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Django is a web framework for Python, with some key features being available for backend applications. There are three main parts that make up the backend: server, app and database. One core component of backend development is databases, which are communicated to the frontend by an API. Django supports a number of open-source databases. You’ll need to decide which database you choose for your Django application. We’ll take a closer look at exactly why databases are so important, and a list of 5 potential databases you could use.
Why are Databases Important?
Databases are involved in backend development, an area that your users aren’t able to reach. The purpose of a database is to store all your information and digital files. As the database owner, you’ll be able to add, alter or monitor the data stored.
Although users of your Django application can’t directly interact with the database, it can have a negative impact on the user’s experience. One impact includes slow loading times, leading to reduced user retention rate. It’s important to optimise your database to provide the best possible user experience. Database issues can also lead to site outages, if the data volume becomes too high for your database.
Structured Query Language (SQL) is the universal database query language that every web application uses. However, the database contains sensitive information that is prone to cyber-attacks. It’s important to have backend security to secure the privacy of sensitive data assets, such as a user’s personal information. There are various practices you should aim to use to improve the security of your database and Django application.
Django officially supports 5 databases, and provides support for other third-party databases. Let’s take a look at the 5 official open-source databases that you could use for your Django application:
1: Postgresql:
This database varies in its design compared to other databases. Most databases are classified as Relational Database Management Systems (RDBMS), but Postgresql is an Object-Relational Database Management System (ORDBMS). This means that Postgresql provides additional object-oriented features that aren’t found in other databases. As a result, using Postgresql can give you extra flexibility and freedom for your Django application.
Postgresql is a great choice for a database because of the huge number of features it provides, supporting various aspects of your Django application. One principal feature of Postgresql includes the huge range of data types that it supports. Some examples of data types supported by Postgresql include: ranges, network addresses, geometric types and monetary types.
Another feature includes the ability to carry out a full-text search for finding data in semi and unstructured text. This gives you a powerful search tool to find natural-language documents that satisfy a query. Postgresql also allows you to attach comments on database objects, such as tables, databases and columns. Moreover, Postgresql provides foreign data wrappers that allow you to access data and tables in remote servers.
2: MariaDB:
MariaDB is one of the most popular database choices, being used by high profile companies such as Google. It is a relational database that manages predefined relationships between data items. Examples of data items include tables, columns and rows. One advantage of using MariaDB is that is easy to learn, meaning that you could start using it much quicker compared to other databases.
Another advantage of MariaDB is that it supports backwards compatibility. The latest version is compatible with the oldest version, which is essential as MariaDB is an open-source database updated by the community. MariaDB supports various storage engines as well. Additionally, MariaDB has the Galera cluster technology built in. This provides benefits such as no lost transactions, and improvement of node read scalability.
3: MySQL:
MySQL is known as the most reliable and secure database management, being used by web applications such as WordPress and Twitter. It provides high data security and available support that can make transactional processes secure. MySQL is also considered one of the easier relational databases systems to learn. This is complemented by the fact that it is open-source, meaning that there are large amounts of documentation available if you ever have issues.
Scaling can be a huge issue in databases, especially when data volume and user loads increase drastically. MySQL allows for scaling in various ways, such as replication, clustering and sharding. Furthermore, MySQL provides the user with high performance, even for extremely busy applications. If your Django application has huge amounts of queries coming, MySQL provides a stable solution that handle large amounts of data.
4: Oracle:
The Oracle Database is one of the oldest database management systems, being initially released in the 1970s. This database operates on a pay-as-you-go model, which means you only pay for the data that you’ve used. As a result, database management costs are simplified significantly. Oracle uses a hybrid cloud environment, contributing to lower IT costs than other database systems. Lost data can be recovered easily with Oracle, using Oracles recovery manager.
Another benefit of using Oracle is the choice and support of other open-source resources. If your Django application has integrated machine learning, then using Oracle can be a great choice. Oracle supports open-source libraries and tools such as Pandas and Matplotlib that are used for machine learning. This means access to analytics and machine learning is made more convenient.
5: SQlite:
SQlite is used on disk format for desktop applications, such as version control systems. It is easy to learn, and doesn’t require any installation or configuration. Downloading SQlite libraries will allow you to start working with it immediately. It provides high performance, as reading and writing operations are carried out very quickly.
Moreover, it is a reliable database system since it will continuously update your content. On the other hand, if your Django application has large amounts of HTTP requests, SQlite wouldn’t be a suitable choice. This database system is suitable for low to medium amounts of HTTP requests instead.
Summary:
Databases are a core component of backend development. Having a poor database can affect the user’s experience as your Django application will suffer from reduced performance. Site outages might even occur if the amount of data becomes too high for your database.
Django officially supports 5 databases, all of which have unique features and benefits. You should choose a database accordingly, taking into account the scale and goals of your Django application.
If you need any advice with your Django application, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Raw Jam team!
Researched and Written by Saleem Maroof.