When creating online apps that their users drive, web frameworks are crucial. They increase developer efficiency and output by providing a framework for web applications. However, recent innovations in the development industry have produced a plethora of new frameworks and instruments. It can be time-consuming to stay abreast of emerging technologies.
Django is a widely used web framework that serves this purpose. There has been a constant rise in popularity since its debut, and it remains a fan favorite among Python programmers. Despite its impressive capabilities, Django is not the best choice for every website. With smaller undertakings, it might feel sluggish, limiting, and all-encompassing. In such situations, it’s essential to consider different theoretical foundations.
This is why we have compiled a list of the top web frameworks that can be used as Django substitutes in your next web development venture. But first, let’s take an overview of the Django framework and know the reasons behind its popularity.
What is Django?
Django is a web framework that is both high-level and open-source, and it encourages rapid development. It ensures the execution of a clean and pragmatic application architecture when the Python programming language is used to build websites. As a result of the fact that it includes the majority of the standard libraries and tools necessary for web development, Django is referred to as a framework with its “batteries included.” There is no additional installation required for it.
The Django web framework provides its users with comprehensive capabilities, including data binding, boilerplate code, high productivity, flexibility, reusability, and extensibility. You have access to a standardized frame that eliminates the headaches associated with website building, which means that you do not have to create anything from scratch. Django is included in the technology stacks of various companies, including Bitbucket, Pinterest, and Instagram, to provide interactive user experiences.
Django has been one of the most popular frameworks for developing websites and continues to gain popularity. Statista has released a report demonstrating Django’s widespread acceptance. Below is a graph that displays how well-known Django is.
Statista has compiled data over a 10-year period to see how the order of the most popular backend frameworks changed. It’s clear that, with the exception of 2018, Django consistently ranked among the top five. As of the year 2022, it has already established itself as a serious contender for the finest in its field.
Why is Django popular?
Django is a web framework written in Python that has recently seen a surge in popularity. Seasoned programmers created this framework to automate the web development process as much as possible to save time and allow programmers to concentrate on what matters. It’s rapid, safe, and adaptable. Let’s examine the essential features that make Django so well-liked by its users to gain insight into the framework’s widespread appeal.
1. Built with Python
The Django framework has some of Python’s cool features because it was written in Python. Python’s key benefits include its widespread use, reputation as an approachable and user-friendly language, and its suitability for application in machine learning. Since Python is a widely used programming language, picking up Django won’t be challenging.
2. Absolute safety
The fact that security flaws are difficult to uncover is a big selling point for the framework. Django’s user authentication system is robust, and the framework’s encryption packages defend against typical threats like XSS and Clickjacking. In addition, it protects your website’s source code and alerts programmers to numerous common vulnerabilities.
3. Excellent Community
Django, like most open-source endeavors, is supported by a passionate group of users and contributors. That’s why such a wealth of resources are available, from written guides and video courses to articles and conferences. Thus, if you run into problems, you can be assured that someone else has faced them before and is willing to lend a hand.
4. Superior Scalability
When creating online applications, scalability is crucial. As Django comes with a number of pluggable default components that may be swapped out for more tailored solutions, it’s pretty simple to scale. The framework’s scalability is maximized by its capacity to support traffic from 400 million people, and its API usage is minimized by its ability to reduce the cost of web hosting. Moreover, Django allows you to use plugins to expand your web app, and there are many packages out there to help you scale your offering.
5. Outstanding Libraries
Django’s origins in the Python programming language and its supportive community also mean it has access to a wealth of helpful third-party plugins. Some of the most well-known are the Django REST framework for creating APIs and the Django Content Management System for managing websites.
6. Good for SEO
Remember that search engine optimization (SEO) is vital to online advertising. Therefore, it is fortunate that Python has an advantage in search engine rankings due to its human-readable code. Plus, Django features several SEO tools, such as a module called Django SEO framework, that helps you lessen page load times.
7. Enables Fast Development
Django’s very ancestry emphasizes rapidity. It was developed to meet the needs of today’s fast-paced newsrooms and bills itself as the “web framework for perfectionists with deadlines” today. As stated by the “Don’t Repeat Yourself” (DRY) principle, “any distinct concept and/or piece of data should live in one, and only one, location” (as stated by the DRY principle) is one of Django’s fundamental design tenets. Whenever possible, it is preferable to use unique code and design patterns rather than repeating what has already been done.
Best Alternatives of Django
Django has lots of alternative frameworks that also work great for creating applications. Let’s dig deep to look at some of the famous Django alternatives.
Best Alternatives of Django
Django has lots of alternative frameworks that also work great for creating applications. Let’s dig deep to look at some of the famous Django alternatives.
1. Flask
Flask is a lightweight Python web framework that requires no external dependencies. Flask was developed with the best intentions and is designed to get things rolling rapidly because it is based on Werkzeug, Jinja 2. This backend does not support any features that rely on external sources, such as form validation or a database abstraction layer. Flask is extensible, which means you can add new features via add-ons that look and feel like core components. Talking about the popularity of Flask, the framework has 61k stars on Github which is pretty good.
Flask-Statistics is an extension that collects data from requests that are sent to the server in order to display statistics such as response time, the number of hits, the number of unique hits, and so on. Let’s take a look at the graph to know the popularity of Flask.
Image Source:- Flask-Statistics
Flask is favored due to its lightweight, additional functionality, and ties to Python, while Django is favored due to its rapid development, open-source format, and an extensive community. Several Flask’s defaults are easily adjustable, and the framework also comes with configuration variables and conventions. Session-based monitoring, data encryption, HTTP authentication, and cross-site request forgery are standard security measures it employs to prevent security breaches (CSRF).
