Django

Python web framework with a built-in ORM, admin panel, auth and routing, aimed at fast development of database-backed sites.

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Django is a Python framework for building database-backed websites. It began in a newspaper's web department and is now maintained by an international team of volunteers. It is a framework, not a CMS: you use it to build things like a CMS.

An app is a set of Python models (classes mapped to database tables through the ORM, with migrations), URL patterns that route to views, and templates that render HTML. Settings live in one Python module. It runs behind a WSGI server like Gunicorn or an ASGI server like Daphne; under ASGI the request stack is fully async, and the ORM, cache, auth and sessions offer async APIs.

Out of the box you get user accounts and sessions, forms, an auto-generated admin, and protection against XSS, CSRF, SQL injection and clickjacking. PostgreSQL is recommended in production, with MariaDB, MySQL, SQLite and Oracle officially supported and other databases through third-party backends. A Tasks framework lets you define and queue background work. You host it yourself on any server or platform that runs Python.

Some pieces are left to the ecosystem: building REST APIs usually means adding Django REST Framework or Django Ninja, CORS headers need a community package, and the Tasks framework does not run jobs itself, so production needs a worker backend from a third party. Its shared-nothing design scales by adding servers, but async and long-lived connections only pay off under ASGI.

Where it fits

Who uses it

37 makers' products, each linked to the source that shows it, and 58 open-source projects that declare it in their code.

The maker says so 37Declared in code 58How evidence is collected →
ButtondownButtondown is the last email platform you'll migrate to. We're focused on your success,…

“Listed in their tool stack on Starter Story (platform)”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
Baboo TravelPlan custom tailor-made trips with local travel experts. Experience authentic, sustainab…

“Listed in their tool stack on Starter Story (platform)”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
MentorCruiseMentorCruise connects aspiring mentees with industry experts for mentorship in Software…

“Listed in their tool stack on Starter Story (platform)”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
MaynuuMaynuu is an ecommerce platform that simplify online ordering, payment gateway and deliv…

“Listed in their tool stack on Starter Story”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
SelfDecodeSelfDecode helps you uncover your genetic predispositions and provides personalized DNA-…

“Listed in their tool stack on Starter Story”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
Badger MapsThe #1 Route Planner & mobile app to manage your sales data and the leading Field Sales…

“Listed in their tool stack on Starter Story”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
LayerBrain-Inspired Planner

“We chose Django for its robust framework and built-in tools, allowing us to build and maintain the backend efficiently with secure, scalable architecture.”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
usefulI'm Jacky, an entrepreneur/indie-hacker who loves to build simple and beautiful things.…

“Listed in their tool stack on Starter Story (platform)”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
CamelAIAI Data Analyst - Chat with your data

“Django makes my life easy. I've used it at least 4 projects. It's been around for a while so it's stable and LLMs have a ton of knowledge about it. It's a great project that I will continue to use for life.”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
ViimaBuilt for agility, HYPE Boards empowers teams to innovate at the speed of change across…

“Listed in their tool stack on Starter Story (platform)”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
Hexpay💎 Integrate P2P crypto payments easily

“I don't think there is a better framework for creating web apps with Python, simply amazing!”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
AntiquotedChanging the faces in business media

“The batteries are included. We get a super-powerful admin panel “for free.”I also get a really nice and powerful ORM for free, not to mention a bazillion useful functions that I don’t want (or trust myself) to roll myself, such as password resets. TL;DR: Django is rad.”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
TheLifeSignsLifeSigns is a simple and free service for people living alone. To make sure you are sti…

“Most of the code I wrote was in Python within the Django web framework.”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
DataGIF.ioTransform data into animated GIF & video graphs

“Rapid development. Django follows the "Batteries included" philosophy and provides almost everything developers might want to do "out of the box". Because everything you need is part of the one "product", it all works seamlessly together, follows consistent design principles, and has extensive and up-to-date documentation.”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
MonktTransform files and web pages into AI-ready Markdown or JSON

“The most mature Python web framework with excellent documentation and powerful built-in features for rapid development.”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
ToritarkRetell personalized stories for learning languages faster

“The "batteries-included" philosophy is a lifesaver. Django's built-in admin, ORM, and security features allowed me to build a reliable backend incredibly fast, without having to reinvent the wheel. It's the solid foundation that powers all the story generation and user management.”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗
FlexEdit.appPowerful Editor for creating and managing Instructions.

