What level of Django expertise do I need for building a basic business web application versus a complex SaaS platform?
A basic business application with forms, user accounts, and simple data management needs an intermediate Django developer (3-6 months experience). A complex SaaS platform with APIs, multi-tenancy, payment processing, and high performance requirements needs an advanced developer with 1+ years of production Django experience and knowledge of scaling strategies.
How can I tell if a Django developer actually knows what they're doing versus just putting it on their resume?
Ask them to walk through a project's architecture and explain their database design decisions. A real Django expert can discuss performance trade-offs, explain why they chose certain Django packages, and describe how they handled deployment and scaling. Look for specific examples of challenges they solved, not just features they implemented.
Can Django handle everything my business needs, or are there things it can't do well?
Django excels at data-driven web applications, APIs, and admin interfaces, but it's not ideal for real-time applications like chat systems or gaming. It's also overkill for simple static sites. Django works best when you need user authentication, complex business logic, database relationships, and integration with other business systems.
How well does Django integrate with tools my business already uses like Salesforce, payment processors, or marketing platforms?
Django integrates well with most business tools through APIs and webhooks. Common integrations include Stripe for payments, SendGrid for email, AWS for hosting, and REST APIs for CRM systems like Salesforce. An experienced Django developer can build these integrations, though complex ones may require custom development time.
How long does it typically take to build and launch a Django application?
A basic business application takes 4-8 weeks, a medium-complexity system with custom features takes 3-4 months, and a full SaaS platform typically requires 6+ months. Timeline depends heavily on feature complexity, integrations needed, and whether you're building from scratch or migrating existing data.
What kind of ongoing maintenance will my Django application need after it's built?
Expect monthly Django and security updates, quarterly dependency updates, and occasional feature additions based on business needs. A well-built Django application needs about 5-10 hours monthly for maintenance, plus additional time for new features. You'll also need monitoring for performance and occasional database optimization as your data grows.