "pluggability" of components, rapid development, and the principle of DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself). Python is used throughout, even for settings files and data models.
Django also provides an optional administrative "CRUD" interface that is generated dynamically and configured entirely through data-model definitions.
Components
The core Django framework consists of an object-relational mapper which mediates between data models (defined as Python classes) and a relational database; a regular-expression-based URL dispatcher; a view system for processing requests; and a templating system.
Also included in the core framework are:
- A lightweight, standalone web server for development and testing.
- A form serialization and validation system which can translate between HTML forms and values suitable for storage in the database.
- A caching framework which can use any of several cache methods.
- Support for middleware classes which can intervene at various stages of request processing and carry out custom functions.
- An internal dispatcher system which allows components of an application to communicate events to each other via pre-defined signals.
- An internationalization system, including translations of Django's own components into a variety of languages.
- A serialization system which can produce and read XML and/or JSON representations of Django model instances.
- A system for extending the capabilities of the template engine.
Bundled applications
The main Django distribution also bundles a number of applications in its "contrib" package, including:
- An extensible authentication system.
- The dynamic administrative interface.
- Tools for generating RSS and Atom syndication feeds.
- A flexible commenting system.
- Tools for generating Google Sitemaps.
- Tools for preventing cross-site request forgery.
- Template libraries which enable the use of lightweight markup languages such as Textile and Markdown.
Server arrangements
Django can run on Apache 2 under mod_python, or under any WSGI-compliant web server. Django also includes the ability to launch a FastCGI server, enabling use behind any web server which supports FastCGI.
The following databases are officially supported for use with Django:
Adapters for Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle are under development, but are still experimental.
The Django Book
The Django Book is a free book (released under the GNU Free Document License) about the Django framework. It's currently in beta and will be published sometime in 2007 by Apress. The current version of the book can be found at http://www.djangobook.com/.
See also
External links
- Django Project home page
- The Django Book
- DjangoSnippets
- Google Groups - Django Users
- Google Groups - Django Developers
- Django search engine
- Django Cheat Sheet
- ^ Gibson, Carlton (18 March 2019). "Django 2.2 release candidate 1 released". Django Weblog. Retrieved 27 March 2019.