Lessons from real-world Django projects

Django is often praised for how quickly you can build things with it. And it’s true — spinning up a CRUD app, authentication, or an admin panel can take hours, not weeks. But many Django projects struggle when they move beyond the side-project phase into real production systems.

In this article, I’ll share practical lessons learned from building real Django applications — including job portals, eCommerce systems, REST APIs, and SaaS-style platforms — and how to take your Django app from “it works on my machine” to production-ready and scalable.

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1. Design Your Models Like Your Business Depends on It

Your database schema is your application’s foundation.

Common mistakes:

• Overloading a single model with too many responsibilities
• Using CharField where relationships should exist
• Ignoring indexing and query performance early

Practical tips:

• Normalize data early (use ForeignKey, ManyToManyField wisely)
• Add related_name for readability
• Use db_index=True for frequently filtered fields
• Always add __str__() for better admin and debugging

If your models are clean, your views and APIs become easier almost automatically.

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2. Separate Business Logic from Views

One of the biggest Django anti-patterns is stuffing everything into views.

Better approach:

• Keep views thin

Move logic into:

• services.py
• utils.py
• custom model methods

Example:

Instead of sending emails directly inside a view:

• Create a dedicated emails.py
• Use reusable functions or classes

This makes your code:

• Easier to test
• Easier to maintain
• Easier to reuse

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3. Use Django Forms and DRF Serializers Correctly

Forms and serializers are not just validation tools — they are contracts.

For Django Forms:

• Let forms handle validation
• Avoid manual request.POST parsing
• Customize clean() methods properly

For Django Rest Framework:

• Keep serializers focused
• Avoid nested serializers unless truly required
• Validate permissions at the view level

A well-written serializer prevents bugs before they reach your database.

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4. Authentication, Permissions, and Security Are Not Optional

Security issues don’t show up in development — they show up in production.

Must-haves:

• Custom user model from day one
• Proper permission checks (IsAuthenticated, custom permissions)
• Rate limiting for APIs
• CSRF protection for forms
• Secure password reset flows

Bonus:

• Track login IP and location (carefully and legally)
• Log suspicious activity

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5. Media, Static Files, and Environment Settings

Many Django apps break in production due to poor configuration.

Best practices:

• Use environment variables (.env)

Separate settings.py into:

• base.py
• dev.py
• prod.py

Configure:

• MEDIA_ROOT & MEDIA_URL
• STATIC_ROOT

Use cloud storage (S3-compatible) for media files if possible.

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6. Performance: You Don’t Need Magic, Just Discipline

Django can scale surprisingly well if used correctly.

Simple optimizations:

• Use select_related() and prefetch_related()
• Avoid N+1 queries
• Paginate everything
• Cache expensive queries

Tools to help:

• Django Debug Toolbar
• Database query logging
• Simple Redis caching

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7. APIs: Version Them Early

If you’re building APIs:

• Use /api/v1/ from day one
• Keep backward compatibility in mind
• Write predictable response structures

Your future self (and mobile apps) will thank you.

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8. Testing Is a Feature, Not a Luxury

You don’t need 100% coverage — but you do need confidence.

Start with:

• Model tests
• Critical API endpoint tests
• Authentication and permission tests

Even basic tests catch:

• Breaking changes
• Accidental deletions
• Security regressions

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9. Logging and Monitoring Matter More Than You Think

In production, logs are your debugger.

• Use structured logging
• Log errors, warnings, and important events
• Monitor failed jobs, API errors, and slow queries

If you don’t know what’s breaking, you can’t fix it.

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10. Django Is Still a Great Choice (If Used Right)

Django is not slow. Django is not outdated.

Poor architecture is.

When designed properly, Django powers:

• SaaS platforms
• eCommerce systems
• Internal tools
• APIs with millions of requests

The difference between a toy project and a production system is discipline, structure, and experience.

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Final Thoughts

If you’re building Django projects seriously:

• Treat architecture as a first-class concern
• Respect security and performance
• Write code for humans, not just machines

Django rewards developers who think long-term.

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If you found this useful, feel free to share it with other Django developers or leave your thoughts in the comments.