An Introduction to Django REST Framework
As a set of programming instructions, protocols and standards, application programming interfaces (APIs) are used widely by modern software developers. An API defines how the software application will web tools and web-based applications. Thus, a software application sends request to other applications through APIs to perform specific things.
The programmers must be able to read and understand the API to effectuate communication and interactions between different software applications. Django REST framework (DRF) is designed as a powerful and flexible toolkit to help programmers to create APIs rapidly. Also, it makes it easier for developers to build web APIs that can be accessed through a web browser directly.
Important Features of Django REST Framework
Web-browsable API
As noted earlier, the web programmers must be able to read the API to effectuate communication between applications. DRF can be used as a powerful toolkit for developing APIs that are readable for programmers. When HTML format is requested, DRF generates HTML output for each resource. The HTML output can be read by the programmers as well as web browsers. The programmers can further browse through the resources easily, and submit data to the resources through PUT, POST and DELETE.
Serialization
DRF is designed with a built in model serialization. The model serialization enables developers effectuate representation of data without writing longer lines of code. At the same time, it further allows programmers to get the data delivered in a number of formats. The latest version of DRF also comes with simpler model serializers that are both easy to understand and easy to debug. The model serializers further allow programmers to switch between the explicit Serializer class and implicit ModelSerializer class.
Authentication Policies
To protect the website, developers have to check the incoming requests based on specific identifying criterions like who is making the request or if the request is properly signed. The developers mention a set of identifying criterions to decide about permitting or declining a request. DRF allows programmers to avail a set of predefined authentication schemes. The developers also have option to create and implement custom authentication themes. Whenever the view starts, DRF run the authentication scheme immediately. Thus, each time the authentication is performed before the proceeding of other code begins.
Customization
DRF allows programmers to use the class based as well as function based views. The regular function based views make it easier for developers to customize request processing. They can use the function based views to receive an instance of Request instead of the normal Django HTTPRequest. Likewise, the views can also be used to return a Response instead of the normal Django HTTPResponse. At the same time, the developers can use the api_view decorator to define a set of HTTP methods that the view will respond to. Thus, it becomes easier for programmers to configure request processing according to their specific needs.
Extensive Documentation
While using DRF, programmers can save time and efforts by referring to the extensive documentation, and availing the support of a large community. At the same time, they also have option to choose from several approaches to API documentation. Likewise, the Django REST framework can also be integrated with a variety of popular API documentation tools like Swagger and Apiary. Thus, the skilled Django developers can use these tools to make the browsable APIs self-describing and reusable.
The version 3.0 of the Django REST framework also comes with several new features including a new BaseSerializer class, simple model serializers, and printable illustrations on serializers. It further enables web developers to customize the requests handled by the APIs using a Meta API. So the developers can use Django REST framework version 3 to create, maintain and debug their application in a faster and more efficient way.
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