How to Build a Task Manager API with Django REST Framework (Step-by-Step Guide)

Django is a powerful web framework, but when combined with Django REST Framework (DRF), it becomes a go-to tool for building RESTful APIs. Whether you're developing a backend for a mobile app, a React frontend, or simply exploring API development, DRF streamlines the process with its robust features. This step-by-step tutorial will set up a Task Manager API using Django and DRF. By the end, you’ll have a fully functional Django project with DRF installed, ready to create API endpoints. Table of Contents Prerequisites Step 1: Create a Virtual Environment Step 2: Install Django and Django REST Framework Step 3: Start a Django Project Step 4: Create a Django App for Tasks Step 5: Configure Django REST Framework Step 6: Create a Simple Model for Tasks Conclusion What’s Next? Summary Checklist Prerequisites Before diving into building your Task Manager API with Django REST Framework, ensure you have: Python 3.8+ installed (download from python.org if needed) Basic knowledge of Python and Django Familiarity with the command line These essentials will help you follow along smoothly. Step 1: Create a Virtual Environment Start by setting up a project folder and a virtual environment to keep dependencies isolated: # Create a project folder mkdir taskmanager && cd taskmanager # Create a virtual environment python -m venv env # Activate the virtual environment (Windows) venv\Scripts\activate # Activate the virtual environment (Mac/Linux) source env/bin/activate Once activated, your terminal will show (env), confirming the virtual environment is active. Step 2: Install Django and Django REST Framework Next, install Django and Django REST Framework using pip: pip install django djangorestframework Verify the installation: python -m django --version You’ll see the Django version number if installed correctly. Django Version Check Now, update your INSTALLED_APPS in taskmanager/settings.py to include DRF: INSTALLED_APPS = [ 'django.contrib.admin', 'django.contrib.auth', 'django.contrib.contenttypes', 'django.contrib.sessions', 'django.contrib.messages', 'django.contrib.staticfiles', 'rest_framework', ] Step 3: Start a Django Project Initialize a new Django project called taskmanager: django-admin startproject taskmanager . The dot (.) ensures the project is created in the current directory. Your project structure should now look like this: taskmanager/ │── taskmanager/ # Project settings │── manage.py # Django management script │── env/ # virtual env Test the setup by running the server: python manage.py runserver Visit http://127.0.0.1:8000/ in your browser to see Django’s welcome page. Step 4: Create a Django App for Tasks Django projects are made up of smaller apps. So let’s create an app called tasks: python manage.py startapp tasks Now, the Updated project structure should look like this: taskmanager/ │── tasks/ # New Django app │── taskmanager/ # Project settings │── manage.py # Django management script │── env/ # virtual env Register the app in taskmanager/settings.py: INSTALLED_APPS = [ 'django.contrib.admin', 'django.contrib.auth', 'django.contrib.contenttypes', 'django.contrib.sessions', 'django.contrib.messages', 'django.contrib.staticfiles', 'rest_framework', # Django REST Framework 'tasks', # Register the tasks app ] Step 5: Configure Django REST Framework DRF provides many built-in features like authentication, serialization, and request handling. Add this configuration to taskmanager/settings.py: REST_FRAMEWORK = { 'DEFAULT_AUTHENTICATION_CLASSES': ( 'rest_framework.authentication.SessionAuthentication', 'rest_framework.authentication.BasicAuthentication', ), 'DEFAULT_PERMISSION_CLASSES': ( 'rest_framework.permissions.AllowAny', # Change this later for security ), } This setup: Enables basic authentication for API requests Allows anyone to access the API (we'll restrict this later) Step 6: Create a Simple Model for Tasks Define a Task model in tasks/models.py: from django.db import models class Task(models.Model): title = models.CharField(max_length=255) description = models.TextField(blank=True, null=True) completed = models.BooleanField(default=False) created_at = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True) def str(self): return self.title Apply the model to the database: python manage.py makemigrations tasks python manage.py migrate Conclusion Congrats! You’ve set up a Django project with Django REST Framework and created a tasks app for your Task Manager API. You’re now ready to build API endpoints! What’s Next? In the next tutorial, we’ll create API endpoints usi

Mar 3, 2025 - 03:10

How to Build a Task Manager API with Django REST Framework (Step-by-Step Guide)

Django is a powerful web framework, but when combined with Django REST Framework (DRF), it becomes a go-to tool for building RESTful APIs. Whether you're developing a backend for a mobile app, a React frontend, or simply exploring API development, DRF streamlines the process with its robust features.

