Django Web Application Development Lecture Notes

Introduction to Web Development

• Importance of the web for organizations.
• High demand for web developers.
• Django as an easy-to-use web application development platform.
• Built on Python; powerful, used by popular sites like Instagram and Spotify.

Agenda

1. Debugging Python Applications
2. Python with MySQL Database
3. Dealing with XML and JSON Data in Python
4. Introduction to Django Framework
5. Django Templates and Forms
6. Django Models
7. Creating RESTful Web Services using Django Rest Framework
8. Testing and Security in Django
9. Common Django Interview Questions
10. End-to-End Project Implementation
11. Quiz Recap

What is a Web Application?

• A software accessible from a browser (e.g., Firefox, Chrome).
• Communication between browser and web application requires protocols (e.g., HTTP, FTP).
• Web resources can include PDFs, HTML, and JSON.

Understanding Web Frameworks

• Common core features in web applications (e.g., security, database connectivity).
• A web framework simplifies development by providing APIs and classes for common tasks.
  • Database Connectivity: Automated connection establishment.
  • Templates: Structure for the responses sent to clients.
  • Security Features: Protect against attacks (e.g. clickjacking, SQL injection).
• Examples of frameworks: Django, Flask, Pyramid.

Key Features of Django Framework

• Fast development time compared to building from scratch.
• Security against common web attacks.
• Scalability; can handle growing user bases.
• Integration with databases like MySQL and SQL Server.

Famous Companies using Django

• Instagram, Dropbox, Pinterest, and Spotify.

Installing Django

1. Verify Python installation: python --version
2. Install Django: pip install django

Creating a Django Project

• Command: django-admin startproject <project_name>.
• Folder structure will contain:
  • __init__.py
  • settings.py
  • urls.py
  • wsgi.py

Understanding Key Files in Django Project

• settings.py: Application settings; includes security and database configurations.
• urls.py: Manages URL patterns of the application.
• wsgi.py: Connects web application with web server.
• manage.py: Command line utility for running the application server.

URL Mapping and Views

• URL patterns in urls.py link to view functions/classes that handle requests.
• Views respond to requests with data or webpage.

Creating a Full Django App

1. Navigate to project directory.
2. Create a new app: python manage.py startapp <app_name>.
3. Copy necessary files like urls.py for the new app.
4. Set up views to return content for specific URLs.

Creating Templates

• Use HTML files in templates folder to structure webpage responses.
• Include features like navigation bar in templates.

Dynamic Data Handling

• Use forms to gather user input (e.g., registration, posting thoughts).
• Handle data submission with views and update the database accordingly.

Implementing Security and Authentication

• Create login and logout functionalities for users.
• Utilize Django’s authentication system.

Building an API with Django Rest Framework

• Install Django Rest Framework.
• Use serializers to convert data into JSON format for APIs.
• Implement view sets for handling API requests.

Common Interview Questions

1. What is Django?
2. Explain MVT architecture.
3. Difference between a project and an app.
4. What is the Django admin interface?
5. Explain request/response cycle.
6. What are migrations?
7. What is a cookie and session framework?
8. Discuss middleware functionality.
9. What are query sets?
10. How to register a model with Django admin?

Conclusion

• Django is a powerful tool for building web applications efficiently.
• Understanding its core features and functionalities is essential for success in web development.

• Interested in further training? Check out Intellipaat’s Django certification course.