Django vs Laravel: Comparison

Choosing between Django and Laravel is one of the most common decisions for web developers. Both are mature, well-documented frameworks with strong communities. At ZIRA Software, we use both depending on project requirements.

Framework Overview

Django (Python)                    Laravel (PHP)
├── "Batteries included"           ├── "Elegant syntax"
├── Admin panel built-in           ├── Artisan CLI
├── ORM with migrations            ├── Eloquent ORM
├── Template engine                ├── Blade templates
└── Released 2005                  └── Released 2011

Syntax Comparison

# Django - views.py
from django.shortcuts import render, get_object_or_404
from .models import Post

def post_list(request):
    posts = Post.objects.filter(published=True).order_by('-created_at')
    return render(request, 'posts/list.html', {'posts': posts})

def post_detail(request, slug):
    post = get_object_or_404(Post, slug=slug)
    return render(request, 'posts/detail.html', {'post': post})

// Laravel - PostController.php
class PostController extends Controller
{
    public function index()
    {
        $posts = Post::where('published', true)
            ->orderBy('created_at', 'desc')
            ->get();

        return view('posts.list', compact('posts'));
    }

    public function show($slug)
    {
        $post = Post::where('slug', $slug)->firstOrFail();

        return view('posts.detail', compact('post'));
    }
}

ORM Comparison

# Django ORM
class Post(models.Model):
    title = models.CharField(max_length=200)
    author = models.ForeignKey(User, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
    tags = models.ManyToManyField(Tag)

# Queries
Post.objects.filter(author__username='john')
Post.objects.annotate(comment_count=Count('comments'))
Post.objects.select_related('author').prefetch_related('tags')

// Laravel Eloquent
class Post extends Model
{
    public function author()
    {
        return $this->belongsTo(User::class);
    }

    public function tags()
    {
        return $this->belongsToMany(Tag::class);
    }
}

// Queries
Post::whereHas('author', fn($q) => $q->where('username', 'john'));
Post::withCount('comments');
Post::with(['author', 'tags'])->get();

When to Choose Django

Django Strengths
├── Data science / ML integration
│   └── NumPy, Pandas, scikit-learn
├── Built-in admin panel
│   └── Production-ready out of box
├── Scientific computing
│   └── Research, analytics platforms
├── API development
│   └── Django REST Framework
└── Explicit over implicit
    └── Clear, readable code

Best for: Data-heavy applications, admin panels, scientific platforms, APIs

When to Choose Laravel

Laravel Strengths
├── Rapid development
│   └── Expressive syntax, less boilerplate
├── Rich ecosystem
│   └── Forge, Vapor, Nova, Cashier
├── Queue system
│   └── Horizon, multiple drivers
├── Real-time features
│   └── Broadcasting, WebSockets
└── Community packages
    └── Extensive Packagist ecosystem

Best for: E-commerce, SaaS, content management, real-time apps

Performance

Benchmark (requests/second)
├── Laravel: ~800-1200 req/s
├── Django: ~900-1400 req/s
└── Note: Both scale well with caching

With OPcache/PyPy:
├── Laravel + OPcache: ~2000+ req/s
└── Django + PyPy: ~2500+ req/s

Hosting and Deployment

Django Deployment
├── Gunicorn + Nginx
├── Heroku (easy)
├── AWS Elastic Beanstalk
└── Docker containers

Laravel Deployment
├── PHP-FPM + Nginx
├── Laravel Forge (managed)
├── Shared hosting (easier)
└── Docker containers

Conclusion

Both Django and Laravel are excellent choices. Django excels for data-intensive applications and when Python ecosystem access matters. Laravel shines for rapid development and real-time features. Choose based on team expertise and project requirements.

Need help choosing? Contact ZIRA Software for technology consulting.