# Django (web framework)

Django (/ˈdʒæŋɡoʊ/ JANG-goh; sometimes stylized as django) is a free and open-source, Python-based web framework that runs on a web server. It follows the model–template–views (MTV) architectural pattern. It is maintained by the Django Software Foundation (DSF), an independent organization established in the US as a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
Django's primary goal is to ease the creation of complex, database-driven websites. The framework emphasizes reusability and "pluggability" of components, less code, low coupling, rapid development, and the principle of don't repeat yourself. Python is used throughout, even for settings, files, and data models. Django also provides an optional administrative create, read, update and delete interface that is generated dynamically through introspection and configured via admin models.
Some well-known sites that use Django include Instagram, Mozilla, Disqus, Bitbucket, Nextdoor, and Clubhouse.

## History

Django was created in the autumn of 2003, when the web programmers at the Lawrence Journal-World newspaper, Adrian Holovaty and Simon Willison, began using Python to build applications. Jacob Kaplan-Moss was hired early in Django's development shortly before Willison's internship ended. It was released publicly under a BSD license in July 2005. The framework was named after guitarist Django Reinhardt. Holovaty is a Romani jazz guitar player inspired in part by Reinhardt's music.
In June 2008, it was announced that a newly formed Django Software Foundation (DSF) would maintain Django in the future.

## Features
### Components

Despite having its own nomenclature, such as naming the callable objects generating the HTTP responses "views", the core Django framework can be seen as an MVC architecture. It consists of an object-relational mapper (ORM) that mediates between data models (defined as Python classes) and a relational database ("Model"), a system for processing HTTP requests with a web templating system ("View"), and a regular-expression-based URL dispatcher ("Controller").
Also included in the core framework are:
* a lightweight and standalone web server for development and testing
* a form serialization and validation system that can translate between HTML forms and values suitable for storage in the database
* a template system that utilizes the concept of inheritance borrowed from object-oriented programming
* a caching framework that can use any of several cache methods
* support for middleware classes that can intervene at various stages of request processing and carry out custom functions
* an internal dispatcher system that 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 that can produce and read XML and/or JSON representations of Django model instances
* a system for extending the capabilities of the template engine
* an interface to Python's built-in unit test framework

### 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 "Sites" framework that allows one Django installation to run multiple websites, each with their own content and applications
* tools for generating Sitemaps
* built-in mitigation for cross-site request forgery, cross-site scripting, SQL injection, password cracking and other typical web attacks, most of them turned on by default
* a framework for creating geographic information system (GIS) applications

### Extensibility

Django's configuration system allows third party code to be plugged into a regular project, provided that it follows the reusable app conventions. More than 5000 packages are available to extend the framework's original behavior, providing solutions to issues the original tool didn't tackle: registration, search, API provision and consumption, CMS, etc.
This extensibility is, however, mitigated by internal components' dependencies. While the Django philosophy implies loose coupling, the template filters and tags assume one engine implementation, and both the auth and admin bundled applications require the use of the internal ORM. None of these filters or bundled apps are mandatory to run a Django project, but reusable apps tend to depend on them, encouraging developers to keep using the official stack in order to benefit fully from the apps ecosystem.

### Server arrangements

Django can be run on ASGI or WSGI-compliant web servers. Django officially supports five database backends: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, and Oracle. Microsoft SQL Server can be used with mssql-django.

