Django REST framework (DRF) is a powerful and flexible toolkit for building Web APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) in Django, which is a high-level Python web framework. DRF is designed to make it easy to build, test, and deploy APIs by providing a set of tools and conventions for common tasks.
There are several key features of Django REST Framework, which include:
Views
DRF provides powerful class-based views for handling HTTP methods. Views define the behavior of API endpoints, specifying what should happen when a request is made to a particular URL. DRF views are based on Django's class-based views, but they are tailored for handling RESTful endpoints. Developers can create custom views by extending DRF's generic views.
Authentication and Permissions
DRF includes a range of authentication and permission classes to control access to your API. DRF supports various authentication methods, including token-based authentication, session-based authentication, and more. Developers can choose and configure the authentication method that best suits their application. It provides permission classes to control who can access particular resources and perform specific actions. For example, developers can set permissions to only authenticated users or users with specific roles to perform certain operations.
Browsable API
The browsable API is a user-friendly web interface that allows developers to interact with and explore the API using a web browser. When you use DRF to build your API, it automatically generates a browsable API based on your API views. This interface provides forms and links that make it easy to understand the API structure and test endpoints directly from the browser.
Layered Architecture of DRFs
We have already heard the terms Serializer, ViewSet, and Router. The Django REST Framework is composed of these three layers. Let us discuss them in detail.
The Django REST Framework Serialization
Serialization in DRF converts complex data types, such as Django models or query sets, into Python data types quickly rendered into formats like JSON or XML. Serializers allow you to specify the fields and relationships you want to include in the serialized output. Serializers also handle deserialization, i.e., converting incoming data back into complex Python data types.
