Django has been Python’s go-to web framework since its public release in 2005. Originally developed at the Lawrence Journal-World newspaper in Lawrence, Kansas, by Adrian Holovaty and Simon Willison, Django was built to handle the fast-paced demands of a newsroom — which explains its emphasis on rapid development and clean, pragmatic design.
The framework follows the “batteries included” philosophy, shipping with an ORM, authentication system, admin interface, form handling, URL routing, template engine, and more. This means developers can build full-featured web applications without assembling dozens of separate packages. The built-in admin interface alone has saved countless hours for developers who need a quick way to manage database records.
Django’s ORM supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and Oracle, and its migration system handles database schema changes reliably. The framework’s security features — CSRF protection, SQL injection prevention, XSS filtering, and clickjacking protection — are enabled by default, which has made Django a trusted choice for applications that handle sensitive data.
Instagram runs on Django and is probably the largest deployment of the framework. Mozilla, Disqus, Bitbucket, Eventbrite, and NASA have all used Django in production. The framework handles Pinterest’s web backend as well.
The Django Software Foundation, a US-based nonprofit, oversees the project’s development and holds its intellectual property. The framework is maintained by a team of volunteers and funded through donations and corporate sponsors.
Django REST Framework (DRF), created by Tom Christie, has become the standard way to build APIs with Django and is almost as ubiquitous as Django itself. The combination of Django and DRF powers thousands of API backends across the industry. With Python’s rising dominance in data science and AI, Django often serves as the web layer for ML-powered applications.