2. Asp.Net
It’s common to practice using ASP.NET, another online application framework when developing various programs and websites. Developers with expertise using ASP.NET report that the framework allows them to create innovative, high-quality products that people love. ASP is built on top of the HTTP standard and can take advantage of the protocol’s commands and policies. So developers can facilitate two-way communication and cooperation between a user’s browser and server.
Studies show that, in terms of server-side programming languages, ASP.NET is used by 7.5% of all websites. Moreover, applications developed with ASP.NET are executable programs that use the.Net framework’s modular and reusable objects and components. Codes written in this style have access to the complete set of.Net classes. You can use any of the following languages to create ASP.NET application code:
- C#
- To use Visual Basic.Net
- Jscript
- J#
ASP.NET is used to create dynamic, data-driven, web-based applications. It has many controls, like text boxes, buttons, and labels, for assembling, customizing, and modifying code to produce HTML pages.
3. Ruby on Rails
Ruby on Rails enables you to transfer data and user interfaces in a number of different formats, including those created with internet protocols like XML or JSON, as well as CSS, JavaScript, and HTML. Everything needed to create database-backed web projects that adhere to the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design is included in the Rails web application framework.
Django is a superior platform to Ruby on Rails in terms of scalability, usability, and security. This is the reason many times there is competition between Ruby on Rails vs Django and Django’s easy-to-understand syntax, flexible design, and extensive core libraries make it the best framework for developing a niche, one-of-a-kind web applications. Ruby on Rails is superior to Django when it comes to speed and performance. Django is pretty popular and has a total of 1,111,240 live websites, here is the graph to give you detailed information.
The search engine results show that there are plenty of viable alternatives to Django. Each service provides its own ranking system, using its own internal metrics. Others rank alternatives in a more specific Python-based approach, while still others compare Django to other frameworks as a backend tool. Therefore, it is preferable to select alternates that are well-suited to both the technology stack and the needs of the application in question. Alternatively, you could choose the most well-liked solution despite the fact that it doesn’t address your specific concerns.
4. Express.JS
Express (also known as Express.js) is another popular name when it comes to the alternative to Django. Express is pretty popular and has 905,499 live websites, also it is a web application framework that runs in the background on Node.js moreover it’s free and open-source, and it is distributed with the MIT license. A few lines of code and a short amount of time are all needed to create a fully functional website using Express.js. Django is a standalone, lightweight web server ideal for development and testing, whereas Express allows for the configuration of middleware to facilitate the processing of any HTTP request.
MERN, MEVN, and MEAN stacks combine a front-end framework (like Angular.js or React) with the MongoDB database, and all use Express. Js backend technology. Programming in Express.js is more accessible because it simply requires JavaScript. However, the numerous new concepts introduced in Node js make for a steep learning curve for newcomers.
Most of the code required to run applications built on the Node.js framework has already been produced and made available to the public. Web applications built using Express.js can be either multi-page or single-page in nature. It’s lightweight and helps with the backend development of MVC-style web applications.
5. Laravel
Laravel is a renowned platform when it comes to application development. You can check its popularity by giving a look at the graph of BuiltWith. Let’s take a quick look.
The syntax of the Laravel framework, which is used for creating websites, has been described as both expressive and aesthetically beautiful. Laravel’s purpose is to simplify the process of developing web applications by standardizing the functionality that is requested on demand. It utilizes a unique dependency management strategy and a modular packaging mechanism. Laravel provides application deployment and maintenance features and several relational database access strategies. The source code for Laravel is available for download from GitHub under the terms of an MIT license. This code is open source.
6. Cakephp
CakePHP is an open-source MVC framework. It makes developing, deploying, and maintaining applications much more accessible. CakePHP has several libraries to reduce the overload of the most common tasks. The framework follows MVC or ‘Model View Controller’ as its product configuration design. The MVC design partitions your application into three significant parts. Every part is created to deal with various perspectives. Assuming you are utilizing CakePHP, you can undoubtedly expand your task with parts, ways of behaving, and modules. It permits you to make portions of the reusable code that become helpful for a long time.
This is about CakePHP; now let’s give a glance over the popularity of CakePHP; according to BuiltWith, CakePHP is used by 57,110 active websites and an additional 53,034 domains that redirect to sites on this list. Let’s take a quick look at the graph below.
7. Web2py
The Python interpreter is built into Web2Py. Web2Py is famous among coders because of its universal web framework that needs no prior installation and functions flawlessly on all major platforms and web servers. In addition, it is compatible with the MVC design pattern and standard web development methods, including server-side sessions, self-submitting online forms, and secure file uploads. The vast array of libraries made available by the open-source web framework greatly facilitates the simplification of sophisticated web application development.
Web2Py’s architecture is heavily inspired by Django, another Python-based full-stack web framework. Like Django, Web2Py encourages rapid web development by prioritizing convention over configuration. In addition to its validators, it also created web forms in real time from database tables. However, unlike Django, Web2Py has a small and intuitive foundation. Web application development can even begin without developers needing to manage configuration files at the project level. As a result, many Python developers prefer Django as a lightweight replacement.
Wrapping Up
Django is, without a doubt, one of the best web frameworks for building highly scalable, sophisticated online deployments. It has advantages, but it also has drawbacks, thus it’s important for a developer to know what they are before choosing a framework. Contact the Django web development company for clarification if you need it. If you have other projects in the works, it’s best to use professionals to help you design acceptable web solutions.
