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Django vs Ruby on Rails
Full-stack Ruby framework with convention-over-configuration design
Which to pick
Pick Django if you want…
- Rapid, secure Python web apps
- Integrations with Python (on Django's list, not Ruby on Rails')
Pick Ruby on Rails if you want…
- Convention-driven full-stack web apps
- Ruby web apps
- Integrations with Ruby, Hotwire or WebSockets (on Ruby on Rails' list, not Django's)
Django is a Python full-stack framework with its own ORM and templating, similar scope but different language.
Side by side
- What it is
- Django:Django is a free, open-source high-level Python web framework for rapid, secure, and scalable web development.
- Ruby on Rails:Ruby on Rails is a full-stack web framework for building database-backed web applications with MVC conventions.
- Best for
- Django:Rapid, secure Python web apps
- Ruby on Rails:Convention-driven full-stack web apps
- Who it’s for
- Django:Python developers building web applications.
- Ruby on Rails:Web developers building Ruby applications and teams needing rapid full-stack development.
- Pricing
- Django:Open source
- Ruby on Rails:Open source
- Open source
- Django:Yes, 91,240 GitHub stars
- Ruby on Rails:Yes, 58,786 GitHub stars
- Works with
- Django:Python
- Ruby on Rails:Ruby, Hotwire, WebSockets
Django features
- Object-relational mapper. Maps Python classes to database tables, handling SQL automatically.
- Automatic admin interface. Generates a ready-to-use admin UI for managing site data.
- Robust template system. Provides a powerful, extensible way to render HTML with Python data.
- Internationalization. Built-in support for translating apps into multiple languages.
- Security features. Includes protections against common attacks like XSS, CSRF, and SQL injection.
- Scalability. Designed to handle high-traffic sites and scale horizontally.
Ruby on Rails features
- Active Record ORM. Provides object-relational mapping with associations, callbacks and encryption.
- Action Controller. Handles HTTP requests, routing, parameters and response rendering.
- Action View. Combines Ruby and HTML for flexible templating and helper extraction.
- Action Dispatch. Defines URL routing with a domain-specific language.
- Built-in WebSockets. Supports live page updates via Action Cable.
- Job Queuing. Enqueues asynchronous work with Active Job.
- Mailers & Security. Provides email delivery and common security protections out of the box.
- Hotwire Integration. Default front-end framework for building reactive interfaces without heavy JavaScript.
Django vs Ruby on Rails FAQ
Is Django or Ruby on Rails free?+
Yes, both are free and open source.
Is Django or Ruby on Rails open source?+
Yes, both are open source: Django (django/django on GitHub, BSD-3-Clause license) and Ruby on Rails (rails/rails on GitHub, MIT license).
Do Django and Ruby on Rails integrate with the same tools?+
Their integration lists don't overlap: Django lists Python; Ruby on Rails lists Ruby, Hotwire and WebSockets.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.