Thanks to its ease of learning, flexibility, and design, Python is slowly becoming one of the most popular programming languages in the world. 

As per TIOBE, it is the third most popular programming language in the world, only behind C and Java.

Those aware of Python would probably have heard of the Django web framework – the most used Python framework. Because of its computation capabilities, Django today stands as one of the most used web development frameworks.

Django, a high-level Python-based web framework, encourages rapid development and pragmatic design. First released in 2005, Django is a free and open-source web framework that takes care of much of the hassle of web development.

But since every coin has two sides, Django is also not an exception. It also has its own set of pros and cons. The benefits of Django are rapid development, fast processing, and scalability whereas; the disadvantages revolve around its monolithic nature and inability to create smaller projects.

Let’s discuss in detail the various pros and cons of using Django.

Pros of using Django

First, let’s discuss the benefits of using Django –

‘Batteries included’ philosophy

Django positions itself as a ‘batteries-included’ framework. This ‘batteries-included’ philosophy means that Django comes with a wide range of features and functionalities. This framework comes with a lot of stuff out of the box. So, instead of writing your own code, you just need to import the packages for adding functionalities.

This not only saves a lot of time for the developers but also allows them to focus on adding advanced functionalities. Moreover, since it is open-source, one can use the packages made by world-class community members. By simply importing the packages, developers can start building applications in no time. Some of the high-level functionalities or batteries that Django provides include – 

• • ORM
  • Database migrations
  • Multi-site and multi-language support
  • MVC layout
  • User authentication with auth package
  • Admin interfacing with admin package
  • RSS and Atom feeds
  • Free API
  • URL routing
  • AJAX support
  • Sitemaps package for generating Google sitemap XML
  • Messages package for managing temporary messages
  • Sessions package for session management

You can check out all the packages of Django here.

Intelligent application development capabilities

Django is a core solution in various internet of things (IoT) applications. It is preferred by developers working on Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and IoT algorithms. Its computational capabilities make it an ideal platform for machine learning apps. It is also compatible with some powerful machine learning libraries like PyTorch, NumPy, etc.

Since Django provides regression and prediction capabilities, it’s ideal for developing intelligent applications be that on IoT, AI, or ML.

Leveraging the capabilities of Python 

Since Django is based on Python language, it can leverage some of the key benefits of Python. It inherits all of Python’s benefits like simplicity, productivity boost, and external library support. All such things speed up the development process.

Django makes it easier for programmers to develop applications with clean, readable, and maintainable code by benefitting from the syntax rules of Python. It also helps developers easily curtail the development time by building custom web applications without the need to write additional code.

Versatility and scalability 

Django can help even the busiest sites to meet the demands of higher traffic, hence improving scalability. Django’s versatility is evident from the fact that it is used in various industries and applications including content management, scientific computing, intelligent automation, and even enterprise management. 

The Django community

One of the best things about Django is its active community that keeps actively working on improving the framework to make it more user-friendly and stable. Even the documentation is quite thorough and works well as a tutorial. Moreover, as discussed earlier, developers can easily import specific functionalities developed by expert professionals.

Faster development

Django enables faster application development. Developers can thus utilize it to rapidly create Minimum Viable Products (MVP) and get an early-mover advantage over the competitors.

Flexibility 

Since Django is Python-based which is a versatile programming language, it provides more flexibility and dynamism. The framework can be configured quickly to match specific needs.

 

Security 

 

Made by the world’s best web developers, this framework leaves a very small possibility of security loopholes. It also includes prevention of common attacks like SQL injections and cross-site request forgery.

Cons of using Django

Despite all the benefits it offers, there’s a reason why Django is still not the primary framework for a lot of programmers. Some of the problems that come with Django development are –

Lack of conventions 

A big reason why many programmers dislike Django is that it lacks conventions. As opposed to other frameworks like Ruby on Rails, everything needs to be explicitly defined in Django. This leads to configuration boilerplate and, therefore, a slowed development process. It makes it difficult for developers who are used to working with frameworks with convention over configuration.

Monolithic nature

The monolithic nature of Django can be a feature for some programmers but for most, it is a drawback. Django has a certain set of files and predefined variables that programmers need to learn before creating any project. The framework has a certain way of performing tasks.

Although it is easy to learn, its mandatory nature means that developers cannot use their own file structure. One needs to follow those rules to deploy anything using Django.

Not suitable for smaller projects

The Django web framework comes with lots of code that takes the server’s processing and time. This can take its toll on low-end websites that run on very little bandwidth. That is why it is not suitable for projects and products with only a few features and requirements.

Inability to simultaneously handle multiple requests 

Unlike many modern web frameworks, Django is incapable of enabling individual processes to handle multiple requests simultaneously. This puts the pressure on developers to come up with ways to make individual processes handle multiple requests efficiently.

Difficult to learn 

One big disadvantage of Django is that it has a steep learning curve. It comes with a lot of features that cannot be easily understood by developers. This can be really tough for developers who are making a switch from other languages. Having a different syntax also makes it hard for developers to quickly get a hang of it. Python can thus be hard to master.

Conclusion

Django is slowly becoming a popular choice among developers and big organizations. The robust framework allows building large-scale enterprise applications. But despite all the benefits, it might not be the right choice for all.

If you have any queries or would like to know more about Django, then get in touch with us at https://www.benchmarkit.solutions/