Learn Django URLs

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What Are Django URLs?

In Django, a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) represents a specific web address where users can access content or perform actions. The URL routing system allows you to define which views are associated with specific URLs. This helps Django understand which view to call when a user visits a particular address on your website.

Basic URL Configuration

Django uses a urls.py file to define URL patterns for a project or an app. This file typically contains a list of URL patterns, each mapping a specific path to a corresponding view. Here's a simple example:

from django.urls import path
from . import views # Import your views

urlpatterns = [
path('hello/', views.hello_world), # Maps the URL /hello/ to the hello_world view
path('home/', views.home), # Maps the URL /home/ to the home view
]

In this example:

• path(): A Django function that defines a URL pattern and maps it to a view.
• 'hello/': The URL path. When a user visits this URL, Django calls the associated view.
• views.hello_world: Specifies which view to call when the URL is accessed.
• urlpatterns: A list of all the URL patterns in the module.

URL Parameters

Django URLs can include dynamic components, allowing you to capture variables from the URL. This is useful for creating URLs that contain IDs, names, or other unique identifiers. Here's an example that captures a user ID from the URL:

urlpatterns = [
path('user 'int:user_id', views.user_profile), # Captures an integer user_id from the URL
]

In this example:

• 'int:user_id': A URL parameter that captures an integer value. You can also use other types, like 'str:name' for strings.
• views.user_profile: The view that will handle requests to this URL.

In the view, you can retrieve the captured parameter and use it to perform tasks:

def user_profile(request, user_id):
return HttpResponse(f"User ID: {user_id}")

In this example:

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Including URLs from Different Apps

In a Django project with multiple apps, it's common to have separate urls.py files for each app and include them in the project's main URL configuration. This approach helps organize URLs by app. Here's an example of including an app's URLs in the main project urls.py:

from django.urls import include, path
from django.contrib import admin # Admin interface URL

urlpatterns = [
path('admin/', admin.site.urls), # URL for the admin interface
path('myapp/', include('myapp.urls')), # Include URLs from 'myapp'
]

• include('myapp.urls'): Includes all the URL patterns from the myapp app in the project URLs.
• 'myapp/': The base URL for the app. All URLs in myapp.urls will start with this base.

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