This step-by-step tutorial will set up a Task Manager API using Django and DRF. By the end, you’ll have a fully functional Django project with DRF installed, ready to create API endpoints.

Prerequisites
Step 1: Create a Virtual Environment
Step 2: Install Django and Django REST Framework
Step 3: Start a Django Project
Step 4: Create a Django App for Tasks
Step 5: Configure Django REST Framework
Step 6: Create a Simple Model for Tasks
Conclusion
What’s Next?
Summary Checklist

Prerequisites

Before diving into building your Task Manager API with Django REST Framework, ensure you have:

Python 3.8+ installed (download from python.org if needed)
Basic knowledge of Python and Django
Familiarity with the command line

These essentials will help you follow along smoothly.

Step 1: Create a Virtual Environment

Start by setting up a project folder and a virtual environment to keep dependencies isolated:

# Create a project folder
mkdir taskmanager && cd taskmanager

# Create a virtual environment
python -m venv env

# Activate the virtual environment (Windows)
venv\Scripts\activate

# Activate the virtual environment (Mac/Linux)
source env/bin/activate

Once activated, your terminal will show (env), confirming the virtual environment is active.

Step 2: Install Django and Django REST Framework

Next, install Django and Django REST Framework using pip:

pip install django djangorestframework

Verify the installation:

python -m django --version

You’ll see the Django version number if installed correctly.
Django Version Check

Now, update your INSTALLED_APPS in taskmanager/settings.py to include DRF:

INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'django.contrib.admin',
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.messages',
    'django.contrib.staticfiles',
    'rest_framework',
]

Step 3: Start a Django Project

Initialize a new Django project called taskmanager:

django-admin startproject taskmanager .

The dot (.) ensures the project is created in the current directory.

Your project structure should now look like this:

taskmanager/
│── taskmanager/   # Project settings
│── manage.py      # Django management script
│── env/   # virtual env

Test the setup by running the server:

python manage.py runserver

Visit http://127.0.0.1:8000/ in your browser to see Django’s welcome page.

Step 4: Create a Django App for Tasks

Django projects are made up of smaller apps. So let’s create an app called tasks:

python manage.py startapp tasks

Now, the Updated project structure should look like this:

taskmanager/
│── tasks/         # New Django app
│── taskmanager/   # Project settings
│── manage.py      # Django management script
│── env/   # virtual env

INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'django.contrib.admin',
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.messages',
    'django.contrib.staticfiles',
    'rest_framework',  # Django REST Framework
    'tasks',  # Register the tasks app
]

Step 5: Configure Django REST Framework

DRF provides many built-in features like authentication, serialization, and request handling. Add this configuration to taskmanager/settings.py:

REST_FRAMEWORK = {
    'DEFAULT_AUTHENTICATION_CLASSES': (
        'rest_framework.authentication.SessionAuthentication',
        'rest_framework.authentication.BasicAuthentication',
    ),
    'DEFAULT_PERMISSION_CLASSES': (
        'rest_framework.permissions.AllowAny',  # Change this later for security
    ),
}

This setup:

Enables basic authentication for API requests
Allows anyone to access the API (we'll restrict this later)

Step 6: Create a Simple Model for Tasks

Define a Task model in tasks/models.py:

from django.db import models

class Task(models.Model):
    title = models.CharField(max_length=255)
    description = models.TextField(blank=True, null=True)
    completed = models.BooleanField(default=False)
    created_at = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)

    def __str__(self):
        return self.title

Apply the model to the database:

python manage.py makemigrations tasks
python manage.py migrate

Conclusion

Congrats! You’ve set up a Django project with Django REST Framework and created a tasks app for your Task Manager API. You’re now ready to build API endpoints!

What’s Next?

In the next tutorial, we’ll create API endpoints using DRF to interact with the Task model. Stay tuned for Part 2!