When Django 2 was released, a lot changed in the Django world.

Not just because we finally got rid of the complications with having to deal with both Python 2 and 3, but also because of the many new features, tweaks, updates and optimizations that ensure Django keeps getting better and better. Django 3 continues the tradition of continual improvement in Django’s codebase.

What many of you may not know, is the original Mastering Django:Core was an update of the original book written by two of the creators of Django—Adrian Holovaty and Jacob Kaplan-Moss. Given the original book had been around since Django 1.1, it got dated. There are also a lot of similarities to the Django docs in several chapters.

(FUNNY ASIDE: I have had a couple of people email me and take me to task for copying the docs. Lol! Given that the guys who wrote the original book also wrote the original docs, that will happen folks!)

I have decided to start with a clean sheet of paper for Mastering Django. This means you don’t just get an update; you get a new book, written from scratch to meet the needs of today’s programmers.

First and foremost, the book remains a plain-English, easy to follow deep-dive into Django’s commonly used core functionalities. It covers both Django 2 and Django 3.

Second, the book complements the existing docs; it doesn’t just reproduce them in a different format. I have removed all the original material from Jacob and Adrian’s book and all the content from the Django documentation. There are lots of topics not covered adequately in the docs, which provide ample opportunities for me to create resources that will make you a better Django programmer. I have done my best to include them in this book.

Third, the book takes a more practical approach, with less emphasis on theory and more exploration of working code. It’s impossible to put all Django’s functions into a single book, but I have done my best to include the functions, classes and tools you will use regularly. With each major function or class, I expand them into functioning code examples. Source code is also available for Mastering Django.

And finally, while I will not be releasing the book as open-source, the early chapters will remain free to access and read on djangobook.com. As with the previous book, all income from sales support the Django Book project, allowing me to keep the core content ad-free and accessible to all.

Exciting times ahead! 🙂

All the best with your programming journey!

Cheers,

Big Nige