FastAPI vs Django – A Comprehensive Comparison of Two Powerful Python Frameworks

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FastAPI and Django are two popular web frameworks used for building web applications, but they have different strengths and weaknesses. In this tutorial, we will compare FastAPI and Django to help you choose the best framework for your project.

FastAPI is a modern, fast (high-performance), web framework for building APIs with Python 3.6+ based on standard Python type hints. It is built on top of Starlette for the web parts and Pydantic for the data parts. FastAPI is known for its speed, performance, and ease of use. It is a great choice for building high-performance APIs with minimal code.

On the other hand, Django is a high-level Python web framework that encourages rapid development and clean, pragmatic design. It follows the model-view-template (MVT) pattern and provides built-in features for authentication, security, and database integration. Django is a comprehensive framework that includes everything you need to build a web application, from routing and views to models and templates.

Now, let’s compare FastAPI and Django in terms of various aspects:

1. Performance:
FastAPI is known for its high performance due to its asynchronous capabilities and use of type hints for automatic data validation and serialization. It is faster than Django in terms of request/response times and can handle high traffic with ease.

Django, on the other hand, is a synchronous framework and can experience performance bottlenecks when handling multiple concurrent requests. However, Django’s caching mechanisms and optimization tools can help improve performance.

2. Ease of Use:
FastAPI is designed to be easy to use and intuitive, with automatic generation of OpenAPI documentation and JSON schemas. Its use of type hints makes development faster and more efficient. FastAPI’s declarative syntax also makes it easy to define routes and models.

Django, on the other hand, has a steeper learning curve due to its comprehensive nature and use of Django-specific concepts like models, views, and templates. However, Django’s built-in features and extensive documentation can help streamline development once you get the hang of it.

3. Scalability:
FastAPI is well-suited for building scalable APIs due to its asynchronous capabilities and performance optimizations. It can handle a large number of concurrent requests without sacrificing speed.

Django can also scale well with proper optimization and caching strategies. Django’s built-in support for database sharding and replication can help improve performance and handle high traffic loads.

4. Community and Ecosystem:
Django has a large and active community with a wide range of third-party packages and extensions available. It has been around for a longer time and has a mature ecosystem with many resources and tutorials available.

FastAPI, being a relatively newer framework, has a smaller community but is gaining popularity rapidly. FastAPI’s focus on performance and modern development practices make it an attractive choice for developers looking to build high-performance APIs.

In conclusion, FastAPI is a great choice for building high-performance APIs with minimal code, while Django is a comprehensive framework that provides everything you need to build a web application. Your choice between FastAPI and Django will depend on your specific project requirements and development preferences. Both frameworks have their strengths and weaknesses, so it’s important to evaluate them based on your project needs before making a decision.

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@centralcoding
29 days ago

What dou you think using django and Fastapi in the same project?

@Cpluspluscoderexpert
29 days ago

very helpfull video

@azataiot
29 days ago

Do your speed test implemented the authentitcation, security, sessions frameworks in FastAPI ? Or you are comparing them as their default state? Because django includes all of above by default, while FastAPI has no security concerns for example built-in. When you remove the middlewares above from django and test them 'barely' you will find a different answer.

@adegunloyerebecca2671
29 days ago

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@inno4953
29 days ago

How can you compare Django with FastAPI and not FastAPI vs DRF?

@joeuuk
29 days ago

why are you wearing your t-shirt inside out?

@skewty
29 days ago

Loved Sanic, then FastAPI after struggling to change the way some lower level Django pieces. Then we struggled with FastAPI, moved to Litestar and have found their development team more responsive. Also, appreciate that Litestar has more features and doesn't couple Starlette and Pydantic. (Love Pydantic though)

@chakratejaboppana6716
29 days ago

Hi Roby, I'm currently in the middle of your FastAPI course on Udemy, and I'm loving it! The content is clear and incredibly well-structured. Thanks for such a great resource!

@riyansh3396
29 days ago

What matters is how many companies specially in your country is using Django and Fastapi, at the we all want coding jobs

@riyansh3396
29 days ago

Problem with fastapi is Migrations

@coff3andprograming
29 days ago

A slightly better comparison would have been between django rest framework and FastAPI, personally I develop with both APIS and they are very good options when creating a project, if it is completely web and the application is very well thought out from start to finish I think that django rest framework has a great advantage because of the MVP pattern, its entire ecosystem and that by following the philosophy you do not repeat yourself, you already have to do quite a few things, now if the requirements are very changing or it is a product that has Viewing FastAPI data has the great advantage of being able to make modifications without breaking the code, in addition to being asynchronous and quite fast, I would not recommend using Flask for any project.

@codernerd7076
29 days ago

Looking for a fast API with Next.js tutorial

@iamAliAhad
29 days ago

Django just has a lot more built in. User authentication, an ORM (Best ORM than any other Framework even ROR, Laravel or others) the admin panel and a whole lot more. You have to do it in FastAPI manually! You can use FastAPI in Django, Yes Its possible. There have also FastAPI like feature in Django called Django ninja! Django calls itself the framework for people with deadlines and it is true. It works, has a ton of support and flexibility. The actual choice is usually fastAPI vs flask as they are more comparable.

@shedrachugochukwu6245
29 days ago

Thanks a lot, Eric. pardon me I have been trying to deploy a fast API app on Cpanel, but it's not working. Can you please make a video of it?

@francosbenitez
29 days ago

So clear! Very detailed comparison. I am trying to learn FastAPI in my free time while working with Django in my full-time job.

@efbYouTube
29 days ago

TY!! curious to hear what u think of reflex (form pynecone)

@user-sg7pp7bv4l
29 days ago

It's a really great, clear and concise comparison of fastapi and Django

@mohammedajmal5009
29 days ago

clean and understandable.👍