What Django Developers Actually Build
Django developers work on web applications and APIs:
Full-Stack Web Applications
Traditional Django apps with server-side rendering:
- Django templates - Server-rendered HTML
- Forms and validation - Built-in form handling
- Admin interface - Automatic admin panel
- User authentication - Login, registration, permissions
Common for: Content management, internal tools, rapid prototyping
REST APIs with Django REST Framework
Modern API-first applications:
- DRF (Django REST Framework) - Building REST APIs
- Serializers - Data validation and transformation
- ViewSets and Routers - API endpoint organization
- Authentication - Token, session, or OAuth authentication
Common for: Mobile app backends, SPA backends, microservices
Data-Heavy Applications
Applications with complex data models:
- Django ORM - Complex queries and relationships
- Migrations - Database schema management
- Aggregations - Data analysis and reporting
- Background tasks - Celery for async processing
Common for: Analytics platforms, reporting tools, data processing
High-Traffic Applications
Scalable Django applications:
- Caching - Redis, Memcached integration
- Database optimization - Query optimization, connection pooling
- Load balancing - Multiple Django instances
- CDN integration - Static file serving
Common for: Instagram, Spotify, Pinterest (at scale)
Skill Levels: What to Test For
Level 1: Basic Django Usage
- Can create models, views, and URLs
- Understands Django's MVT (Model-View-Template) pattern
- Uses Django admin
- Basic form handling
Red flag: Can't explain what Django does or why you'd use it
Level 2: Competent Django Developer
- Writes effective Django ORM queries
- Builds REST APIs with DRF
- Understands migrations and database design
- Handles authentication and permissions
- Writes tests
This is the minimum for Django developers.
Level 3: Django Expert
- Optimizes database queries (select_related, prefetch_related)
- Designs scalable Django architectures
- Implements caching strategies
- Writes custom middleware and management commands
- Understands Django internals
This is Senior/Staff Engineer territory.
Common Use Cases and What to Look For
Content Management Systems
Blogs, documentation, publishing platforms:
- Priority skills: Django admin customization, templates, content models
- Interview signal: "How would you build a CMS with Django?"
- Red flag: Would build everything from scratch instead of using Django features
E-Commerce Applications
Online stores and marketplaces:
- Priority skills: Complex models, payment integration, inventory management
- Interview signal: "Design a product catalog and shopping cart system"
- Red flag: Doesn't understand Django's model relationships
API Backends
REST APIs for mobile apps or SPAs:
- Priority skills: Django REST Framework, serializers, authentication
- Interview signal: "Build a REST API for [your use case]"
- Red flag: Would use Django views instead of DRF for APIs
Data Processing Applications
ETL, reporting, analytics:
- Priority skills: Django ORM aggregations, Celery, background tasks
- Interview signal: "How would you process large datasets with Django?"
- Red flag: Would process everything synchronously
Common Hiring Mistakes
1. Testing Only Basic CRUD
Creating models and views doesn't differentiate candidates. Test Django ORM query optimization, API design, and understanding of Django patterns.
2. Ignoring Python Skills
Django is Python. Candidates need strong Python fundamentals (decorators, context managers, async) to be effective Django developers.
3. Not Testing ORM Knowledge
Django's ORM is powerful but can be misused. Test their ability to write efficient queries, use select_related/prefetch_related, and avoid N+1 queries.
4. Overemphasizing Django-Specific Experience
Strong Python developers can learn Django in 2-3 weeks. Don't exclude great Python candidates who haven't used Django yet.
Interview Approach
For Django Developers
Focus on practical scenarios:
- "Design a Django model for [your domain problem]"
- "Write a Django REST Framework API endpoint"
- "This query is slow. How would you optimize it?"
For Backend Architects
Focus on architecture and scale:
- "How would you structure a Django app for scale?"
- "Design a caching strategy for a Django application"
- "How would you handle background tasks?"
Recruiter's Cheat Sheet
Questions That Reveal Skill Level
| Question | Junior Answer | Senior Answer |
|---|---|---|
| "How do you avoid N+1 queries?" | "What's that?" | Uses select_related, prefetch_related, explains when to use each |
| "What's Django's ORM?" | "It's for databases" | Explains abstraction, query optimization, migrations, relationships |
| "How do you build APIs?" | "Use Django views" | Uses Django REST Framework, serializers, ViewSets, explains REST principles |
Resume Green Flags
- Specific Django projects (not just tutorials)
- Mentions Django REST Framework, Celery, Redis
- Performance improvements ("Reduced query time by 80%")
- Complex model relationships
- Production Django experience
Resume Red Flags
- Only lists Django without Python context
- No understanding of Django ORM
- "Expert" but only tutorial projects
- Doesn't understand Django's "batteries included" philosophy