Django 404 Error Handling with Custom Templates

#django Did you know that for every model field you define with choices, Django automatically creates a helper method called get_FOO_display()? Full Video Link in Pinned Comment! Here, FOO is literally the name of your field. So if your field is called status, Django gives you get_status_display(). For example, if your field is defined with choices like ('p', 'Pending'), the database stores 'p' as the actual value, while 'Pending' is the human-readable label. When you call instance.get_status_display(), Django looks at the stored value ('p') and returns the display label ('Pending') for you. This means you never need to write custom lookup logic or template filters just to show readable text. You can use instance.get_status_display in Python or in templates, and Django handles it cleanly and automatically. YT Channel: natvilletutor Share with django devs!!

WHY DJANGO REST_FRAMEWORK? ‎•Why Django Rest_Framework? A 10-day series on why to use Django rest_framework instead of Django. ‎The series will start with an initial explanation of Django, Restful APIs and finally the Django Rest_framework. ‎ ‎•Comparisons between Django and drf will be made and a broad view of when you should choose drf over Django will be  tested. ‎ ‎•Finally I will reference a project I'm building to explain certain problems I've faced with both, suggestions to circumvent them, and finally reasons behind the choices I have made when building this project. ‎ ‎This series is as a result of a question I asked myself recently when building my current project ("PollScribe: a stack-overflow for creatives"). Why Django rest_framework? I had been building, testing and breaking the app for a month and was surprised when I faced a particular hurdle with enabling a client to create a new resource via a html page rather than the API endpoint, and I was struggling a bit, I kept getting errors. I kept probing to discover if there was a simpler way to do it? Was I missing something? why was I using Django rest_framework even? ‎ ‎This may seem strange to you because you wonder why start a project if you don't even know why you're using the tools you are? It happens to be my pilot project, and I just needed to start building, trusting that the momentum will force me to learn as I go. Sometimes you must start when you're unsure in order to get better. ‎ ‎Follow along if web development using Python is an interest of yours, if you're learning or would like to start now. #django #webdevelopment #webdev #stackoverflow #pilotproject #coding #python #programming #whydjangorestframework

WHY DJANGO REST_FRAMEWORK? DAY 5: ‎ WHAT IS DJANGO REST_FRAMEWORK? (DRF) ‎Django rest_framework is Django's own restful API, it keeps the backend separate from the server but negotiates with the database for information requested by the client through HttpResponses. ‎ ‎It is important to note that all requests are treated individually, and attended to provided the right data has been provided. e.g a new product can be created from the API endpoint provided all the required sections have been filled out as required by the models, the product name, category, description and so on. This is so that a new table is created in the database for that data without need for prior information like user account, or if that product exists prior. it's excellent for debugging and ensuring that the backend actually does what it claims to do. ‎A major part of drf's algorithm is its serializers. Serializers are files that help convert python primitive types/objects into acceptable web formats, e.g JSON, enabling clients to see and interact with resources displayed on the server in json format. As such, creating a new resource will be done using JSON format and saved, the data will then be deserialized/ parsed and sent back to the app where it will be saved on the database. ‎ ‎ let's create a mental flow chart: ‎Serializer initialized --> Server (resource displayed in JSON format.) --> Client requests/inputs data ---> Serializer validates data --> serializer deserializes data --> data gets stored in the database. ‎ So, that's how client-server-database flows occur in Django rest_framework. We are halfway through the series now and we've covered what Django is, when and why you should use Django, how to create projects in Django, what API's and restful API's are, and finally what django rest_framework is. Keep up with me as I continue to break down programming topics, while sharing my personal experience in building projects, with you. ‎ ‎#APIs #webdevelopment #learninginpublic #learninpublic #whydjangorestframework #django #djangrestframework #python #webdev #backenddevelopment

