Last updated - April 29, 2024
Websites using Django are fast, secure, and scalable. Find out everything you need to know about Django for eCommerce in order to scale your business.
Developing your eCommerce platform has many benefits that’ll make you stand out among your competitors. You can add custom features and make your store more visually appealing and user-friendly. Also, you can create your platform with enhanced speed and improved security to achieve a more professional appearance.
There are many options for utilizing these benefits. Python, PHP, and Ruby on Rails are the best languages for web development. Python-based Django is a popular solution for eCommerce, along with PHP-based Laravel.
Using Django for eCommerce is a great choice because it’s secure, fast, and scalable. Sites using Django are also affordable, easy to use, and SEO-friendly. That’s why Django was among the most loved frameworks in 2022 and remains so in 2023.
In this article, we’ll cover what Django is, analyze the pros and cons of Django for eCommerce, and help you to choose the most popular eCommerce framework for your next store.
What is Django?
Django is a free, open-source framework for building web applications. It’s based on the Python programming language which is broadly accepted among developers and businesses. Websites built with Django are high-performing because of Django’s many built-in features. Django enables:
- Fast development: a powerful admin interface, ORM, and template system facilitate a quick development process
- Scalability: features like caching or load balancing allow Django to handle large amounts of traffic without sacrificing performance
- Security – Django has many built-in security features, such as password hashing and authentication
The most famous examples of Django websites include Udemy, Instagram, Pinterest, Mozilla (along with their integrated web shops), YouTube, and Spotify. Made.com is a great Django eCommerce website example with its simple and pragmatic design. Hiut Denim Co. is another example of an effective eCommerce platform created with the framework.
Pros and Cons of Django in eCommerce
Advantages of Django
There are many advantages of using Django for eCommerce as the framework has built-in features that promise a high-performing website. If you choose to have your own Django eCommerce website, you can take advantage of the following:
Object-Relational Mapping (ORM)
Django has a robust Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) system for interacting with databases such as Oracle and MySQL. ORM uses an algorithm called the QuerySet API which reduces the need to write complex SQL queries and thus enables a faster development process. With it, the creation and maintenance of the data are easier and faster.
Scalability
The reason why many businesses use Django for eCommerce is its scalability. Every customer wants seamless performance when visiting a website. If your website doesn’t load fast due to a lot of traffic, your potential customers will leave. In eCommerce, handling large amounts of traffic and data is essential. Websites using Django have excellent performance, no matter how much the store expands.
Security
eCommerce platforms store sensitive customer data, so security must be a top priority. Django has many built-in features for security that protect against common web application vulnerabilities. That includes protection against Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), cross-site request forgery (CSRF), SQL injection, and clickjacking attacks.
SEO-friendliness
Using Django for eCommerce can improve your site’s ranking in search engines as the framework is known for its performance and speed – two factors search engines value most. It has clean code and features like URL routing that help search engines understand a website’s content and structure. URL routing makes URLs more descriptive and user-friendly. Likewise, sitemaps help search engines discover and index all the pages on a website.
Affordability
Django for eCommerce is affordable because of its open-source nature. You’ll need to pay developers and bear other costs associated with developing a website, but there is no direct cost for the framework itself. Django developer’s average hourly rate is between $40-98/hr in the US. In Europe and Latin America, prices are slightly lower.
Fast development
Using the Django framework for eCommerce means building your platform quickly and efficiently. An ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) system makes it easy to work with databases, thus reducing the amount of code that needs to be written. Django templates help developers quickly create and customize the user interface. Additionally, developers can reuse code across multiple applications and find pre-built solutions in the Django community.
Cross-platform compatibility
Websites built with Django are compatible with multiple platforms. That means you can run your website smoothly on most major platforms and browsers. That way you’ll reach more potential customers and give them a consistent user experience.
Long-time support
Some of Django’s versions offer long-time support, meaning that your website will receive updates and bug fixes for an extended period. For instance, Django 3.2 will enable backing for at least 3 years from the release date.
Disadvantages of Django
Django is an excellent framework for web applications, but there’s no “one-size-fits-all” when developing a web app. Now that you know all the benefits of Django for eCommerce, let’s look at some of its disadvantages.
Complexity
The way the framework is designed creates complexity when scaling up. If you need a basic website without much technical expertise, you should think about other eCommerce frameworks, like Shopify or Woocommerce. There are plenty of options for creating simple websites.
Extensive knowledge of the features
If you want to build a website with Django, you need to have a vast understanding of its features. They demand extensive knowledge to utilize properly, so it’s not the best option for beginners. If you want to build a stable eCommerce platform for your business, seek a Django developer for hire that best suits your needs.
Top Django Frameworks for eCommerce
There are four Django frameworks: Oscar, Saleor, Django-SHOP, and Shuup. They have different approaches and feature sets.
Saleor is a complete eCommerce platform that provides a comprehensive set of features. It offers a modern and user-friendly interface, has higher technical requirements, and a large and active community.
Django-SHOP also has a wide community. It follows a modular approach, allowing developers to choose and integrate components as needed, such as product catalogs, shopping carts, and payment integrations.
Shuup is a good choice for smaller projects with fewer technical requirements. It offers features such as multi-vendor support, inventory management, and product variants.
Developers consider Oscar the best Django e-commerce framework. They love it because it offers many features for customizing eCommerce websites, such as:
- Catalog management for organizing product categories, attributes, and variations
- Search and navigation system for filtering and sorting products
- Checkout and payment system that supports multiple payment methods and shipping options
- Order management for managing customer orders, refunds, and returns
- Multiple product types and payment options
- Multi-language and multi-currency support
Django Oscar has a comprehensive dashboard that eliminates the need for hiring a Django admin. It offers PDF invoice generation and support for complex order processing, such as split payment orders, multi-batch shipping, and order status pipelines.
Conclusion
If you have an eCommerce business, Django can help you stand out with an effective and unique website. Django for eCommerce offers a wide number of features that make the development process efficient and enable a high-performing platform that will satisfy even the pickiest of customers. It has fundamental protections for security and is compatible with multiple platforms. You won’t have to worry that large amounts of traffic will slow down your website. You’ll have long-time support for your project too – all of that for an affordable price.
