Modern Django Web Development: With Channels, DRF, GraphQL, and React

Malhar Lathkar

Django has evolved into a powerful full-stack framework ideal for developing data-driven web applications, continuously expanding with new tools for asynchronous solutions, APIs, and real-time applications. This book explores modern Django development best practices, including Django Channels for WebSockets, Django REST Framework (DRF) for REST APIs, Graphene and Strawberry for GraphQL APIs, and integrating a front-end built with React The content is structured into two main parts, covering both fundamental and advanced concepts in a practical and digestible manner.
The first part introduces Django’s core concepts, starting with an overview of web development and Python’s asyncio module for asynchronous processing. It then walks you through Django installation, project setup, and the admin interface. The Model-View-Template (MVT) architecture is explained in depth, with chapters on models, views, and templates, illustrating real-world examples. Additionally, it covers database interactions, introducing SQLAlchemy ORM and MongoDB integration to extend Django’s capabilities beyond its default ORM.
The second part delves into advanced Django features and the broader ecosystem. Topics include authentication, security, messaging, and reusable apps such as the Django toolbar. REST API development with Django REST Framework is explored, followed by an introduction to building GraphQL APIs using Graphene and Strawberry. A dedicated chapter covers Django Channels and the WebSocket protocol for real-time applications. Modern Django Web Development concludes with integrating React to develop front-end clients for Django-based REST, GraphQL, and WebSocket APIs, enabling a full-stack development experience.