Quick Comparison
| Django | FastAPI | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Full-stack framework | API framework |
| Async | Partial (Django 5+) | Native |
| ORM | Built-in | External (SQLAlchemy) |
| Admin panel | Built-in | None |
| API docs | External (DRF) | Auto-generated (Swagger) |
| Performance | Good | Faster (async) |
When to Use Django
- Full-stack web apps with templates
- You need an admin panel
- Content management systems
- Rapid prototyping with batteries included
When to Use FastAPI
- REST APIs and microservices
- High-performance async APIs
- You want auto-generated API documentation
- Machine learning model serving
Verdict
Django for full-stack web apps. FastAPI for APIs and microservices. They’re not really competitors — they solve different problems. Some teams use both: Django for the admin/CMS, FastAPI for the API layer.