What is Flask and Django?
Django vs. Flask’s popularity is very famous among web developers. To begin your journey in web developing let’s get a clear concept about both the framework.
What is Django?
Django is a web development framework written in Python. If you’re up to build and maintain a quality web application, you should think about Django. It’s a full-stack framework, helps to do heavy and advanced functionalities in your web app.
Therefore, Django is the best bet for fast and accelerated web development. On top of that, its standard method saves much time and delivers a smooth process for rapid growth.
Django is a free and open-source web framework that follows the MTV architectural pattern. That makes it a more production ready framework for web developers.
Key Features
- Supports multiple databases
- Specialized servers for site optimization
- Cross-platform operating system
- Support for frontend tools like Ajax, Pyjamas, jQuery, etc.
- Predefined libraries
What is Flask?
Flask is another popular Python based framework. It is a lightweight micro-framework created by Armin Ronache. With zero dependencies on external libraries, developers feel free to choose the design patterns.
However, Flask enables extensions for object relational mappers, upload handling, form validation, multiple open authentication technologies, and several standard tools.
Based on the Werkzeug toolkit, Flask features a Jinja2 template engine for Python developers. On the whole, Flask offers the developers a diversified working style.
Key Features
- Extensive documentation
- Google app engine compatibility
- Support for secure cookies
- Built-in development server and fast debugger.
- Integrated with unit testing
- Extensive documentations
Main Difference Between Flask vs. Django
Database
- Flask
Flask has no data models and its ORM, but it has libraries and extensions available for relational and non-relational databases.
- Django
Whereas Django supports its ORM and Data models. This ORM also supports database migration and database tasks.
Winner – Django
Admin
- Flask
Flask’s admin features are not worth much as it doesn’t have any feature to do administration tasks, but it has an extension of Flask-admin.
- Django
But Django’s admin tool is a built-in bootstrapping tool to allow developers to build applications without external input.
Winner -Django
Application
- Flask
Flask applications are primarily suitable for single-page applications. So it can be a perfect match for forums and blog sites.
- Django
On the contrary, Django is best suited for big projects such as the online marketplace or e-commerce industry.
Winner – Django
Flexibility
- Flask
The key benefit of Flask is its flexibility to use the plugins and libraries freely. So the developers build and add functions to simple web applications at ease.
- Django
But, you wouldn’t find this flexibility in Django because the developers are restricted from using plugins and libraries for complex applications.
Winner – Flask
Template Engine
- Flask
Flask doesn’t feature any built-in template engine, but it uses the Jinja2 template engine.
- Django
Otherwise, Django comes with a built-in template engine, so the developers dynamically inject data into a backend’s page.
Winner -Django.
Which is easier to learn, Flask or Django?
The famous question we mostly hear- “Which is easier to learn: Python framework Django vs. Flask?” Well, that’s hard to say. How easily you can learn one depends on some factors. So let’s compare them below.
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Django
Django features much more out of the box whether you require it or not. On the other hand, Django follows many design patterns so that you can learn more about community support and documentation. As a result, whenever you face any problem, you can quickly sort out those issues.
What’s more, if you already have experience in Python, then Django will be easy for you to learn.
But as you see, there are many things to learn in Django, so it has a more profound learning curve, and you’ll require broad knowledge to run your application with this framework. So beginners might find it hard to learn Django while starting work with Python.
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Flask
Speaking of the Flask Web framework, you can develop and maintain web applications quickly with it. That means it is much simpler than Django, so its learning curve is eiser as well. No doubt, it’ll be easy to learn for beginners.
Otherwise, Flask has a flexible and easy configuration which helps better understanding for the beginners. Also, the Python coders can do fast work with Flask as its explicit codes for web applications are easy to pick up.
This framework is so lightweight that it starts to work quickly and thoroughly understands what your application is doing. Therefore, the documented Source Code is much simpler to learn for the new python developers. Also, the routing URL is easy, and you can map routes effortlessly with Flask.
When to use Django vs. Flask?
Our two selected Python-based frameworks have excellent performance at their specific use-cases. Check out below when you should use which framework to accelerate your job.
Django
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Use to Build API’s
Django is combined with a REST framework that helps web developers to build robust APIs. But for Flask, needs to do more work.
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Use to Save Time
When you have to do a lot of work but run short of time, choose Django. Its standard features ideally equip you with the things a developer needs to build his web application quickly; as a result, it saves much of your time.
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When to Build Complex and Data-Driven Websites
As Django is designed to do complicated functionalities, it is best suitable for Complex and data-driven websites.
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Use for Scalable Apps
Django comes with a vast number of built-in support that helps to make scalable apps and offers multilingual websites. Also, it keeps the development organized.
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To Build Web Application with ORM Support
You can build web applications that are ORM supported with Django. It has prepackaged features that are the perfect choice for MVP’s development. It is also great for building-
- Health apps
- media websites
- e-commerce platforms
- the government websites.
- Social network
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ML Integration
Django features Machine Learning (ML) integration that means developers can quickly analyze the traffic and design the website according to the needs and preferences of the customers.
Flask
- Use To Create Apps Using No Database or No SQL Database
Flask is such a micro framework able to build any basic and simple web applications without a database. So when you don’t require any database or SQL database to create an application, use the Flask web framework.
- Use For Deep Learning Integration Apps
Flask is ideal to use for deep learning integration apps. So your application can execute feature engineering on its own.
- Use For Prototyping
If you need to build a quick prototype, then use Flask as it is good at prototyping.
- To Build Less Complicated and Smaller Projects
If you’re going to do any smaller or mid-size and less complex project, feel free to use Flask. It can efficiently complete the unique requirements and custom components in simple projects.
- Use To Create Static Websites
Flask is a better option to create Static web applications with RESTful web services. On the other hand, it can manage complex applications as well.
When Not to Use Django?
Here we listed some use-cases when you shouldn’t use Django and save yourself before falling into trouble.
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When the App is Extremely Huge
When creating a considerable app, you shouldn’t use Django or any other framework alone to develop everything. Every web framework is excellent to handle in specific use cases.
So for huge apps, you can break it into microservices and select dedicated teams to handle each of the parts. It’d be better to use different frameworks for each use case rather than using Django alone for the whole case.
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When Building a Very Simple Project
For the simple and basic web application, you might not use Django because elementary apps don’t require any database, file operations or do not need any complex functions. So for that use-cases, you can select any micro frameworks such as Flask.
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When You’re New in Web Developing
If you’re starting to learn web development and don’t know where and how to start, then don’t use Django as it has out-of-the-box functionalities, so it makes you confused and hard to understand.
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When Not Familiar with Django
When you and your team members aren’t familiar with the Python-based Django framework, you must avoid using it. Otherwise, it leads you to mess up your application development further.
Final Thoughts
That’s all our discussion about Flask vs. Django, and our assumption is that both frameworks are good at their aspects.
Needless to say, Flask is in demand for beginners to learn and execute. But if you want to try a versatile framework with advanced features, choose Django.
We hope you already get your answer on which one to select but our recommendation, start learning with Flask as it will give you the feel of both backend and frontend. And when you can master it, then move to Django because as your project structure grows, you’ll need the overwhelming functions of Django.
Lastly, through this article, compare both appbuilders and select one that meets your work’s requirements. Don’t delay starting your web development with Python.
