Django vs Flask – What’s the Difference (Pros and Cons)
Django vs Flask – What’s the Difference between Frameworks (Pros and Cons). In today’s tech era, web development has become a crucial part of businesses for growth and expansion. As each industry is shifting to the digital world and looking for growth over the internet, developing web applications for users is vital. However, the web development process has become a bit complex and sophisticated. To deliver high end products and functional web designs, developers demand frameworks.
Frameworks enable developers to easily write codes when building or developing a web application. It is a complete package that helps ease the web development process and make it more scalable and faster.
Python is one of the popular programming languages steadily increasing in popularity. The language supports robust libraries and easy to use syntax making it unique from other development languages.
In this guide, we compare Django vs Flask for any Python based web application. Further, we have compared the two to help developers make better decisions, diminish the coding time and automate the performance.
What is Flask?
In 2011, Armin Ronacher introduced Flask, a Python based micro framework used by professionals for developing web applications. It comprises basic features and is used for applications that involve more technological decisions. It supports no external libraries and enforces no dependencies or project layout.
The Flask framework is highly flexible, scalable, and lightweight. Flask also supports API, open authentication systems and provides extensions for form validation. It provides full control access to the developers and requires a small codebase size to perform simple functions when developing a web application.
Key Features of Flask
- Lightweight and supports no external libraries.
- It has an in built server and an integrated unit testing system for robust development.
- Secure cookies allow no unauthorized person to access the text or code.
- It provides adaptable configurations.
- Supports Ninja2 template engine
- RESTful request dispatching
- Coherent APIs
Pros of Flask
- Flask Support WSGI templates. Thus, making it a highly flexible and scalable web framework.
- It allows full control access to the developers.
- Its powers reside in its minimalistic features.
- Easy Database Integration Process.
- Flask has an easy core system best suitable for small case projects.
- To perform simple functions, the framework requires a small codebase size.
- The development and maintenance of the application is a hassle free process.
- The integrated unit testing system within the framework enables faster debugging.
- Allows routing URL functions through Werkzeug to make the process quick and easy.
- The web framework is easy to understand, learn and use.
- The independent framework adapts to the latest technologies and can build a quick prototype.
- It supports modular programming and is a lightweight Python based web framework.
Cons of Flask
- Flask has a slow Minimum Viable Product development process.
- Lacks a strong support community
- The framework does not support complex applications and projects.
- Supports no inbuilt admin site for records and maintenance.
- It lacks Object Relation Mapping.
- There is no proper database system and user authentication security system.
- Flask has limited features and tools.
- A company using flask may have to manage maintenance costs for supporting the latest technologies.
What is Django?
Django vs Flask – What’s the Difference between Frameworks (Pros and Cons). In 2003, Adrian Holovaty and Simon Willison introduced Django, a Python based open source framework used by professionals for designing web applications. The framework supports enhanced features that help in a faster and more effective web development process. The purpose of creating the framework was to help developers build complex database driven websites.
It has a ready to use user interface and supports end to end application testing and integrated solutions. The web framework involves less coding and has great documentation. Django focuses on applications that provide a business value of the product rather than those that focus on applications that involve technological decisions.
It has an in built object relational mapping (ORM) and custom admin panel to ease the development process. Ideal for large enterprises, developers, generally use the framework for a more standardized process, i.e., in the later stages of development. The Django framework supports login and authentication systems.
Key Features of Django
- The versatile framework of Django allows working on different platforms.
- Supports various formats such as JSON, HTML, XML, etc.
- Allows developers to reuse and maintain codes.
- Scalable python based open source framework.
- Helps in the insanely faster web development process
- Supports authentication systems and adds more security.
- Django framework has an easy user interface and is portable.
- Django includes predefined libraries.
- Supports various cross platform operating systems and multiple databases.
Pros of Django
- Django server is easy to set up and quick to run.
- The user interface is easy for administrative functionalities.
- It comprises an in built internationalization system that helps in developing multilingual websites.
- Support dynamic HTML pages and integrated unit testing system.
- It has a highly developed documentation and support community.
- Fully featured Administration Interface support.
- Reduced hosting services cost.
- Guarantees Security.
- Permissions and throttling policies.
- Supports underlying technologies, templates, tools and plugins.
