Django and Its Supported Databases: A Comprehensive Guide

Django, a powerful web framework written in Python, offers seamless integration with various databases. Choosing the right database depends on your project needs. This guide will explore all available databases compatible with Django, how to connect them, incompatible databases, and frequently asked interview questions related to Django database integration.

Supported Databases in Django

PostgreSQL MySQL MariaDB SQLite Oracle

1. PostgreSQL

   PostgreSQL is a popular open-source relational database that is fully supported by Django. It's known for advanced features like JSONB support and indexing.

    

   How to Connect:

   Install the package:

   pip install psycopg2
   

   In your settings.py:

   DATABASES = {
       'default': {
           'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql',
           'NAME': 'your_db_name',
           'USER': 'your_db_user',
           'PASSWORD': 'your_password',
           'HOST': 'localhost',
           'PORT': '5432',
       }
   }
   

2. MySQL/MariaDB

   MySQL and its fork MariaDB are widely used due to their speed and ease of use. Django supports both databases.

   How to Connect:
   Install the package:

   pip install mysqlclient
   

   In your settings.py:

   DATABASES = {
       'default': {
           'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.mysql',
           'NAME': 'your_db_name',
           'USER': 'your_db_user',
           'PASSWORD': 'your_password',
           'HOST': 'localhost',
           'PORT': '3306',
       }
   }
   

3. SQLite

   By default, Django uses SQLite, a lightweight database that stores data in a single file. It’s perfect for small projects or during development.

   How to Connect:
   No additional installation is required. In your settings.py:

   DATABASES = {
       'default': {
           'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.sqlite3',
           'NAME': BASE_DIR / 'db.sqlite3',
       }
   }
   

4. Oracle
   Oracle is a robust, enterprise-level database, but it requires additional configuration.

   How to Connect:
   Install the package:

   pip install cx_Oracle
   

   In your settings.py:

   DATABASES = {
       'default': {
           'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.oracle',
           'NAME': 'your_service_name',
           'USER': 'your_db_user',
           'PASSWORD': 'your_password',
           'HOST': 'your_db_host',
           'PORT': '1521',
       }
   }

Incompatible Databases

• MongoDB: Django does not support NoSQL databases like MongoDB by default. However, there are third-party packages like Djongo that can help, though they are not officially maintained.
• Cassandra: Like MongoDB, it requires external libraries such as django-cassandra-engine, but it's not officially supported.

 

How to Connect Multiple Databases

Django also supports multiple databases, allowing you to route queries to different databases in your project.

In settings.py:

DATABASES = {
    'default': {
        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql',
        'NAME': 'db1',
    },
    'secondary': {
        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.mysql',
        'NAME': 'db2',
    }
}

To route queries to a specific database:

from django.db import connections

with connections['secondary'].cursor() as cursor:
    cursor.execute("SELECT * FROM table_name")

---

FAQs

Que 1. What are the supported databases in Django?

Ans. Django supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and Oracle.

Que 2. How do you configure a PostgreSQL database in Django?

Ans. By installing the psycopg2 package and updating the DATABASES dictionary in settings.py.

Que 3. Can you use MongoDB with Django?

Ans. MongoDB is not officially supported by Django, but third-party packages like Djongo can be used.

Que 4. How does Django handle multiple databases?

Ans. You can configure multiple databases in the DATABASES setting and route queries manually or automatically.

Que 5. What is the default database in Django, and why?

Ans. SQLite is the default database due to its simplicity and because it requires no additional configuration.