Gain insights into Django, a Python framework for rapid web development. Discover hands-on learning with interactive widgets and build a portfolio-worthy Django project.

django-docker.tar.gz

Django

Project

Models

ProjectModels

ProjectModels-challenge 1

ProjectModels-challenge 2

Django is a free and open-source web application framework written in Python. It is used for rapid web development and clean, pragmatic design. It is built by experienced developers to make repetitive tasks easier, so you can focus on writing apps instead of reinventing the wheel. This course teaches Django for beginning and intermediate level learners. The course includes a hands-on learning experience with the help of interactive widgets. At the end of the course, you will have created a project in Django that can be used in your portfolio.

Django: Python Web Development Unleashed

# Introduction to forms

Forms are a way to collect data from our website visitors or our users. Basically, we want to collect that data, and we want to do something with it. Primarily, we grab data from the user and store that data in our database.

> **NOTE:** Forms themselves aren’t Django specific. They are made in HTML and are found in most web applications. **We assume that you already know how forms work in HTML**. Therefore, this chapter will focus only on how forms work in Django.


# Django's role in forms

Handling forms can be a bit complicated. We usually have to decide which data we need from the user, and then how to display it in a form. Then, the form is rendered as HTML. The client fills out the values, and data is returned to the server after the validation. This data can be stored or used for further tasks. Django’s form service simplifies and automates much of this process. Additionally, Django provides a very secure way to deal with forms.


Now, let’s see the steps involved in making our first Django form.

> **NOTE:** For this example, we will create a **search field** using Django forms.

# Step 1: Make a `forms.py` file

We begin by creating all of our forms in a separate file called the `forms.py` file. This `forms.py` file will go inside our application's folder.

# Step 2: Import forms from Django

Now in the `forms.py` file, we need to import forms from Django. In order to do this, we will write the following line:


```
from django import forms
```

This line imports a very basic library for forms that we can build on top of.

# Step 3: Define a class

In this step, we will define a class and create a *search* field. In order to do this, we add the following lines:

```
class SearchForm(forms.Form):
    q = forms.CharField()
```

In the snippet above, the `SearchForm` class is inheriting from the Django `Form` class, and `q` is the name of our *search field*, which is a type of `CharField`. We already have some familiarity with fields from the [Models chapter](https://www.educative.io/courses/django-python-web-development/models-in-code).

And that’s it. Those are the basics of a form. Right now, we have the following `forms.py` file:



Before Getting Started

Introduction to Django

First Django Application

Templates in Django

Static Files in Django

Laying Ground for Songs Playlist Application

Project Solution: Laying Grounds for Songs Playlist Application

Django Models

Django Forms

Operations on Models

Take Your Playlist to the Next Level

Project Solution: Take Your Playlist to the Next Level

Conclusion

Our First Django Form

Introduction to forms