- Less manual maintenance expenses.
- It is highly customizable and has a simple database management.
- It helps define models for the Application URLs.
- Supports a strong in built template design that enables rapid development.
Cons of Django
- Complicates things with its monolithic working style.
- One must have good knowledge about the framework before its use.
- It has a large codebase size.
- For a simple project, it is a high end framework with various functions.
- Works depending on Django ORM
- It uses URL dispatching via controller regex. As a result, the codebase gets complicated.
- The Auto reloads feature reboots the entire server.
- Default silent failing of template errors.
- Components become tightly coupled for web applications.
- The real world scenarios are not covered under the documentation.
- Django framework permits single request per time.
Django vs Flask - Differences between Frameworks
What is a Framework?
Framework is a software abstractions. Abstractions are core concepts devoid of complexities and details. In other words a stricter structures, that work as the skeleton of your application. Frameworks help you to get right to the business logic of your application which results in a professional application.
There are two types of frameworks in web development:
- Front-end frameworks focus on client side development problems. Some other popular frontend frameworks include Angular, Vue.js.
- Back-end frameworks concentrate on server side logic. implementation. Some of the popular backend frameworks are Django, Laravel, Ruby on Rails, and Express.js
After reading about features and benefits of Django vs Flask – What’s the Difference between Frameworks (Pros and Cons) see which framework will be more suitable for your company.
| Parameter | Flask | Django |
|---|---|---|
|
Type of Framework |
Flask is a flexible, lightweight micro framework with minimalist features and no external libraries. |
Django is another flexible, full stack, open source web framework that supports batteries included approach and comprises enhanced features. |
|
Purpose |
Python web framework built for small case projects. |
Python web framework built for complex database driven websites and large projects. |
|
Working Style |
Flask follows a modular approach and uses outsourced libraries and extensions for developing web applications. It supports a diversified style. |
Django follows an object oriented approach and supports underlying technologies, templates, tools, and plugins. It also enables object relational mapping. It supports the Monolithic working style. |
|
Project Layout |
Works best for single page applications. |
Works best for multiple page applications. |
|
Database Support |
The framework supports no database management system. Instead, the flask makes use of SQLAlchemy for database needs. |
The framework supports all relational database management systems, including MySQL, Oracle, etc. |
|
Bootstrapping Tool |
It does not support any in built Bootstrapping Tool. |
It supports an in built bootstrapping tool that enables the building of web applications without any external input. |
|
Template Engine |
Supports Ninja2 template design. |
Supports built in model view template. |
|
Dynamic HTML Pages |
The platform does not support dynamic HTML pages. |
The platform supports dynamic HTML pages. |
|
Structure |
Flask has a random structure. |
Django structure is a bit more conventional. |
|
Debugger |
It supports an in built debugger that enables virtual debugging. |
There is no debugger to offer virtual debugging. |
|
Flexibility |
The extensible libraries supported by the framework make it more flexible for developers. |
Django is less flexible on comparing with the Flask framework. Developers find it difficult to make alterations to the modules. |
|
Control |
Developers have full control with no dependencies from external libraries.They have in built libraries. Thus, developers do not have full control over the functions. |
They have in built libraries. Thus, developers do not have full control over the functions. |
|
API support |
The Python web framework supports API. |
The Python web framework does not support API. |
|
URL Dispatcher |
URL Dispatcher is a RESTful request. |
URL Dispatcher depends upon the controller regex. |
|
Community Support |
Lacks a strong support community |
It has a strong support community and documentation. |
Django vs Flask – What’s the Difference between Frameworks Conclusion
Developers use frameworks to write codes for web applications. They are a collection of modules that help in the faster building of web applications.
Django and Flask are the two popular Python based web frameworks that aid developers to design reliable web applications. Django is an open source framework for complex database driven websites that requires vast knowledge. However, the Flask is a flexible, lightweight micro framework with basic features built for small case projects.
Flask renders full control and supports a diversified working style, whereas Django follows an object oriented approach and supports the Monolithic working style. Flasks are more flexible than the Django web framework and support API.
Both the frameworks have their own functionalities and feature, making them the popular python based platforms for web development. We recommend following the above points of comparison to understand which frameworks work best for your company. Check out their pros and cons to understand their functions and work.
