OVERVIEW

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Course Title:

Mastering Django: Web Development with Python

Course Description:

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to Django, a high-level Python web framework that encourages rapid development and clean, pragmatic design. Participants will learn how to build dynamic, secure, and scalable web applications from scratch using Django. The course includes hands-on practice, real-world projects, and integration with tools like databases, REST APIs, and frontend technologies.

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Course Duration:

8–10 Weeks (can be adapted for a bootcamp or semester-long course)
Delivery Mode: In-person / Online / Hybrid
Level: Intermediate (Python programming experience recommended)
Target Audience:

• Python developers
• Aspiring full-stack or backend web developers
• Students and professionals transitioning into web development
• Developers looking to build robust and scalable web apps

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Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Set up and configure a Django web application
• Understand Django’s MVC (MTV) architecture
• Build models, views, and templates
• Create forms for user input and validation
• Implement authentication and authorization
• Build RESTful APIs using Django REST Framework (DRF)
• Deploy Django applications to the cloud

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Course Outline:

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Module 1: Introduction to Django and Web Development

• What is Django and why use it?
• Django vs other web frameworks (Flask, Express)
• Understanding the MVC/MTV architecture
• Installing Django and setting up a project
• Overview of Django development workflow

Practical:

• Installing Django and creating your first project
• Running the development server

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Module 2: Django Project Structure and Routing

• Exploring the Django project and app architecture
• Creating and registering new Django apps
• URL routing and urls.py configuration
• Using views to render responses
• Introduction to Django’s HttpResponse and render

Practical:

• Creating multiple views and linking them via URLs
• Navigating between pages using links

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Module 3: Models and Databases

• Django ORM overview
• Defining models and fields
• Database migrations (makemigrations, migrate)
• CRUD operations using the ORM
• Using the Django shell for testing

Practical:

• Building a blog or task management model
• Querying data using Django ORM

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Module 4: Templates and Frontend Integration

• Introduction to Django templating engine
• Using HTML and template inheritance
• Template tags and filters
• Static files (CSS, JavaScript, images)
• Bootstrap integration

Practical:

• Designing a dynamic homepage
• Creating reusable base templates

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Module 5: Forms and User Input

• Django form classes vs ModelForms
• Handling GET and POST requests
• Form validation and error handling
• Creating custom forms and widgets

Practical:

• Creating a user registration form
• Validating and saving form data to the database

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Module 6: User Authentication and Authorization

• Django’s built-in user model
• Login, logout, and password management
• Restricting access with login_required decorators
• Customizing the authentication system
• Groups and permissions

Practical:

• Building a secure login system
• Role-based access control for different user types

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Module 7: Admin Interface Customization

• Enabling and accessing Django admin
• Registering and customizing models in admin
• Using list display, filters, and search
• Managing user data from the admin panel

Practical:

• Building a custom admin panel for a blog or store
• Adding filters and search capabilities

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Module 8: Advanced ORM and Querysets

• Queryset methods: filter(), exclude(), annotate(), aggregate()
• Relationships: OneToOne, ForeignKey, ManyToMany
• Custom model managers and querysets
• Performance optimization tips

Practical:

• Implementing category filters and search
• Generating analytics (e.g., post counts per user)

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Module 9: Django REST Framework (DRF) – APIs

• Introduction to RESTful APIs
• Setting up Django REST Framework
• Serializers and views
• Class-based views vs function-based views
• API authentication (Token, JWT)

Practical:

• Building an API for a to-do app
• Testing APIs with Postman or Swagger

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Module 10: Deployment and Production

• Preparing for deployment: settings and environment variables
• Using Gunicorn, Nginx, and Docker
• Deploying to platforms: Heroku, AWS, or Render
• Database management (PostgreSQL, SQLite)
• Debugging and logging in production

Practical:

• Deploying a Django project to Heroku or Render
• Configuring static/media files for production

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Capstone Project:

Learners will complete a full web application using Django. The project should include:

• User authentication
• CRUD functionality
• RESTful API integration
• Responsive UI with Bootstrap or Tailwind
• Admin panel and deployment

Project Examples:

• Blogging platform
• Online store
• Student management system
• Event booking system

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Assessment & Certification:

• Weekly hands-on assignments
• Mid-course practical quiz
• Final capstone project with evaluation and demo
• Certificate of Completion upon meeting all requirements

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Tools and Technologies Used:

• Python 3.x
• Django 4.x+
• Django REST Framework
• PostgreSQL or SQLite
• Git and GitHub
• Deployment tools (Heroku, Render, Docker)

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Resources Provided:

• Course slides and recordings
• Code snippets and GitHub starter projects
• Django cheat sheet
• API testing tools (Postman collection)
• Reading list (Django docs, best practices)