Choosing The Right Framework For Python App Development

Python is an extensively used programming language that enables developers to build responsive web and mobile applications with cross-platform compatibility. A large community of developers prefer Python for web application development because of its open-source support libraries and ease of use. According to Stack Overflow, more than 122,864 websites were developed using Python as of 2018. 
 

At Oodles, we have built several high-quality enterprise websites using Python that are successfully running across multiple countries. The main benefit of Python app development is that you get access to several third-party modules and intuitive data structures that accelerate the development process. In addition, it provides enhanced process control capabilities that reduce complexities and speeds up the process. 

There are several tools and frameworks for Python application development that enable developers to build cross-platform web and mobile apps. However, the type of framework used for Python app development directly impacts the development efficiency. In this blog post, we are going to compare the two most popular Python app development frameworks on the key quality parameters.
 

Commonly Used Python App Development Frameworks

Below are the two most extensively used frameworks for Python web app development processes.

Django

Django is an open-source Python framework that simplifies and accelerates web application development with a high-level programming interface. It simplifies the creation of complex database-driven websites and provides several tools to speed up the process. Django follows a model-template-view (MTV) architectural pattern and mainly focuses on the reusability and pluggability of various components. It incorporates low coupling and reduces coding requirements, resulting in rapid development throughout the production cycle. The framework also provides an administrative interface that can be dynamically created and configured via admin models. 

Flask

Flask is a Python-based micro web framework that enables developers to dynamic web pages and web applications. Popularly known as a microframework, it has no database abstraction layer and doesn’t require third-party tools or libraries. Nevertheless, with Flask, the developers get access to several extensions to add various features and functionalities in a web application. These extensions are regularly updated to meet the dynamically changing development requirements. 

Flask consists of the two main components:

Werkzeug

It is a common library of Python-based Web Server Gateway Interface (WSGI) applications, licensed under Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD). It enables developers to build custom software frameworks supporting Python 2.6, 2.7, and 3.3. 

Jinja

Jinja is a Python-based template engine for high-level programming similar to Django web framework. 

Also read Exploring the Merits of Python Applications in Finance and Banking

Flask vs Django: A Quick Comparison

Below are the main points of comparison between Flask and Django:

Framework Type

As already mentioned above, Django is a full-stack web framework for Python web application development. It mitigates the development complexities by providing a built-in template engine, bootstrapping tools, and an ORM system to accelerate web development. 

On the contrary, Flask is a microframework that enables developers to build simple and lightweight web applications with limited features. Unlike Django, it doesn’t include the built-in tools or libraries but supports extensions for adding custom features in web applications.

Admin Interface

Django provides an intuitive, functional, and ready-to-use interface for handling common project administration processes. The admin interface is also customizable to fulfill the dynamically changing project requirements. Flask on the other hand, lacks this kind of interface and is more useful in handling simple administration tasks with minimal complexities. 

Bootstrapping

Django provides a built-in bootstrapping tool called django-admin which enables developers organize their tasks and build applications without any external input. Flask, on the other hand, doesn’t have a built-in tool for bootstrapping.

Template Engine

Unlike Flask, Django has a built-in template engine which accelerates the development of custom user interfaces using its proprietary template language. On the other hand, Flask supports a template engine based on Jinja for programming in Python. 

You may also be interested in reading Understanding Python 3.8 Version.

Conclusion

Both Django and Flask are being extensively used to build high-quality websites and web applications. However, when it comes to creating complex enterprise applications with advanced features and dynamic interfaces, Django is the best tool to use. Flask is more suited for building simple and lightweight web applications with limited features and use cases. Usage statistics reveal that some of the best business websites are built using Django. The latter is clearly more popular than Flask in Python web app development. However, Flask is more effective at building simple websites more efficiently and within the project timeline at reduced costs.  

Why Choose Oodles For Python Web App Development?

We are a 360-degree Python app development company that builds user-centric websites and web applications using the latest Python frameworks. Our development team is experienced in using Flask and Django to build feature-rich enterprise web applications to overcome complex business challenges. We have successfully completed several Python web app development projects for startups, SMEs, and large-scale enterprises.