Django Structure

Django follows a Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern, but in Django terminology, it’s often referred to as Model-View-Template (MVT). Here’s an overview of the typical structure of a Django project:

1. Project:
   • A Django project is a collection of settings and configurations for a specific web application. It can contain one or more Django apps.
   • Common project-level files and directories:
     • manage.py: A command-line utility for interacting with the project.
     • settings.py: Configuration settings for the project.
     • urls.py: URL patterns for the entire project.
2. Apps:
   • A Django app is a modular component that encapsulates a specific functionality of the project. Projects are often composed of multiple apps.
   • Common app-level files and directories:
     • models.py: Defines the data models for the app.
     • views.py: Contains the logic for processing HTTP requests and returning responses.
     • urls.py: Defines URL patterns specific to the app.
     • templates/: Directory for storing HTML templates.
     • static/: Directory for storing static files (CSS, JavaScript, images).
3. Database Models:
   • The models.py file within each app defines the database models using Django’s Object-Relational Mapping (ORM). Models describe the structure of the database tables and relationships.
4. Views:
   • The views.py file within each app contains functions or classes that handle HTTP requests, process data, and return HTTP responses. Views interact with models to fetch or update data.
5. Templates:
   • The templates/ directory within each app stores HTML templates. Templates are used to generate dynamic HTML content that is sent to the client.
6. Static Files:
   • The static/ directory within each app is used for storing static files such as CSS, JavaScript, and images. These files are served directly by the web server.
7. URL Configuration:
   • The urls.py files in both the project and app define URL patterns. The project’s urls.py typically includes the URL patterns of various apps.
8. Settings:
   • The settings.py file in the project contains configuration settings for the entire project, such as database configuration, timezone settings, middleware, and more.
9. Middleware:
   • Middleware components in Django are used to process requests and responses globally before they reach the views or after they leave the views.
10. Admin Interface:
    • Django provides a built-in admin interface that can be customized to manage data models through a web-based interface. Admin functionality is defined in the admin.py files within each app.

This is a basic overview, and the structure can vary based on project requirements and personal preferences. Django’s convention over configuration approach provides a default structure, but it allows for flexibility and customization.