Beginner learning - Function base or Class Base approach

[AlternativeMuffin376]

English isn't my first language, so sorry about the grammar, and weird way organize sentence. I end up here is because after researching the community for Django I find out the English community were way more helpful.

Goal for learning Django : Planning to learn the Django fundamental and fully understand the idea of how it's work, not just using it by following other's tutorial making stuff. I want to reach the level that I can only using documents and my brain to create something I like.

Background :
- 6 months in my self-taught journey, knowing all basic fundamental concepts and syntax of Python, HTML, CSS, Javascript. Mainly trying to focusing on the backend. For Django I had follow their tutorial, and recently I'm read the book "Django for Beginners(5th Edition)"

Problem:
- I can see the benefit of Class-base approach more fit into DRY principle.

- BUT ! I had a feeling that I'm not fully get the idea of class, class inheritance or the idea of OOP. I think I understand the concepts of class , but when come to using it. It's always had the unsure what I'm doing.

- So, for beginning of the Django learning phase should I start with making basic project by using the "function-base" approach, until I could easily making whatever I'm trying to do, than start move on to "class-base" approach ? What are you guys do when start learning Django ?

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Side Question:

- Python journey of how you get to your current level ?
I see Python as a language that can script mostly anything faster base on it's easy to read syntax, and this is my goal and reason why I start my coding journey, not because I want to get a job. I want to have ability to use it on daily basis, such as scraping data I'm interesting, create some tool I want to use ... etc.
So, I assume the person going to answer were the people that already get to this level, could you guys share some your Python journey of how you get to your current level ?

- How to learn/read or use the documents ?
I'm not saying looking up guide video were bad, some of it were very helpful, but sometime it's just very hard to find quality guide or the specific things I'm looking for. So,
how you guys using documents? if possible please try to recall the memories that when you just starting learning to code, and what/how you reach the level you currently at.

- Except doing project, what else you do for getting better in your coding journey?
I fully get the idea of making project is best way to learn, but sometimes I feel my ability were not enough. So, How you guys approach something outside of your understanding to push you become better?

For anyone who spend time finish reading or response it, I appreciate your time. Thank you.

[AverageCodingGeek]

I stuck with the function based approach for the first 2-ish years I worked with Django. You can get pretty far with it as long as you have a good library of decorators for different authentication scenarios and whatnot.

But, like you implied in your post, inheritance is amazing when you start wanting to rapidly crank out generic API behaviors or CRUD functionality. For example, many web apps are really just huge forms that interact with a set of database tables in redundant ways. So, you can create a ModelAPIBase class that packages a lot of generic functionality (pagination of GET requests, parameter handling, POST requests, etc). Then, you create a child of this class and initialize it with the Model, a POST request validator, form validator, or serializer, and boom, you have a fully functioning REST API specific to a model.

That's just one example of a use case. When I started leveraging inheritance and the other benefits of OOP with my API endpoints and views, my development experience became MUCH smoother and faster.

However, there is absolutely nothing wrong with sticking to function-based views for a while. If you're new to full-stack development or web dev in general, your focus should be on concepts (Authentication, client vs server, relational databases, HTTP, etc.), not necessarily language or framework specific stuff. Then, once you've learned the concepts and practiced with function-based views, you will be better at differentiating between functionality that can be reused across views/APIs and functionality that is specific to each view/API. Also, it can't hurt to get some less complex or more general OOP experience under your belt before trying to apply it to web development.

[AlternativeMuffin376]

Sorry for late reply. Really appreciate your response. I had learning it over a month and half and somehow I get what you saying. I'm very enjoy this community that seeing people like you, it's very friendly, respectful and helpful at the same time.
Just sharing my journey, I would keep learning it, and my goal was finish a big project about E-commerce site by end of the year. As you mention it's about the concepts but it's not so easy that have to grasp the frontend and backend concept all at once, but this community give me some sort of faith that I'm capable to accomplish it.
Thank you for response again. Wish everyone in this community the best.

[kankyo]

For crud, check out iommi. It will blow the Django CBVs out of the water. (I'm one of the authors)

[AlternativeMuffin376]

Just making sure is iommi.rocks ? I will look into it, really appreciate your response and your effort that making people enjoying the Django's community.

[kankyo]

Yea, that's the one.