Django in Action

11 APIs

This chapter covers

• Adding API capabilities to your Django project
• REST API interfaces
• Using Django Ninja to build APIs

Adding an API to your project creates a way for other systems to access your data, including alternate frontend interfaces, such as mobile devices and single-page applications (SPAs). The most common API protocol on the web is REST, a mechanism built on top of URLs and HTTP calls. The third-party library Django Ninja allows you to build REST-based APIs using the same view functions you’ve used for your pages.

11.1 Why use an API?

When you think about a web-based software system, your first inclination is that your users are people. You shouldn’t forget the people; they’re definitely your primary audience, ...