WHY DJANGO REST_FRAMEWORK? DAY 9: ‎ ‎THE BROWSABLE API (YOUR SECRET WEAPON) ‎ ‎One of the biggest differences between Django and DRF is how you see your work. ‎ ‎In standard Django, if you want to see if your logic works, you’re either looking at the Admin Panel or building a quick HTML template. Although, it gives a little more room for customization, it is still a bit of a detour. ‎ ‎Enter the DRF Browsable API. ‎ ‎heThe moment you create a view in DRF and navigate to the URL in your browser, you aren't just looking at raw JSON text. DRF renders a clean, interactive web page that allows you to: ‎ ‎1. GET data and see it beautifully formatted. ‎ ‎2. POST new data using a built-in form. ‎ ‎3. PUT/DELETE resources with the click of a button. ‎ ‎It is essentially a live Sandbox for your backend. You can test your entire backend logic directly in the browser. ‎ ‎For me, this was actually pretty fascinating, just seeing my Python logic turn into a functional interface  that I could interact with, without writing a single line of CSS or HTML. It makes debugging feel less like a chore and more like a playground. ‎ ‎Do you prefer testing your logic in the terminal (Shell) or are you like me and you need a visual interface to feel like it’s real? ‎ ‎#APIs #webdevelopment #learninginpublic #learninpublic #whydjangorestframework #django #djangrestframework #python #webdev #backenddevelopment

Problem Wednesday. A small Django mistake that cost me hours. I was building a simple form in Django to save data into the database. Everything looked correct. The form rendered properly. No major errors. But when I clicked submit, nothing was saving. After checking models and views multiple times, I finally noticed the issue. I forgot to include method="POST" in the HTML form tag. Because of that, Django never received the POST request. The view logic was correct, but the request type was wrong. That moment helped me understand something important about backend development. Even when your Python and Django logic is correct, small frontend details can break the entire flow. Now, whenever form data does not save, I check three things immediately: 1. Is the form using POST 2. Is CSRF token included 3. Is request.method == "POST" handled correctly Understanding this improved my grasp of Django forms, request handling, and the overall request response cycle. If you are learning Django, debugging is not about writing more code. It is about tracing the flow carefully. 👉 What is one small mistake in Django that taught you a big lesson? 🔗 Helpful Resources Django Forms Documentation https://lnkd.in/gheCSvkC Django CSRF Protection https://lnkd.in/grEgWUc8 Django ModelForms Guide https://lnkd.in/gAQmRB5M #Python #Django #BackendDevelopment #WebDevelopment #LearningInPublic #StudentDeveloper #ProblemSolving #CodingJourney

Hi everyone! 👋 I’d like to share a part of my learning journey in Web Development using Django (Python) at the Adaptive Network Laboratory. During this program, I had the opportunity to dive deeper into how web applications are actually built from the backend side. I learned not just the theory, but also how to implement it directly through hands-on practice and real project simulations. Here are some of the things I worked on: • Understanding Django framework and MVT architecture • Building models, views, and templates • Managing databases using Django ORM and migrations • Handling forms and user authentication • Organizing project structure and static files • Exploring deployment basics Through this experience, I realized how powerful and structured Django is for building scalable web applications. It really helped me strengthen my backend fundamentals and improve the way I think about system design. I’m truly grateful for the chance to keep learning, experimenting, and growing in this field. 📄 Documentation: Part 1: https://lnkd.in/gxszKYeq h1w/r17r-PwvWl Part 2: https://lnkd.in/gGJut944 #AdaptiveNetworkLaboratory #NetDevelopment #Django #Python #WebDevelopment

𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀. 𝗔 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 While learning Django, one concept that significantly improves code quality and scalability is the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿. In simple terms, a context processor allows you to make certain data globally available to all templates, without repeating the same logic in every view. 🔹 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 • Keep views clean and focused • Eliminate duplicate context data across views • Centralize shared data such as user info, cart count, categories, or site settings 🔹 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 • A context processor is a function that: • Accepts the request object • Returns a dictionary • Automatically injects that data into every template during rendering 🔹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 • Navigation menu categories • Shopping cart item count • Logged-in user details • Global notifications or settings 🔹 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 • Keep them lightweight • Avoid heavy database queries • Use caching when possible • Remember. They support views, they do not replace them Understanding context processors helped me write cleaner templates and follow better Django design principles. If you are preparing for Django interviews or building production applications, this is a concept you should not skip. #Django #Python #WebDevelopment #BackendDevelopment #LearningJourney #SoftwareEngineering #DjangoTips

