How to carry out CRUD operations in Django?

Key takeaways:

  1. Django is a Python web framework that follows the MVT (model view template) architecture and simplifies CRUD operations.

  2. The Create operation involves defining a model, running migrations, and creating views to add new records to the database.

  3. The Read operation retrieves data from the database and displays it using views and templates.

  4. The Update operation allows modification of existing records by creating views to handle form submissions and updates.

  5. The Delete operation involves permanently removing records from the database with views and confirmation templates.

  6. Implementing CRUD in Django is straightforward but may require additional security and authentication features in real-world scenarios.

Django is a widely-used Python web framework that enables rapid and straightforward web app development without the installation or dependency issues common in other frameworks. Its architecture follows the MVT (model view template) pattern, making it simple to perform CRUD (create, read, update, delete) operations. These operations are crucial when working with databases and building online applications.

Here’s a detailed guide on how to execute CRUD operations:

Create operation

In the Create operation, we make a new entry in the database. Follow these steps to add new records to the database:

  • Define a model: Create a model class in the Django application file, and each attribute of this class will behave as a database field.

# models.py
from django.db import models
class Student(models.Model):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=100)
    email = models.EmailField(unique=True)
    cgpa = models.DecimalField(max_digits=4, decimal_places=2)
    def __str__(self):
        return self.name
Building a model class

  • Run migrations: Run the following command to make a database table.

Python manage.py makemigrations
Python manage.py migrate
Run migrations

  • Define a view: Create a view in which queries are made to create desired data in the database.

# Create view
def student_create(request):
    if request.method == 'POST':
        form = StudentForm(request.POST)
        if form.is_valid():
            form.save()
            return redirect('student_list')
    else:
        form = StudentForm()
    return render(request, 'students/student_form.html', {'form': form})
Defining a view to create data in the database

Read operation

The Read operation allows to read or retrieve data from the tables in the database. Follow these steps to read records from the database:

  • Define a view: Create a view in which queries are made to retrieve desired data from the database.

from django.shortcuts import render
# Create your views here.
from django.shortcuts import render, redirect, get_object_or_404
from .models import Student
from .forms import StudentForm
# List view
def student_list(request):
    students = Student.objects.all()
    return render(request, 'students/student_list.html', {'students': students})
Defining a view to read data from the database

  • Make a template: Make an HTML template to display the retrieved list.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Student List</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Student List</h1>
    <a href="{% url 'student_create' %}">Add Student</a>
    <table border="1">
        <tr>
            <th>Name</th>
            <th>Email</th>
            <th>CGPA</th>
            <th>Actions</th>
        </tr>
        {% for student in students %}
        <tr>
            <td>{{ student.name }}</td>
            <td>{{ student.email }}</td>
            <td>{{ student.cgpa }}</td>
            <td>
                <a href="{% url 'student_update' student.id %}">Update</a>
                <a href="{% url 'student_delete' student.id %}">Delete</a>
            </td>
        </tr>
        {% endfor %}
    </table>
</body>
</html>
Page for showing a student list in Django

Update operation

The update operation is used to make modifications to the database. Follow these steps to update records in the database:

  • Define a view: Make a view that retrieves the record that needs to be modified, then makes a form with its data and handles form submissions.

# views.py
def student_update(request, id):
    student = get_object_or_404(Student, id=id)
    if request.method == 'POST':
        form = StudentForm(request.POST, instance=student)
        if form.is_valid():
            form.save()
            return redirect('student_list')
    else:
        form = StudentForm(instance=student)
    return render(request, 'students/student_form.html', {'form': form})
Defining a view to update data in the database

  • Make a template: Make an HTML template to update the retrieved record.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Add/Update Student</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>{% if form.instance.pk %}Update{% else %}Add{% endif %} Student</h1>
    <form method="POST">
        {% csrf_token %}
        {{ form.as_p }}
        <button type="submit">Save</button>
    </form>
    <a href="{% url 'student_list' %}">Back to Student List</a>
</body>
</html>
Confirmation page for adding/updating a student record in Django

Delete operation

The Delete operation is used to delete an entity from the database permanently. Follow these steps to delete the record from the database:

  • Define a view: Make a view that retrieves the record to be deleted and then manages the deletion process.

# views.py
# Delete view
def student_delete(request, id):
    student = get_object_or_404(Student, id=id)
    if request.method == 'POST':
        student.delete()
        return redirect('student_list')
    return render(request, 'students/student_confirm_delete.html', {'student': student})
Defining a view to delete data from the database

  • Make a template: Make an HTML template to confirm the deletion process.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>Delete Student</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Are you sure you want to delete {{ student.name }}?</h1>
    <form method="POST">
        {% csrf_token %}
        <button type="submit">Confirm Delete</button>
    </form>
    <a href="{% url 'student_list' %}">Cancel</a>
</body>
</html>
Confirmation page for deleting a student record in Django

Note: These are easy example code to understand the CRUD process in Django. A real-world application may require more complicated scenarios, security mechanisms, and user authentication.

Try it yourself

We've set CRUD operations in simple django application. Press the "Run" button and then click on the link in the below widget to perform CRUD operations.

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A simple django application to perform CRUD operations on student record

Conclusion

Django is a highly efficient framework for building web applications that interact with databases through CRUD operations.

By leveraging the MVT architecture, developers can easily create, read, update, and delete records. The provided step by step guide demonstrates how to perform each operation in a Django application, laying the foundation for more complex use cases in real-world applications.

Frequently asked questions

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How to write CRUD operations in Django?

To write CRUD operations in Django:

  • Create: Define a model, run migrations, and create a view to add data.
  • Read: Create a view to retrieve data and a template to display it.
  • Update: Create a view to fetch the record, display it in a form, and handle updates.
  • Delete: Create a view to delete records with a confirmation template.

What is the difference between REST API and CRUD API?

A CRUD API focuses on basic operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete) for managing data in a database. A REST API is a broader architecture for building APIs, using HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to perform CRUD operations while adhering to REST principles like statelessness and resource representation.

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