Django Framework for Web Development

Syllabus

Course Syllabus:

Module 1: Introduction to Django and Web Development

• Lesson 1: Overview of Web Development
  • Introduction to web development concepts.
  • The difference between front-end and back-end technologies.
  • What is Django, and why is it a great choice for web development?
• Lesson 2: Setting Up Your Development Environment
  • Installing Python, Django, and necessary dependencies.
  • Creating and managing virtual environments.
  • Setting up a simple Django project for the first time.
• Lesson 3: Django Project Structure
  • Understanding the structure of a Django project.
  • Overview of settings.py, urls.py, views.py, and other important files.

Module 2: Building Models and Working with Databases

• Lesson 4: Introduction to Django Models
  • What are models, and how do they represent database tables?
  • Understanding Django’s Object-Relational Mapping (ORM).
• Lesson 5: Creating and Managing Models
  • How to create and modify models using Python classes.
  • Defining model fields and relationships (One-to-Many, Many-to-Many, One-to-One).
• Lesson 6: Working with Databases
  • Understanding migrations in Django: creating, applying, and rolling back migrations.
  • Interacting with databases using Django’s ORM: querying, creating, updating, and deleting records.
• Lesson 7: Advanced Model Techniques
  • Using Django signals for automating actions.
  • Model managers and custom queries.

Module 3: Views and Templates in Django

• Lesson 8: What Are Views in Django?
  • Introduction to views and how they respond to HTTP requests.
  • The role of views in Django’s MVT architecture.
• Lesson 9: Creating and Handling Views
  • Building basic views using function-based views (FBVs) and class-based views (CBVs).
  • Returning responses: HttpResponse, render(), and redirecting.
• Lesson 10: Introduction to Templates
  • Overview of Django templates and the templating engine.
  • Using template tags and filters to display dynamic content.
• Lesson 11: Passing Data to Templates
  • How to pass data from views to templates using context.
  • Using conditionals, loops, and template inheritance to create reusable components.

Module 4: URL Routing and Mapping in Django

• Lesson 12: Understanding URL Routing
  • How Django maps URLs to views using urls.py.
  • Creating URL patterns with path converters (e.g., <int:id>).
• Lesson 13: Working with Dynamic URLs
  • Building dynamic and parameterized URLs for user-specific pages.
  • Using named URLs for easy referencing in templates.
• Lesson 14: URL Dispatcher Best Practices
  • Organizing urls.py for scalability and maintainability.
  • Including app-specific URL configurations.

Module 5: Forms and Handling User Input

• Lesson 15: Django Forms Overview
  • Understanding Django’s form-handling capabilities.
  • Creating forms using Django’s Form class.
• Lesson 16: Handling Forms and User Input
  • Processing form data and validation in views.
  • Using Django’s form validation methods and error handling.
• Lesson 17: ModelForms and Advanced Form Techniques
  • Creating and processing ModelForms for database interaction.
  • Handling file uploads and custom form validation.

Module 6: User Authentication and Authorization

• Lesson 18: Django User Authentication
  • Setting up user authentication (sign up, login, logout).
  • Working with Django’s built-in authentication views and forms.
• Lesson 19: User Permissions and Access Control
  • Understanding Django’s permission system.
  • Implementing role-based access control and restricting views to authenticated users.
• Lesson 20: Password Management and Security
  • Working with password reset and change functionality.
  • Best practices for handling user passwords securely in Django.

Module 7: Static Files and Media Handling

• Lesson 21: Working with Static Files
  • Setting up and serving static files (CSS, JavaScript, images).
  • Configuring the STATIC_URL and STATICFILES_DIRS.
• Lesson 22: Handling Media Files
  • Managing user-uploaded files (images, documents, etc.).
  • Configuring Django for serving media files with MEDIA_URL and MEDIA_ROOT.

Module 8: Testing and Debugging Django Applications

• Lesson 23: Introduction to Django Testing
  • Why testing is essential for Django apps.
  • Overview of Django’s test framework: TestCase, Client, and TestCase.
• Lesson 24: Debugging and Troubleshooting
  • Using Django’s debugging tools like runserver and logging.
  • Identifying and fixing common Django application errors.
• Lesson 25: Writing Tests for Views and Models
  • How to test views, models, forms, and templates.
  • Mocking and testing third-party APIs or services.

Module 9: Deploying Django Applications

• Lesson 26: Preparing for Deployment
  • Configuring Django settings for production (e.g., ALLOWED_HOSTS, DEBUG=False).
  • Using environment variables and secrets management.
• Lesson 27: Deploying to Heroku
  • Step-by-step guide to deploying a Django app to Heroku.
  • Setting up a PostgreSQL database on Heroku and using the django-heroku package.
• Lesson 28: Deploying to AWS or DigitalOcean
  • Configuring a virtual server (EC2 or Droplet) for production deployment.
  • Using Nginx and Gunicorn for serving Django in a production environment.

Module 10: Django Best Practices and Final Project

• Lesson 29: Django Best Practices
  • Version control with Git and GitHub.
  • Structuring your Django project for scalability and maintainability.
• Lesson 30: Security Best Practices
  • Protecting your Django app from common security threats (SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting).
  • Using Django’s security features (CSRF, XSS protection, HTTPS).
• Lesson 31: Final Project: Build a Web Application
  • Build a full-fledged Django application based on course topics.
  • Apply best practices, implement user authentication, and deploy the app to the cloud.