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Django
	; The default Django page
Developer(s)	Lawrence Journal-World
Initial release	July 2005
Stable release	1.1.1 / 2009-10-9; 2 months ago
Written in	Python
Type	Web application framework
License	BSD License
Website	http://www.djangoproject.com

Django (pronounced /ˈdʒæŋɡoʊ/ JANG-goh^[1]) is an open source web application framework, written in Python, which follows the model-view-controller architectural pattern.^[2] It was originally developed to manage several news-oriented sites for The World Company^[3] of Lawrence, Kansas, and was released publicly under a BSD license in July 2005; the framework was named after gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.^[4] In June 2008 it was announced that a newly formed Django Software Foundation will take care of Django in the future. ^[5]

Django's primary goal is to ease the creation of complex, database-driven websites. Django emphasizes reusability and "pluggability" of components, rapid development, and the principle of DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself). Python is used throughout, even for settings, files, and data models.

Django also provides an optional administrative "CRUD" interface that is generated dynamically through introspection and configured via admin models.

[edit] Components

The core Django framework consists of an object-relational mapper which mediates between data models (defined as Python classes) and a relational database; a regular-expression-based URL dispatcher; a view system for processing requests; and a templating system.

Also included in the core framework are:

A lightweight, standalone web server for development and testing.
A form serialization and validation system which can translate between HTML forms and values suitable for storage in the database.
A caching framework which can use any of several cache methods.
Support for middleware classes which can intervene at various stages of request processing and carry out custom functions.
An internal dispatcher system which allows components of an application to communicate events to each other via pre-defined signals.
An internationalization system, including translations of Django's own components into a variety of languages.
A serialization system which can produce and read XML and/or JSON representations of Django model instances.
A system for extending the capabilities of the template engine.

[edit] Bundled applications

The main Django distribution also bundles a number of applications in its "contrib" package, including:

An extensible authentication system.
The dynamic administrative interface.
Tools for generating RSS and Atom syndication feeds.
A flexible commenting system.
A sites framework that allows one Django installation to run multiple websites, each with their own content and applications
Tools for generating Google Sitemaps.
Tools for preventing cross-site request forgery.
Template libraries which enable the use of lightweight markup languages such as Textile and Markdown.
A framework for creating GIS applications.

[edit] Server arrangements

Django can be run in conjunction with Apache using mod_python or mod_wsgi. Django also includes the ability to launch a FastCGI server, enabling use behind any web server which supports FastCGI. It should also be possible to use other WSGI-compliant web servers. Django officially supports four database backends: PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite and Oracle. MS SQL backend can be used with django-mssql but only in Microsoft operating systems.

Django may also be run in conjunction with Jython on any Java EE application server such as GlassFish or JBoss. In this case django-jython must be installed in order to provide JDBC drivers for database connectivity, which also provides functionality to compile Django in to a .war suitable for deployment.

Versions of Django prior to 1.0 had multithreading issues ^[6] and it would be recommended that those versions of Django only be used in a single threaded server configuration, such as with Apache prefork MPM using mod_python or embedded mode of mod_wsgi. Although Django 1.0 is principally believed to now be thread safe, some minor threading issues are still occasionally being found; it may be prudent to continue to use a single threaded server configuration and/or stay current with Django releases and notices about the multithreading issues. ^[6]

Google App Engine includes Django 0.96.1^[7] as one of the bundled frameworks.

[edit] Django books

On December 2007, "The Definitive Guide to Django", a Django book for version 0.96.1 was published by Apress, and released under the GNU Free Document License. A second edition of the book, for versions 1.0+, is currently in progress.^[8]

In June 2009, Apress published the second edition of the book "Practical Django Projects" by James Bennett (the first edition was released in June 2008.)^[9]

In December 2008, Apress also published the book "Pro Django" by Marty Alchin.^[10]

Packt Publishing has released three books on Django:

"Learning Website Development with Django" by Ayman Hourieh ^[11]
"Django 1.0 Template Development" by Scott Newman ^[12]
"Django 1.0 Website Development" by Ayman Hourieh ^[13]

In November 2008, Addison-Wesley published "Python Web Development with Django" by Jeff Forcier, Wesley Chun, and Paul Bissex. ^[14]

[edit] See also

Free software portal

[edit] References

[edit] Bibliography

Alchin, Marty (December 16, 2008), Pro Django (1st ed.), Apress, pp. 320, ISBN 1430210478, http://www.apress.com/book/view/1430210478
Forcier, Jeff; Bissex, Paul; Chun, Wesley (November 3, 2008), Python Web Development with Django (1st ed.), Addison-Wesley, pp. 408, ISBN 0132356139, http://www.informit.com/store/product.aspx?isbn=0132356139
Bennett, James (June 24, 2009), Practical Django Projects (2nd ed.), Apress, pp. 272, ISBN 1430219386, http://www.apress.com/book/view/1430219386
Holovaty, Adrian; Kaplan-Moss, Jacob (July 8, 2009), The Definitive Guide to Django: Web Development Done Right (2nd ed.), Apress, pp. 536, ISBN 143021936X, http://www.apress.com/book/view/143021936X
McGaw, Jim (October 29, 2009), Beginning Django E-Commerce (1st ed.), Apress, pp. 300, ISBN 1430225351, http://www.apress.com/book/view/1430225351
Hourieh, Ayman (March 10, 2009), Django 1.0 Website Development (1st ed.), Packt Publishing, pp. 272, ISBN 1847196780, http://www.packtpub.com/django-1-0-website-development-2nd-edition/book

[edit] External links

Django Project home page

[0] What does “Django” mean, and how do you pronounce it?

[1] Django FAQ about MVC in Django

[2] LJWorld.com / About us

[3] "Django FAQ". Lawrence Journal-World. http://www.djangoproject.com/documentation/faq/. Retrieved 2008-04-01.

[4] Announcing the Django Software Foundation

[code.djangoproject.com-5] ttp://code.djangoproject.com/wiki/DjangoSpecifications/Core/Threading

[6] ttp://code.google.com/appengine/articles/django.html

[7] The Django Book: Version 2.0 (English)

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