5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Learning Django

When I started learning Django, I thought it would be easy because I already knew some Python. But I quickly realized that Django isn’t just about writing Python—it’s about understanding how web applications work, managing databases, and structuring projects properly.

I made many mistakes early on, which slowed me down. If you're just starting, here are five things I wish I knew earlier that will help you learn Django faster and avoid common beginner struggles.

1. Don’t Skip Python Fundamentals

Before learning Django, make sure you’re comfortable with Python basics. Django uses a lot of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), file handling, and database management, so understanding these concepts will make things much easier.

✅ What to learn first:

•Functions & loops

•OOP (Classes, Inheritance)

•Databases (SQLite, PostgreSQL)

•Resource Recommendation: Python Official Docs

2. The MVT Architecture is Different from Traditional Web Development

Django follows the Model-View-Template (MVT) architecture, which can be confusing if you're used to regular HTML/CSS/JavaScript websites.

✅ Simple Breakdown:

•Model (M): Handles the database (Python classes that map to tables).

•View (V): Controls logic (fetches data from models and sends it to templates).

•Template (T): Displays data to users (HTML + Django template language).

💡 Tip: Before writing code, try drawing a flowchart of how data moves between models, views, and templates. This helps in understanding Django’s structure.

3. Understanding Django ORM Will Save You a Lot of Time

When I started with Django, I struggled with how models and databases work. Instead of writing SQL queries, Django uses ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) to interact with the database using Python.

✅ Example: Creating a simple model

from django.db import models

class Book(models.Model): title = models.CharField(max_length=255) author = models.CharField(max_length=100) published_date = models.DateField()

•This automatically creates a table in the database, and you can query it using Python instead of writing SQL.

💡 Tip: Before coding, design your database structure on paper. It makes migrations easier later.

4. Learn How Django Handles Static & Media Files

One mistake I made was not understanding static files (CSS, JS, images) and media files (user uploads like profile pictures). Django treats them differently.

✅ Key Points:

•Static files are stored in the static/ folder and are used for CSS, JavaScript, and images.

•Media files are user-uploaded files (like profile pictures) and need to be configured in settings.py.

💡 Tip: Use python manage.py collectstatic to gather all static files before deployment.

5. Projects Matter More Than Just Learning Concepts

One mistake I made was watching too many tutorials without actually building anything. The best way to learn Django is by applying it to real projects.

✅ Project Ideas for Beginners:

•A To-Do App (learn CRUD operations)

•A Blog System (learn models, authentication)

•A Weather App (fetch data from APIs)

💡 Tip: Don’t try to make a perfect project—just focus on making it work.

Learning Django can be overwhelming at first, but focusing on fundamentals, ORM, project structure, and hands-on projects will help you learn faster.

If you’re also learning Django, what challenges have you faced? Let’s learn together—drop a comment and share your experience!