## Version history

The Django team will occasionally designate certain releases to be "long-term support" (LTS) releases. LTS releases will get security and data loss fixes applied for a guaranteed period of time, typically 3+ years, regardless of the pace of releases afterwards.
| Version | Release date | End of mainstream support | End of extended support | Notes |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="0.90" | Old version, not maintained: 0.90 | 16 Nov 2005 | | | |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="0.91" | Old version, not maintained: 0.91 | 11 Jan 2006 | | | "new-admin" |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="0.95" | Old version, not maintained: 0.95 | 29 Jul 2006 | | | "magic removal" |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="0.96" | Old version, not maintained: 0.96 | 23 Mar 2007 | | | "newforms", testing tools |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="1.0" | Old version, not maintained: 1.0 | 3 Sep 2008 | | | API stability, decoupled admin, unicode |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="1.1" | Old version, not maintained: 1.1 | 29 Jul 2009 | | | Aggregates, transaction based tests |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="1.2" | Old version, not maintained: 1.2 | 17 May 2010 | | | Multiple db connections, CSRF, model validation |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="1.3" | Old version, not maintained: 1.3 | 23 Mar 2011 | 23 Mar 2012 | 26 Feb 2013 | Class based views, staticfiles |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="1.4 LTS" | Old version, not maintained: 1.4 LTS | 23 Mar 2012 | 26 Feb 2013 | 1 Oct 2015 | Time zones, in browser testing, app templates. |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="1.5" | Old version, not maintained: 1.5 | 26 Feb 2013 | 6 Nov 2013 | 2 Sep 2014 | Python 3 Support, configurable user model |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="1.6" | Old version, not maintained: 1.6 | 6 Nov 2013 | 2 Sep 2014 | 1 Apr 2015 | Dedicated to Malcolm Tredinnick, db transaction management, connection pooling. |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="1.7" | Old version, not maintained: 1.7 | 2 Sep 2014 | 1 Apr 2015 | 1 Dec 2015 | Migrations, application loading and configuration. |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="1.8 LTS" | Old version, not maintained: 1.8 LTS | 1 Apr 2015 | 1 Dec 2015 | 1 Apr 2018 | Native support for multiple template engines. Support ended on 1 April 2018 |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="1.9" | Old version, not maintained: 1.9 | 1 Dec 2015 | 1 Aug 2016 | 4 Apr 2017 | Automatic password validation. New styling for admin interface. |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="1.10" | Old version, not maintained: 1.10 | 1 Aug 2016 | 4 Apr 2017 | 2 Dec 2017 | Full text search for PostgreSQL. New-style middleware. |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="1.11 LTS" | Old version, not maintained: 1.11 LTS | 4 Apr 2017 | 2 Dec 2017 | 1 Apr 2020 | Last version to support Python 2.7. Support ended on 1 April 2020 |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="2.0" | Old version, not maintained: 2.0 | 2 Dec 2017 | 1 Aug 2018 | 1 Apr 2019 | First Python 3-only release, Simplified URL routing syntax, Mobile friendly admin. |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="2.1" | Old version, not maintained: 2.1 | 1 Aug 2018 | 1 Apr 2019 | 2 Dec 2019 | Model "view" permission. |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="2.2 LTS" | Old version, not maintained: 2.2 LTS | 1 Apr 2019 | 2 Dec 2019 | 11 Apr 2022 | Security release. |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="3.0" | Old version, not maintained: 3.0 | 2 Dec 2019 | 3 Aug 2020 | 6 Apr 2020 | ASGI support |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="3.1" | Old version, not maintained: 3.1 | 4 Aug 2020 | 6 Apr 2020 | 7 Dec 2021 | Asynchronous views and middleware |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="3.2 LTS" | Old version, not maintained: 3.2 LTS | 6 Apr 2021 | 7 Dec 2021 | April 2024 | Tracking many to many relationships, added support for Python 3.11 |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="4.0" | Old version, not maintained: 4.0 | 7 Dec 2021 | 3 Aug 2022 | April 2023 | Support for pytz is now deprecated and will be removed in Django 5.0. |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-unsupported" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, not maintained" data-sort-value="4.1" | Old version, not maintained: 4.1 | 3 Aug 2022 | April 2023 | December 2023 | Asynchronous ORM interface, CSRF_COOKIE_MASKED setting, outputting a form, like {{ form }} |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-maintained" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, still maintained" data-sort-value="4.2 LTS" | Old version, still maintained: 4.2 LTS | 3 Apr 2023 | December 2023 | April 2026 | Psycopg 3 support, ENGINE as django.db.backends.postgresql supports both libraries. |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion co swatch-maintained" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Old version, still maintained" data-sort-value="5.0" | Old version, still maintained: 5.0 | 4 Dec 2023 | August 2024 | April 2025 | Facet filters in the admin, Simplified templates for form field rendering |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion c swatch-latest" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Latest version" data-sort-value="5.1" | Latest version: 5.1 | 7 Aug 2024 | April 2025 | December 2025 | Added support for Python 3.13. Added support for PostgreSQL connection pools. |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion cp swatch-preview" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Latest preview version" data-sort-value="5.2 LTS" | Latest preview version: 5.2 LTS | Apr 2025 | December 2025 | April 2028 | Automatic model import in shell, support for composite primary keys |
| scope="row" class="templateVersion p swatch-future" style="color: var(--color-base, #202122); " title="Future version" data-sort-value="6.0" | Future version: 6.0 | Dec 2025 | August 2026 | April 2027 | |
| Legend:Old version, not maintainedOld version, still maintainedLatest versionLatest preview versionFuture version |||||

## DjangoCon

There is a semiannual conference for Django developers and users, named "DjangoCon", that has been held since September 2008. DjangoCon is held annually in Europe, in May or June; while another is held in the United States in August or September, in various cities. The 2012 DjangoCon took place in Washington, D.C., from September 3 to 8. 2013 DjangoCon was held in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the post-conference Sprints were hosted at Digital Bootcamp, computer training center. The 2014 DjangoCon US returned to Portland, OR from August 30 to 6 September. The 2015 DjangoCon US was held in Austin, TX from September 6 to 11 at the AT&T Executive Center. The 2016 DjangoCon US was held in Philadelphia, PA at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania from July 17 to 22. The 2017 DjangoCon US was held in Spokane, WA; in 2018 DjangoCon US was held in San Diego, CA. DjangoCon US 2019 was held again in San Diego, CA from September 22 to 27. DjangoCon 2021 took place virtually and in 2022, DjangoCon US returned to San Diego from October 16 to 21. DjangoCon US 2023 was held from October 16 to 20 at the Durham, NC convention center and DjangoCon US 2024 is scheduled to return to Durham for September 22 to 27.
Django mini-conferences are usually held every year as part of the Australian Python Conference 'PyCon AU'. Previously, these mini-conferences have been held in:
* Hobart, Australia, in July 2013,
* Brisbane, Australia, in August 2014 and 2015,
* Melbourne, Australia in August 2016 and 2017, and
* Sydney, Australia, in August 2018 and 2019.
Django has spawned user groups and meetups around the world, the most notable group is the Django Girls organization, which began in Poland but now has had events in 91 countries.

## Ports to other languages

Programmers have ported Django's template engine design from Python to other languages, providing decent cross-platform support. Some of these options are more direct ports; others, though inspired by Django and retaining its concepts, take the liberty to deviate from Django's design:
* Liquid for Ruby
* Template::Swig for Perl
* Twig for PHP and JavaScript
* Jinja for Python
* ErlyDTL for Erlang

## CMSs based on Django Framework

Django as a framework is capable of building a complete CMS. Some dedicated CMS projects are based upon Django:
* Django CMS
* Wagtail
* Mezzanine