“The backbone of our server-side logic, ensuring robust performance and seamless workflows.”

Backend FrameworkMaker says so · source ↗

Open source: a project that declares Django as a dependency in its public code — verifiable, but not necessarily a live product.

What makers say

18 makers on why they use Django, in their own words on Product Hunt.

The batteries are included. We get a super-powerful admin panel “for free.”I also get a really nice and powerful ORM for free, not to mention a bazillion useful functions that I don’t want (or trust myself) to roll myself, such as password resets. TL;DR: Django is rad.
AntiquotedSep 2026 ↗
Django makes my life easy. I've used it at least 4 projects. It's been around for a while so it's stable and LLMs have a ton of knowledge about it. It's a great project that I will continue to use for life.
CamelAISep 2026 ↗
We chose Django for its robust framework and built-in tools, allowing us to build and maintain the backend efficiently with secure, scalable architecture.
LayerSep 2026 ↗
I don't think there is a better framework for creating web apps with Python, simply amazing!
HexpaySep 2026 ↗
Most of the code I wrote was in Python within the Django web framework.
TheLifeSignsFeb 2023 ↗

Loved and watch-outs

Themes that recur in makers' words and Hacker News comments, each linked to what it summarises, with how Product Hunt tags its reviews.

Most loved
  • Admin panel, ORM, migrations, password resets and security features come built in and work together, so makers skip rebuilding them. PHPH 2PH 3HN
  • It is mature and stable with thorough documentation, and LLMs write it consistently because they know it well. PHHNHN 2
  • When something is missing, a third-party package usually already covers it. PHPH 2
  • ORM helpers, named URL patterns and forms make CRUD-heavy apps like forums quick to build. HNHN 2HN 3
Watch-outs
  • It trades runtime performance for development speed, and template-level database access makes pages slower still. HNHN 2
  • Dynamic Python offers weaker runtime guarantees, pushing some teams toward statically typed stacks, especially for agent-written code. HNHN 2
On Product Hunt 5.0★ · 25 reviews
batteries included 4built-in tools 2rapid development 2robust framework 2scalable architecture 2secure architecture 2
Read the reviews on Product Hunt ↗

Who switches

Public pull requests on GitHub since Oct 2024 whose title says "X to Y" — real code changes moving a project from one tool to another, by developers in general. Open a row to see the pull requests.

FastAPI → Django25 PRs
Express → Django5 PRs
Django → FastAPI43 PRs
Django → Express7 PRs

Alternatives to Django

All alternatives by situation →

Questions makers ask about Django

Which databases does Django support?

PostgreSQL is the recommendation for production; MariaDB, MySQL, SQLite and Oracle are also officially supported, and third-party backends exist for databases such as CockroachDB, Microsoft SQL Server and Google Cloud Spanner. source ↗

Can I write async views in Django?

Yes. Views can be async def, and the ORM, cache, auth and sessions have async APIs; you only get the benefits, like many open connections without threads, when running under an ASGI server. source ↗

Does Django run background jobs?

Its Tasks framework defines and queues tasks, but it does not include a worker to execute them; the built-in backends are for development and testing, so production needs a third-party backend or worker. source ↗

How do I build a JSON API with Django?

The project's ecosystem page points to third-party packages, mainly Django REST Framework and Django Ninja, which uses type hints and supports async. source ↗

Which versions get long-term support?

Designated LTS releases get about three years of security fixes (5.2 LTS until April 2028); starting with the release after 6.2, every feature release gets the same three-year support period. source ↗

Will Django handle cross-origin requests from my separate frontend?

Not by itself. Django has no built-in CORS header support; the docs point to community-maintained middleware. source ↗

Does Django scale?

Its shared-nothing architecture lets you add database, cache or application servers independently, and the project cites sites that have handled traffic spikes of over 50,000 hits per second. source ↗

Is Django free?

Yes — it is free, open-source software.

Is Django open source or self-hostable?

Open source, and you can self-host it. source ↗

Can AI coding agents work with Django?

No llms.txt, official MCP server or CLI found yet.

Who uses Django?

37 makers' products we track, each with a source, and 58 open-source projects declare it in their code. source ↗