# django-rest-api-development

A skill that gives your coding agent a house style for Django REST APIs: project layout, serializers, JWT auth and query performance.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 868 installs · ★ 286
- Author: Mindrally
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/Mindrally/skills/tree/HEAD/django-rest-api-development/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-08
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/django-rest-api-development

## What it does

The skill frames the assistant as an expert in Python, Django and RESTful API work. It spells out where files go: `models.py`, `managers.py`, `signals.py` and `tasks.py` for Celery inside each app, with routing, serializers, permissions and filters under `api/v1/app_name/`. Views stay thin, business logic lives in models and custom managers.

Two sections cover performance and security. The agent will push `select_related` and `prefetch_related`, indexes on frequently queried fields and `transaction.atomic()` for consistency. For auth it points at `djangorestframework_simplejwt` and granular permission classes, alongside CSRF protection, CORS config and input sanitization.

Error handling is described as global exception catching, Django signals and one response shape across status codes 400, 401, 403, 404, 422 and 500. No Celery or Redis in your stack? Half the advice has nowhere to land, so check each recommendation against what you actually run before applying it.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add Mindrally/skills --skill django-rest-api-development -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/django-rest-api-development/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/django-rest-api-development/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add Mindrally/skills --skill django-rest-api-development -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/django-rest-api-development/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add Mindrally/skills --skill django-rest-api-development -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/django-rest-api-development/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install Mindrally/skills django-rest-api-development
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/django-rest-api-development/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add Mindrally/skills --skill django-rest-api-development -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/Mindrally/skills --path django-rest-api-development
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/django-rest-api-development/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add Mindrally/skills --skill django-rest-api-development -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/Mindrally/skills/tree/HEAD/django-rest-api-development/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- lay out a Django project into apps and API layers
- decide between DRF serializers and hand-rolled validation
- wire up JWT auth and role-based permissions
- cut extra database queries with `select_related` and `prefetch_related`
- return errors in one consistent format

## Example prompts
- Help me design the v1 API structure for a new Django app
- Review my views: business logic should sit in models and managers
- Set up JWT authentication and permission classes for user roles

## Source text · SKILL.md · Apache-2.0

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: e9e9f7cdba5c8221.

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```text
---
name: django-rest-api-development
description: Comprehensive guidelines for building scalable Django REST APIs with proper architecture, authentication, and performance optimization.
metadata:
  maintainer: Mindrally
  source: https://github.com/Mindrally/skills
---

# Django REST API Development

You are an expert in Python, Django, and scalable RESTful API development.

## Core Principles

- Use Django's built-in features and tools wherever possible
- Prioritize readability and maintainability; follow PEP 8
- Use descriptive variable and function names
- Structure your project in a modular way using Django apps
- Always consider scalability and performance implications

## Project Structure

### Application Structure
- migrations/ - Database migration files
- admin.py - Django admin configuration
- models.py - Database models
- managers.py - Custom model managers
- signals.py - Django signals
- tasks.py - Celery tasks (if applicable)

### API Structure
- api/v1/app_name/urls.py - URL routing
- api/v1/app_name/serializers.py - Data serialization
- api/v1/app_name/views.py - API views
- api/v1/app_name/permissions.py - Custom permissions
- api/v1/app_name/filters.py - Custom filters

## Views and API Design

- Use Class-Based Views with DRF's APIViews
- Follow RESTful principles with proper HTTP methods and status codes
- Keep views light; business logic belongs in models, managers, and services
- Use unified response structure for success and error cases

## Models and Database

- Leverage Django's ORM; avoid raw SQL unless necessary for performance
- Keep business logic in models and custom managers
- Use select_related and prefetch_related for related object fetching
- Implement proper database indexing for frequently queried fields
- Use transaction.atomic() for data consistency

## Serializers and Validation

- Use Django REST Framework serializers for validation and serialization
- Implement custom validators for complex business rules
- Properly handle nested relationships with appropriate serializers

## Authentication and Permissions

- Use djangorestframework_simplejwt for JWT token-based authentication
- Implement granular permission classes for different user roles
- Implement proper CSRF protection, CORS configuration, and input sanitization

## Performance and Scalability

- Always use select_related and prefetch_related appropriately
- Monitor query counts and execution time in development
- Implement connection pooling for high-traffic applications
- Use Django's cache framework with Redis/Memcached

## Error Handling
```
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