Top 10 Django Packages to Help a Developer Build Dynamic and Interactive Webpages

If you’ve recently finished a robust web application developed with Python, you certainly know the nitty-gritty of the Django framework.

Still, if you want to add more functions and features to your next web development project or make some changes to the existing one, you can do it effectively and efficiently.

How?

Tap into the benefits of Django’s rich open-source ecosystem of third-party packages by plugging them into your next or existing project.

Features like unparalleled speed, smooth development experience and top-notch security will always succeed in delivering optimal results.

Now, it begs the next question- “What Django packages should I use?”

Let’s find the answer. Before that, let’s take a brief look at the introduction of Django packages.

What are Django Packages?

Django packages are the curated and comprehensive directory of high-quality Django components created by the Django community. These reusable resources for the developers can enhance the quality of Django projects with additional features and functionalities.

Also, the Django libraries offer various pre-built solutions that can save the precious time and effort of the developers. It includes various notions of web development, i.e., user management, authentication, API integration, form handling, data manipulation etc. You can leverage the benefits of these packages, which will help you focus on different aspects instead of redundant tasks.

Django packages work like a collaborative platform. Not only does it support knowledge sharing, but it also accelerates the Django project development by providing a tailored collection of reusable components.

Top 10 Django Packages to Build Interactive Webpages

Depending on the scope, you can add any Python package to your development project. These are crucial for every Django web application. Here are the top 10 Django packages that would be conducive for you-

1. Django REST Framework

It’s a flexible and powerful toolkit to help you build Web APIs. Creating a REST interface is a breeze with the Django REST framework. It ensures that the process is fast and flexible. You need less code to create REST interfaces as this tool is built with Django. You can add an API functionality with DRF if you have any existing Django projects.

Prerequisites

·         Pip

·         Django

·         Python

Why should you use Django REST? 

·         It supports pagination, API sorting results and filtering.

·         Includes automatic generation of documentation.

·         Supports serialization for ORM and non-ORM sources of data.

·         Includes authentication policies for OAuth1a and OAuth2.

·         Supports extensive documentation, followed by next-level community support.

·         Used by internationally used brands like Red Hat, Mozilla, and Eventbrite.

Real-life application

You can develop robust mobile applications with the Django REST framework. You need to create a RESTful API, which can be accessed by mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. 

2. Django Import Export

Django import-export will be a great package if you import and export data in different formats. It enables you to import and export information from CSV, YAML and Excel files. Additionally, you can add new data to the existing tables.

Prerequisites

·         Django 2.2 or later

·         Python 3.5 or later

·         Django import export library

·         Tablib library

Why Should You Consider Django Import Export?

·         You can import and export to multiple file formats based on the requirement.

·         Manage the data types and object relations related to import/export.

·         It includes multiple formats like CSV, JSON, and Excel.

·         Bulk import is possible.

·         You can handle update/create/skip during imports.

·         Supports admin integration during import/export.

Real-life application

If your client runs an e-commerce website where they need to upload or update bulk data, you can use this Django package to import data from CSV files or Excel. 

3. Django Tenants

It’s an open-source Django library, a popular web framework of Python. If your client wants a SaaS application in Django, you can use Django Tenants to develop a robust app. Not only for SaaS platforms, developing sales monitoring tools, edtech platforms and multi-vendor would be effective and intuitive.

Prerequisites

·         Django version 1.11 or higher.

·         PIP

·         MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQLite as the database server

·         Python 3 or higher version.

Why Should You Consider Django Tenants?

·         Interacts with the request and response context that leads to proper isolation.

·         Enables seamless integration with Django’s components.

·         Supports separate or shared database approaches.

·         Enables context switching for rigorous development and testing.

·         Allows only specific users over tenant configuration and customization to prevent malicious users from accessing sensitive data.

·         Compactly documented and actively maintained.    

4. Django-AllAuth

It’s a popular Django package that covers various aspects of Django projects. You can use it easily, which provides a wide array of features. It can be a valuable addition to your Django project. The trusted authentication solution is curated specifically for Django web applications. With the same, you can handle user authentication and authorization effectively.

Prerequisites

·         Python

·         Django

·         Pip

Why Should You Consider Django-AllAuth?

