Expert Django backend development guidance. Use when creating Django models, views, serializers, or APIs; debugging ORM queries or migrations; optimizing database performance; implementing authentication; writing tests; or working with Django REST Framework. Follows Django best practices and modern

Django Expert Overview This skill provides expert guidance for Django backend development with comprehensive coverage of models, views, Django REST Framework, forms, authentication, testing, and performance optimization. It follows official Django best practices and modern Python conventions to help you build robust, maintainable applications. Key Capabilities: Model design with optimal ORM patterns View implementation (FBV, CBV, DRF viewsets) Django REST Framework API development Query optimization and performance tuning Authentication and permissions Testing strategies and patterns Security best practices When to Use Invoke this skill when you encounter these triggers: Model & Database Work: "Create a Django model for..." "Optimize this queryset/database query" "Generate migrations for..." "Design database schema for..." "Fix N+1 query problem" View & API Development: "Create an API endpoint for..." "Build a Django view that..." "Implement DRF serializer/viewset" "Add filtering/pagination to API" Authentication & Security: "Implement authentication/permissions" "Create custom user model" "Secure this endpoint/view" Testing & Quality: "Write tests for this Django app" "Debug this Django error/issue" "Review Django code for issues" Performance & Optimization: "This Django view is slow" "Optimize database queries" "Add caching to..." Production Deployment: "Deploy Django to production" "Configure Django for production" "Set up HTTPS/SSL for Django" "Production settings checklist" "Configure production database/cache" Instructions Follow this workflow when handling Django development requests: 1. Analyze the Request and Gather Context Identify the task type: Model design (database schema, relationships, migrations) View/API development (FBV, CBV, DRF viewsets, serializers) Query optimization (N+1 problems, database performance) Authentication/permissions (user models, access control) Testing (unit tests, integration tests, fixtures) Security review (CSRF, XSS, SQL injection, permissions) Production deployment (settings, HTTPS, database, caching, monitoring) Template rendering (Django templates, context processors) Leverage available context: If django ai boost MCP server is available, use it to understand project structure and existing patterns Read relevant existing code to understand conventions Check Django version for compatibility considerations 2. Load Relevant Reference Documentation Based on the task type, reference the appropriate bundled documentation: Models/ORM work references/models and orm.md Model design patterns and field choices Relationship configurations (ForeignKey, ManyToMany) Custom managers and QuerySet methods Migration strategies View/API development references/views and urls.md + references/drf guidelines.md FBV vs CBV decision criteria DRF serializers, viewsets, and routers URL configuration patterns Middleware and request/response handling Performance issues references/performance optimization.md Query optimization techniques (select related, prefetch related) Caching strategies (Redis, Memcached, database caching) Database indexing and query profiling Connection pooling and async patterns Production deployment references/production deployment.md Critical settings (DEBUG, SECRET KEY, ALLOWED HOSTS) HTTPS and SSL/TLS configuration Database and cache configuration Static/media file serving Error monitoring and logging Deployment process and health checks Security concerns references/security checklist.md CSRF/XSS/SQL injection prevention Authentication and authorization patterns Secure configuration practices Input validation and sanitization Testing tasks references/testing strategies.md Test structure and organization Fixtures and factories Mocking external dependencies Coverage and CI/CD integration 3. Implement Following Django Best Practices Code quality standards: Follow PEP 8 and Django coding style Use Django built ins over third party packages when possible Keep views thin, use services/managers for business logic Write descriptive variable names and add docstrings for complex logic Handle errors gracefully with appropriate exceptions Django specific patterns: Use select related() for FK/OneToOne, prefetch related() for reverse FK/M2M Leverage class based views and mixins for code reuse Use Django forms/serializers for validation Follow Django's migration workflow (never edit applied migrations) Use Django's built in security features (CSRF tokens, auth decorators) API development (DRF): Use ModelSerializer for standard CRUD operations Implement proper pagination and filtering Use appropriate permission classes Follow RESTful conventions for endpoints Version APIs when making breaking changes 4. Validate and Test Before presenting the solution: Code review: Check for N+1 query problems (use Django Debug Toolbar mentally) Verify proper error handling and edge cases Ensure security best practices are followed Confirm migrations are clean and reversible Testing considerations: Suggest or write appropriate tests for new functionality Verify test coverage for critical paths Check that fixtures/factories are maintainable Performance check: Review database queries for efficiency Consider caching opportunities Verify proper use of database indexes Bundled Resources references/ Comprehensive Django documentation loaded into context as needed These reference files provide detailed guidance beyond this SKILL.md overview: references/models and orm.md (~11k words) Model field types and best practices Relationship configurations (ForeignKey, OneToOne, ManyToMany) Custom managers and QuerySet methods Migration patterns and common pitfalls Database level constraints and indexes references/views and urls.md (~17k words) Function based vs class based view trade offs CBV mixins and inheritance patterns URL routing and reverse resolution Middleware implementation Request/response lifecycle references/drf guidelines.md (~18k words) Serializer patterns (ModelSerializer, nested serializers) ViewSet and router configurations Pagination, filtering, and search Authentication and permission classes API versioning strategies Performance optimization for APIs references/testing strategies.md (~18k words) Test organization and structure Factory patterns vs fixtures Testing views, models, and serializers Mocking external services Test database optimization CI/CD integration references/security checklist.md (~12k words) CSRF protection implementation XSS prevention techniques SQL injection defense Authentication best practices Permission and authorization patterns Secure settings configuration references/performance optimization.md (~14k words) Query optimization (select related, prefetch related, only, defer) Database indexing strategies Caching layers (Redis, Memcached, database cache) Database connection pooling Profiling and monitoring tools Async views and background tasks references/production deployment.md (~20k words) Critical settings (DEBUG, SECRET KEY, ALLOWED HOSTS) Database configuration and connection pooling HTTPS/SSL configuration and security headers Static and media file serving Caching with Redis/Memcached Email configuration for production Error monitoring with Sentry Logging and health checks Zero downtime deployment strategies references/examples.md Practical implementation examples Model design with custom managers N+1 query optimization DRF API endpoint implementation Writing Django tests Additional Notes Django Version Compatibility: Consider LTS releases (4.2, 5.2) for production Check deprecation warnings when upgrading Use django upgrade tool for automated migration Common Pitfalls to Avoid: Circular imports (use lazy references) Missing related name on relationships Forgetting database indexes on frequently queried fields Using get() without exception handling N+1 queries in templates and serializers

django-expert