Python isn’t just a language; it’s a powerhouse of tools that can make a developer’s life a whole lot easier. And when it comes to building web applications, Flask and Django are two names that shine brightly.
These frameworks are like toolboxes, filled with everything you need to create powerful, elegant web apps without getting bogged down in the nitty-gritty details. Let’s take a closer look at Flask and Django, and see how they can help you build amazing web applications.
What is Flask?
Flask is a free and open-source micro web framework that is written in the Python programming language to make scalable web applications with ease. “Micro” here does not mean that the framework is lacking functionality but rather means that the core is non-complex and extensible. There are a few things that Flask does not contain like upload handling, ORMs (Object Relational Mappers), database abstraction layer, authentication, form validation, etc. but these functionalities can be integrated using pre-existing external libraries. The microframework is based on Werkzeug which is a toolkit for WSGI, i.e., Web Server Gateway Interface and Jinja which is a template engine for Python. Some well-known organizations that use Flask are Reddit, Netflix, Lyft, Airbnb, Uber, etc.
Features of Flask
- Microframework: Flask is a lightweight and modular microframework, providing flexibility and allowing developers to choose the components they need for their application.
- Minimalistic: Flask provides only the essential components for web development, such as routing and templating, allowing developers to add functionality through extensions.
- Extensible: Flask’s modular design allows developers to add extensions for additional functionality, such as database integration, authentication, and more.
- Jinja2 Templating: Flask uses the Jinja2 template engine, which provides powerful features for creating dynamic HTML content with inheritance, macros, and filters.
- Werkzeug WSGI Toolkit: Flask is built on top of the Werkzeug WSGI toolkit, providing a solid foundation for handling HTTP requests and responses.
- Development Server: Flask comes with a built-in development server, making it easy to develop and test applications locally.
- No ORM: Unlike Django, Flask does not include an ORM, allowing developers to choose their preferred database interaction library.
- Flexibility: Flask allows developers to structure their applications as they see fit, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, from small projects to large-scale applications.
- Community Support: Flask has a strong and supportive community, with many extensions and resources available to help developers build and deploy their applications.
What is Django?
Django is an open-source full-stack web framework as opposed to Flask and follows the Model Template Template (MVT) style of architecture. Django helps to build better web applications with reusability features in less time and lesser code. It follows the Don’t Repeat Yourself(DRY) principle and has a main focus on automating things as much as possible. It has dozens of functionalities like a lightweight web server for testing, form serialization, validation, caching framework, internal dispatcher amongst many others. Some companies which use Django are Udemy, Instagram, Quora, YouTube, etc.
Features of Django
- Full-Featured Framework: Django is a full-stack web framework, providing all necessary features for web development out of the box.
- Batteries Included: Django includes a vast array of built-in features, such as an ORM, authentication, admin panel, and more, reducing the need for external libraries.
- Model-View-Template (MVT) Architecture: Django follows the MVT architecture, separating the data model, user interface, and application logic, making the codebase clean and organized.
- Admin Panel: Django provides a powerful admin panel for managing site content, users, and permissions, which can be customized to fit specific needs.
- ORM (Object-Relational Mapping): Django’s ORM allows developers to interact with the database using Python objects, simplifying database operations and reducing SQL queries.
- Template Engine: Django comes with a built-in template engine (Django Template Language) for rendering dynamic HTML content, facilitating the creation of reusable templates.
- Security Features: Django includes built-in protection against common web vulnerabilities such as CSRF, XSS, and SQL injection, making it a secure choice for web development.
- Scalability: Django is capable of handling high traffic and large-scale applications, with features like caching, database sharding, and load balancing.
- Community Support: Django has a large and active community, providing resources, tutorials, and third-party packages to extend its functionality.
Flask vs Django
Now, let’s explore the specific features of Flask and Django to determine which framework might be better suited for your needs. By comparing their functionalities, scalability, performance, and security features, you can make an informed decision about which framework aligns best with your project requirements. Choosing between Flask and Django depends on various factors, including the size and complexity of your project, your familiarity with the frameworks, and your team’s expertise. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each framework will help you make the right choice for your web development endeavors.
