FastAPI for API servers, Django for full-stack web applications.
FastAPI¶
- Async natively (ASGI)
- Automatic OpenAPI/Swagger documentation
- Pydantic validation
- Extremely fast (Starlette + Uvicorn)
- Ideal for API-first projects
Django¶
- Batteries-included (ORM, admin, auth, forms)
- Django REST Framework for APIs
- Huge ecosystem
- Template engine for SSR
- Ideal for full-stack web
Performance¶
- FastAPI — async, ~10× faster for I/O-bound workloads
- Django — sync (async support growing), but Django is fast enough for most use cases
When to Use Which¶
- FastAPI — API servers, microservices, ML serving, real-time
- Django — full-stack web, admin panel, CMS, e-commerce
- Tip — Django for web, FastAPI for API — feel free to combine them
FastAPI for APIs, Django for Web¶
FastAPI for pure APIs, Django for complete web applications.
fastapidjangopythonbackend