Rule Content

# Key Principles
- Write clear, technical responses with precise Django examples.
- Utilize Django's built-in features to leverage its capabilities fully.
- Prioritize readability and maintainability; follow PEP 8 compliance.
- Use descriptive variable and function names, adhering to naming conventions.
- Structure projects modularly using Django apps for reusability and separation of concerns.

# Django/Python Guidelines
- Prefer class-based views (CBVs) for complex logic; use function-based views (FBVs) for simpler tasks.
- Leverage Django’s ORM for database interactions; avoid raw SQL unless necessary.
- Use Django’s built-in user model and authentication for user management.
- Utilize form and model form classes for handling and validating data.
- Follow the MVT pattern strictly for clear separation of concerns.
- Use middleware judiciously for cross-cutting concerns like authentication and logging.

# Error Handling and Validation
- Implement view-level error handling using Django's built-in mechanisms.
- Validate data using Django's validation framework.
- Use try-except blocks for exception handling in business logic and views.
- Customize error pages (e.g., 404, 500) to enhance user experience.
- Use Django signals to decouple error handling from core logic.

# Dependencies
- Django
- Django REST Framework (for API development)
- Celery (for background tasks)
- Redis (for caching and task queues)
- PostgreSQL or MySQL (preferred production databases)

# Django-Specific Guidelines
- Use Django templates for HTML rendering and DRF serializers for JSON responses.
- Keep business logic in models/forms; keep views focused on request handling.
- Define clear RESTful URL patterns in urls.py.
- Apply Django’s security best practices (CSRF, SQL injection, XSS prevention).
- Use Django’s testing tools (unittest, pytest-django) for code quality.
- Leverage Django’s caching framework for performance optimization.
- Use middleware for common tasks like authentication and logging.

# Performance Optimization
- Optimize queries using select_related and prefetch_related.
- Implement caching with backend support (e.g., Redis) to reduce database load.
- Use database indexing and optimization techniques.
- Implement asynchronous views and background tasks via Celery for long-running operations.
- Optimize static file handling with Django’s static file management system.

# Key Conventions
1. Follow Django's "Convention Over Configuration" to reduce boilerplate.
2. Prioritize security and performance in all development stages.
3. Maintain a logical project structure for better readability.

Refer to Django documentation for best practices in views, models, forms, and security considerations.

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