django-peak

Django Peak is a Django competency matrix and learning framework that can be used to assess your Django skills and identify areas for improvement.

Django Competency Matrix

Level 1: Beginner

Skill Area	Description
Understanding of Django Basics	Familiarity with Django's architecture, MVC/MVT pattern, and basic commands.
Models and Databases	Basic understanding of models, migrations, and simple queries.
Views and URLs	Ability to create basic views and map URLs.
Templates	Knowledge of Django templating language and ability to create simple templates.
Forms	Basic understanding of Django forms.

Questions to ask yourself:

• What is the primary architectural pattern used in Django, and how does it differ from traditional MVC?
• How do you create a new Django project using the command-line tool?
• Explain the purpose of the manage.py script in Django.
• What are Django models, and how do you define them?
• How do you run database migrations in Django, and why are they important?
• What is the purpose of Django views, and how do you map them to URLs?
• Describe how you can use Django's templating language in HTML templates.
• What are Django forms, and why are they useful?
• How do you create a superuser in Django's admin interface?
• Explain the concept of Django apps and their role in a Django project.

Level 2: Intermediate

Skill Area	Description
Advanced Models	Proficiency in complex queries, relationships between models, and custom managers.
Class-Based Views	Ability to use and extend class-based views.
Testing	Writing and running tests using Django's test framework.
Security	Basic understanding of security practices in Django.
Performance Optimization	Basic database optimization and query performance improvement.

Questions to ask yourself:

• Describe the differences between function-based views and class-based views (CBVs) in Django.
• How do you define custom model methods in Django models?
• What is the purpose of database indexes, and how do you add them to Django models?
• Explain the concept of middleware in Django and provide an example use case.
• What is the Django testing framework, and how do you write unit tests for Django applications?
• How can you secure Django applications against common web vulnerabilities like CSRF and XSS?
• Describe the basics of optimizing database queries in Django.
• How do you use Django's select_related and prefetch_related to optimize database queries with related objects?
• What is the purpose of Django's transaction.atomic() context manager?
• When and why would you use raw SQL queries in Django applications?
• Explain the difference between static files and media files in Django, and how are they handled?
• What are Django context processors, and when might you use them in a project?
• Describe the process of creating custom template tags and filters in Django.
• What are F objects in Django, and how can they be used to perform database updates efficiently?
• How can you use the distinct() method in a QuerySet to retrieve unique values?
• Describe the role of the select_for_update() method in Django, and in what scenarios is it useful?
• What are signals in Django, and why are they useful in web development?
• What is the role of the @receiver decorator in connecting signal handlers to signals?
• Describe the differences between built-in signals like pre_save, post_save, and post_delete in Django.

Level 3: Advanced

Skill Area	Description
Django ORM Mastery	Advanced knowledge of Django ORM, including complex querysets and performance tuning.
RESTful API Development	Ability to create and manage RESTful APIs using Django REST Framework.
Advanced Security	In-depth understanding of security aspects, including CSRF, XSS, and SQL injection prevention.
Scalability and Performance	Techniques for scaling Django applications and advanced performance optimization.
Deployment and DevOps	Knowledge of deploying Django applications and integrating with DevOps tools.

Questions to ask yourself:

• Explain how Django's ORM handles database migrations behind the scenes.
• What are database transactions, and how can you ensure data consistency in complex operations?
• How do you use the update() method in Django QuerySets, and what are the implications for database transactions?
• Explain the concept of database locking and how it relates to the select_for_update() method.
• Describe the difference between Django's built-in authentication system and third-party authentication packages.
• How do you build RESTful APIs using Django REST Framework, and what are serializers?
• What are viewsets and routers in Django REST Framework?
• How can you secure Django REST APIs using authentication and permissions?
• Explain the concept of caching in Django and how it can improve application performance.
• What are the advantages of using a content delivery network (CDN) with Django for serving static files?
• Describe the use cases for Django's custom management commands.
• Explain the purpose of the defer() and only() methods in Django QuerySets, and how do they impact query performance?
• Describe the purpose of the @transaction.on_commit decorator in signal handling.
• What are some common use cases for Django signals in real-world applications?
• How do you handle exceptions raised in signal handlers to prevent them from affecting the main application flow?
• How can you ensure that signal handlers are executed in a specific order when multiple handlers are connected to the same signal?
• Describe the process of unit testing signal handlers in Django applications.

Level 4: Expert

Skill Area	Description
Contribution to Django Community	Contributing to Django's open-source projects or community initiatives.
Architecture Design	Ability to design complex, scalable systems using Django.
Advanced Features	Deep understanding of Django's advanced features like channels, signals, middleware, etc.
Integration Proficiency	Expertise in integrating Django with various systems and technologies.
Mentoring and Leadership	Ability to mentor others, lead Django projects, and make architectural decisions.

Questions to ask yourself:

• How can you contribute to the Django community, and what are some ways to get involved in Django development?
• Describe the architectural considerations for building large-scale Django applications.
• What is a message queue, and how can it be integrated with Django for asynchronous processing?
• Explain the purpose of using a database router in Django and provide an example scenario.
• How can you implement single sign-on (SSO) in Django applications for authentication?
• Describe the process of integrating Django with a microservices architecture.
• What are some advanced use cases for Django's custom template tags and filters?
• What are the key considerations for deploying Django applications in a containerized environment using Docker?

Level 5: Master

Skill Area	Description
Innovative Use of Django	Pioneering new ways to use Django or solving complex problems with innovative solutions.
Thought Leadership	Recognized authority in the Django community, regularly speaking at conferences or writing influential articles or books.
Advanced Technical Knowledge	Deep understanding of the inner workings of Django and its interaction with other technologies.
Strategic Impact	Making significant contributions to strategic projects or decisions within an organization or the Django community.
Education and Advocacy	Educating others about Django, promoting its adoption, and contributing to the growth and direction of the framework.

Questions to ask yourself:

• What are the emerging trends and technologies in web development that can be integrated with Django for innovative solutions?
• Describe a complex problem you solved using Django in a unique and innovative way.
• How can Django be used to build real-time data analytics dashboards for monitoring large datasets?
• Share examples of your contributions to the Django community or open-source projects related to Django.
• Explain the principles of continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) and how they can be implemented in Django projects.
• What are some advanced techniques for optimizing Django application performance under high traffic loads?
• Describe the process of implementing serverless Django applications using platforms like AWS Lambda and API Gateway.
• How can Django be leveraged for building applications that utilize machine learning and artificial intelligence?
• Share your experiences with building IoT applications using Django for data collection and analysis.
• In what ways can Django be used to create innovative educational platforms or e-learning solutions?