Django vs Flask two very useful tools for python web developers, but what are they? Well, Flask and Django are both python web frameworks. Web frameworks are software tools that facilitate the basic needs to build a web app (just imagine having to write the entire web app on your own). These tools really do make life easy for web developers but this question always remains “Which one should I use for my application ?”. In this article, we will go through some details that can help you choose the framework best suited for your project.

Security

Flask has always been reliant on other services for added functionality. This means that Your application will be as secure as the extensions you use. Maintaining the security of a web app running on Flask can some times be tedious because of this. You will have to closely follow the new releases of the third-party services that are being used.

On the other hand Django does have certain security features that provides protection against many common attacks such as XSS, Clickjacking, SQL injection, etc. You can read more about the Django security features on their official page here.

Performance

Performance would really alter the decision that you take in this “battle” of Django vs Flask. However, both Flask and Django have, for long, been used in a variety of high traffic websites, performing equally well. Hence I don’t think this really is a factor to consider while choosing frameworks.

Community/Forums

Django was launched on 15th July 2005 and is about 5 years older than Flask so naturally Django has more contributors. Hence your more likely to find answers for your Django queries. However both Django and Flask have grown quite a bit now. In my opinion, the small difference in the number of users has become insignificant. Thus your Flask queries should also be solved easily.

Flexibility

Django follows this philosophy called “batteries included”. This means that they include most of the software necessary to build your application. In certain cases, this can be advantageous, as you are only a few keystrokes away from finding a package you require. However, it can be disadvantageous in most cases as it limits your options. Since Flask is a bare minimum framework, it allows us to use a variety of third-party software. This provides you an option to choose from any third-party providers and hence provides flexibility.

Learning Curve

Flask has always been this bare minimum framework and thus has very little to learn. It tends to be comparatively easier to grasp and thus beginner-friendly. On the other hand, Django seems to have a lot of implicit features and may end up confusing beginners. So if your web app is meant to be lightweight or static Flask should be your choice. If your app has a more complex function it is recommended to use Django.

Conclusion

So which framework should you use ? well, that answer is up to you. Both these frameworks have their own pros and cons and hence it all comes down to your use case and your convenience. This choice can be confusing at times so I hope this comparison helps you pick the framework for your project.

Happy Learning!! 😃