1. Databases
Flask does not support the ORM framework and therefore the developers are free to choose the ORM that suits their application. Whereas, Django provides a powerful ORM and migration management tool which makes it easier to get started. Django supports a number of relational databases such as Oracledb, MySQL, SQLite, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL. Flask not only supports relational databases but non-relational databases like MongoDB. ORM in Django makes it easy to create templates, views, forms, etc. which is made on data models but flask does not support data models.
2. Size of the Project
If you’re going for a smaller web application then Flask will be an optimal choice since it is well suited for small and non-complicated web applications with high load. On the other hand, Django is a great choice for larger projects since it is designed for big, complicated and applications that deal with high traffic. As Flask is modular and highly flexible and you control and everything inside it, scaling it up can turn into error-prone and complex code. In Django, it is comparatively easy to scale up due to the fully-featured functionality it provides.
3. Performance
Flask will definitely outperform Django in performance and is significantly faster than Django due to the fact that it has lesser functionalities, fewer layers, and is a lightweight framework. Django provides a lot of functionalities that are not present in Flask for rapid development and hence has a performance downgrade as compared to its counterpart, Flask.
4. Security
Flask and Django provide similar mechanisms to prevent web application attacks and other threats. Django has an inbuilt system to prevent common attacks like Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), SQL injection, etc. This, in turn, helps to prevent or mitigate attacks that let an attacker carry out the execution of scripts in the browser, log in using the credentials of other users and execute arbitrary SQL code in the database. As Flask applications are much smaller, they are easier to secure since there is less area available to attack. But as Flask relies on external security extensions, it could mean that if the extension itself is compromised, this will result in the Flask web app being compromised.
5. Routing System and Views
Routing is an important part of any web application and both these frameworks support routing and class-based views. It creates Universal Resource Locators (URLs) and then maps them to their respective functions which in turn determine what is to be done when the URL is loaded. In Django, URLs and views are defined in urls.py and views.py. To get access to the request object in Django, you will have to explicitly pass it, whereas, in Flask, the request object is global and therefore can be accessed easily.
6. Other Aspect
Django has a little ahead in popularity with a little more stars on its GitHub profile, as compared to Flask. But Flask has an exceptional fan base since it was released 5 years after Django was and was voted the most famous Python Web Framework for the year 2018.
The documentation of Flask is extensive and very welcoming to beginners who want to set their hands on Flask. It involves a detailed explanation and covers everything from installation to deployment and has a lower learning curve than Django. Meanwhile, the documentation of Django is much more extensive than Flask since it is a full-stack framework and not a minimalist one. Also, there is a ready-to-use admin system that is not present in Flask. There are a few files in Django which are automatically present while starting a project and can be tough to comprehend for beginners. On the other hand, each and every line in the Flask project is written by you and you have full control of it from the beginning.
Flask vs Django: Difference Table
| Feature | Django | Flask |
|---|---|---|
| Framework Type | Full-stack web framework | Micro web framework |
| Architecture | Model-View-Template (MVT) | No specific architecture |
| Built-in Features | Includes many built-in features | Minimalistic, only essential features |
| Admin Panel | Built-in admin panel | No built-in admin panel |
| ORM | Includes a powerful ORM | No built-in ORM |
| Template Engine | Uses Django Template Language (DTL) | Uses Jinja2 template engine |
| Security | Built-in protection against vulnerabilities | Requires manual implementation |
| Scalability | Suitable for large-scale applications | Suitable for small to medium projects |
| Community Support | Large and active community | Strong and supportive community |
| Flexibility | Less flexible, more opinionated | More flexible, allows more freedom |
| Learning Curve | Steeper learning curve | Easier learning curve |
Must Read:
Conclusion
On comparing Flask and Django on different factors, it can be seen that both Flask and Django cannot be labeled as the best on a single feature. When Django is seen better for a larger project with rapid development and provides more features, Flask seems to be easier to start with. Both the frameworks are super useful for developing web applications and should be chosen depending on the current requirements and needs and the size of the project.
