Django REST Framework
Django REST Framework (DRF) is a powerful toolkit for building REST APIs in Python. It includes serializers (data validation), viewsets (CRUD endpoints), permissions (auth), throttling (rate-limiting), and pagination. Junior DRF devs earn $70-100k USD; seniors $130-200k. Learning curve: 4-6 weeks to ship APIs, 6+ months for mastery (advanced permissions, caching, optimization). Adjacent to FastAPI, GraphQL, and Django ORM.
What is Django REST Framework
Django REST Framework (DRF) is a Python library for building REST APIs on top of Django. It provides high-level abstractions: serializers (validate and convert data), viewsets (automatic CRUD endpoints), permissions (control who can access what), throttling (rate-limit requests), pagination, and authentication. A typical DRF flow: HTTP POST /users/ with JSON data → serializer validates → view saves to database → serializer returns JSON response. All with minimal boilerplate.
📋 Before you start
💰 Salary by region
| Region | Junior | Mid | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | $80k | $135k | $200k |
| UK | $55k | $95k | $145k |
| EU | $60k | $105k | $155k |
| CANADA | $85k | $140k | $210k |
🎓 Certifications
🎯 Careers using Django REST Framework
⚖ Compare with
❓ FAQ
When should I use DRF vs FastAPI?
How do I handle authentication in DRF?
What's a serializer and why do I need it?
How do I optimize a slow DRF API?
Can I use DRF with async?
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