🚀 From Functions to Classes: Leveling Up My Django REST API Game! Just made the jump from function-based views to class-based views in Django REST Framework, and wow - the difference is like switching from a bicycle to a Tesla! 🔥 Checkpoints: ✅ Function-based views with HttpResponse (basic HTML responses) ✅ Function-based views with Response (proper JSON API contracts) ✅ Now diving into Class-Based Views (CBVs) Why Class-Based Views are a game-changer: 🎯 DRY Principle in Action: Instead of writing separate functions for GET, POST, PUT, DELETE - one class handles it all with method-specific functions 🔧 Built-in Superpowers: Automatic serialization/deserialization Built-in pagination, filtering, permissions Error handling that just works 🏗️ The Core Logic Shift: Before (Function-based): def student_list(request):   if request.method == 'GET':     # Handle GET logic   elif request.method == 'POST':     # Handle POST logic   # Repeat for each endpoint... After (Class-based): class StudentViewSet(viewsets.ModelViewSet):   queryset = Student.objects.all()   serializer_class = StudentSerializer   # Boom! Full CRUD API in 3 lines! 🤯 The Magic Behind the Scenes: Django's method dispatch automatically routes HTTP methods to class methods Mixins provide reusable functionality (ListMixin, CreateMixin, etc.) ViewSets combine multiple related views into a single class Serializers handle the heavy lifting of data validation and transformation Real Talk: CBVs felt intimidating at first, but once you understand the inheritance chain and mixin pattern, it's like having a Swiss Army knife for API development! 🛠️ The beauty is in the abstraction - Django handles the boilerplate, so you focus on business logic. From manually crafting JSON responses to getting a full REST API with proper status codes, pagination, and error handling automatically. Next up: Custom permissions and advanced filtering! 💪 #Django #DjangoREST #Python #WebDevelopment #API #BackendDevelopment #LearningInPublic #TechJourney

🚀 A Small Django Mistake That Can Slow Down Your Entire Application While working on my Django project, I noticed something interesting. My code was working perfectly… but the page was loading slower than expected. After checking the queries, I realized I was unknowingly creating the N+1 query problem. I was fetching orders and accessing the related customer for each order. Without optimization, Django was hitting the database again and again for every single customer record. That’s when I understood the importance of select_related() and prefetch_related(). When the relationship is ForeignKey or OneToOne, select_related() performs a SQL JOIN and fetches everything in a single query. When the relationship is ManyToMany or reverse ForeignKey, prefetch_related() works better because it runs separate queries and combines the data efficiently in Python. After applying the correct method, the number of queries reduced significantly — and the performance improved immediately. This experience taught me one important lesson: Writing working code is good. Writing optimized code is better. 🚀 As a backend developer, understanding how the ORM works internally makes a huge difference. #Django #Python #BackendDeveloper #LearningJourney #ORM #PerformanceOptimization 

🚀 A Small Django Mistake That Can Slow Down Your Entire Application While working on my Django project, I noticed something interesting. My code was working perfectly… but the page was loading slower than expected. After checking the queries, I realized I was unknowingly creating the N+1 query problem. I was fetching orders and accessing the related customer for each order. Without optimization, Django was hitting the database again and again for every single customer record. That’s when I understood the importance of select_related() and prefetch_related(). When the relationship is ForeignKey or OneToOne, select_related() performs a SQL JOIN and fetches everything in a single query. When the relationship is ManyToMany or reverse ForeignKey, prefetch_related() works better because it runs separate queries and combines the data efficiently in Python. After applying the correct method, the number of queries reduced significantly — and the performance improved immediately. This experience taught me one important lesson: Writing working code is good. Writing optimized code is better. 🚀 As a backend developer, understanding how the ORM works internally makes a huge difference. #Django #Python #BackendDeveloper #LearningJourney #ORM #PerformanceOptimization