·         Provides support for multiple authentication methods, including email/password, username/password, password-less login and social login.

·         Customized user models and login/logout pages.

·         Provides a pluggable signup form that asks additional questions during signup to a web application.

·         Easy to use and well maintained.

Real-life application

If you’re developing an e-commerce website that enables users to sign up or log in using their social media handles, this Django package will make it easier for them. They can access the site while making purchases without any issues.  

5. Django CKEditor

It’s a WYSIWYG-enriched text editor, and the core code is JavaScript. Mainly, Django CKEditor is used to write content directly inside the web pages or online apps. Various customization options are available to enhance the text input, including source code editing or media upload in HTM format.

Prerequisites

·         Python

·         CKEditor

·         Pillow (Python Imaging Library)

Why Should You Consider Django CKEditor?

·         Supports quicker installation and integration into the Django Project.

·         You can customize it easily to meet your specific demands.

·         It has a user-friendly interface to create and edit content effortlessly, making it easier for the users.

·         It’s mobile-friendly so users can edit content directly on their mobile devices.

·         Offers top-notch security that prevents spammers from adding malicious codes to the website.

Real-life application

This package is used for content-heavy websites, e-commerce platforms and blogs. Features like drag-and-drop functionality and image upload save the users precious time and effort.   

6. Celery

Being an experienced Python developer, you know that few apps run long. Hence, they need to work apart from the request-response cycle. Here, Celery plays a crucial role in queueing the tasks by supporting message brokers like Redis, Beanstalk and MongoDB.

Prerequisites

·         Python

·         Message brokers like Amazon SQS or RabbitMQ

Why Should You Consider Celery?

·         Helps to process and distribute tasks across various worker nodes within a distributed setup.

·          Written in Python, it supports various message brokers, including Amazon SQS, RabbitMQ and Redis.

·         It helps to execute the task asynchronously within web apps and data processing pipelines.

·         Helps to perform tasks easily, like sending emails, performing data analysis, generating reports etc.

Real-life application

Some web apps require background task processing like processing images, sending emails and generating reports. Using this package, you can offload the tasks to a different worker process. Hence, it will free the main application to handle user requests efficiently.

7. Django-filter

Being a reusable Django app, it enables users to add dynamic QuerySet filtering from URL parameters. Thus, it saves your precious time while creating the simple view code.

Prerequisites

·         Django 1.11 or higher version

·         Python 3.5, 3.6, 3.7 or 3.8.

Why Should You Consider Django-filter?

·         You can write clean code due to its intuitive and expressive syntax

·         Promotes rapid development with built-in functionalities.

·         Provides various filtering options like date, choice and text filters.

Real-life application

Suppose you’re developing an ecommerce website that sells products. By incorporating Django-filter, you can create filters for criteria including color, price, brand, popularity etc. In turn, the users will find the product easily that they’re looking for by applying the filters. This will enhance the user experience of the website. 

8. Django Debug Toolbar

One of the best package libraries that optimize and debug Django applications. With the compressive set of panels, you can inspect the application performance from various aspects. Also, it displays multiple debug information related to the current response. It gives you a general insight into the potential problems.

Prerequisites

·         Python

·         Django

·         A compatible web server

·         Compatible browser

Why Should You Consider the Django Debug Toolbar?

·         Provides seamless integration with the interface of Django admin.

·         In-detailed information and robust interface for effective issue identification. Based on that, it provides quick yet efficient resolution.

·         Constantly monitors HTTP requests, database queries and template rendering.

·         Supports custom panels for quick and in-depth performance analysis.

·         Works with multiple Django versions with easy integration.

Real-life application

This package can identify the slow queries of a website while finding bottlenecks within the code. Also, it ensures the proper data caching.  

9. Cookiecutter Django

If you want to set up a production-ready Django project, Cookiecutter Django will help you by providing various generation options. Also, it comes with production and optimized development settings. In a nutshell, it’s a powerful tool to scaffold the Django projects efficiently and effectively.

Prerequisites

·         Python 3

·         PIP package manager

·         Git version control system

·         Familiarity with CLI

·         Docker

Why Should You Consider Cookiecutter Django?

·         Enables rendering of Django with guaranteed initial test coverage.

·         Works great with Python 3.11

·         Provides 12-factor-based settings through Django-environ

·         Safe and secured with SSL.

·         Enables optimized production and development settings.

·         Registration through Django-AllAuth

·         Supports docker using docker-compose to fuel development and production procedures.

Real-life application 

If you’re building an ecommerce web application, you can use this package to set up the project structure. Also, it will help you to configure the database. Besides, you can install Python packages for tasks like payments, authentication and order management. 

10. Django Image Kit

If you want to incorporate modifications of the existing images within the models, Imagekit will make the process easier. These are known as “specs, " including various picture sizes like black-and-white or thumbnails.

Prerequisites

·         Basic knowledge of Django and Python

·         Media storage solution to store the images

·         Pillow (Python Imaging Library)

·         GraphicsMagick or ImageMagick to perform seamless image processing tasks

Why Should You Consider Django Image Kit?

·         Provides a simple yet flexible way to handle image processing tasks

·         Enables quick performing of common tasks like cropping, resizing and applying filters to the images by writing a few lines of code.

·         Integrates seamlessly with the built-in ORM of Django. It allows you to manage and manipulate your image information using the familiar syntax of Django.

·         Being extensible and highly configurable, it allows you to customize the behavior of ImageKit to suit specific requirements.

·         Easy integration of ImageKit with third-party libraries. It fosters the functionality of ImageKit.

Real-life application 

Suppose you’re developing a responsive e-commerce website where product images must be resized and optimized for different devices. Incorporating this package allows you to automatically resize and optimize the images to ensure the best user experience. 

5 Challenges Django Developers Face While Choosing the Right Packages

Developers face many challenges when opting for the right packages for web development or application projects. Here you go-

1.  Dependencies of packages- A few Django packages have dependencies that will create a conflict with other packages in the project. Hence, it makes it daunting for the developers to install and configure the packages to meet the project's needs.

2.   Compatibility issues- Django has a large ecosystem of third-party packages. Therefore, it’s challenging for the developers to choose the right package compatible with a specific project Django version.

3.  Popularity of the packages- Developers need help determining which packages are maintained actively. Also, the constraint takes place to determine whether the same package has a large user base. Hence, assessing suitability for a specific project makes it more difficult.

4.   Documentation of the package- Some packages need to be better documented, which is difficult to use. Therefore, it can leave more room for errors and bugs in the code.

5.   Security- Be it a web application or a website, security plays a pivotal role in maintaining the transparency of a website. Developers need help assessing third-party packages' security while implementing them on the website.

5 Things to Consider While Choosing the Right Django Package Library

Challenges should not affect the efficient development process with Django packages. Choosing the appropriate package based on your project scope will make a difference in successful completion. Here are a few things to consider:

1.   Compatibility- Ensure the chosen package bodes well with the existing Django version. Also, check the other dependencies associated with your project. For example, you must check the package documentation related to the specific requirements of your project.

2.   Features- Assess the package's core functionality and features to see whether it aligns with the project needs. Double-check the feature limitations, which may affect the project flow.

3.   Community support- Always choose a package with a large user base and active community support. This shows the reliability of the chosen Django package. Also, it ensures that the package is well-documented and will be updated frequently.

4.   Security- Opt for those packages that have been tested rigorously to check security vulnerabilities. It will help you to gain insights into whether the package has security or bug issues.

5.   License- Always look for the project license to ensure it resonates with the requirements. Only some Django packages may have licensing restrictions, likely increasing the cost. Overall, it will affect your pre-determined budget structure, allocated to finish the development process efficiently.

FAQs

1. What are libraries in Django?

Django libraries and packages offer developers a simplistic code-writing experience. This contributes to a seamless web development procedure. Additionally, the Django community contains various tutorials, documentation and reference guides to help the developers explore the functionalities of the packages.

2. How do I install Django packages?

You can install Django packages by using Pip. When the command prompts, execute the command: “pip install Django.”  Now, it will download and install Django. Once the installation is completed, verify the same by executing Django>admin> Django version in the command prompt.

3. What is the latest version of Django?

Django 4.2.5 is the latest version, released on 4 Sep, 2023.

4. Is Django a package or module?

Django itself is a Python package. However, you can use the existing Django apps or Python packages to compose the same into your development project.