What is the MTV Pattern?

Django follows the Model-Template-View (MTV) design pattern, a slight variation of the popular Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern. Here’s how it’s structured:

• Model: Handles the data (database layer).
• Template: Manages the presentation (HTML).
• View: Acts as the logic bridge between Models and Templates.

You might say:

• - The Model is the brain.
• - The View is the messenger.
• - The Template is the face.

Think of it like assembling a burger: the Model is the patty, the View is the bun, and the Template is the lettuce and tomato making everything look appetizing. Hungry yet?

Step 1: Models - The Data Brain

Models define the structure of your data and let you interact with the database seamlessly. Let’s create a simple Product model as an example.

from django.db import models

class Product(models.Model):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=100)
    price = models.DecimalField(max_digits=10, decimal_places=2)
    description = models.TextField()
    created_at = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)

    def __str__(self):
        return self.name

Apply your model with the following commands:

python manage.py makemigrations
python manage.py migrate

Now your Product table is ready to store data. Think of this as putting up the walls of your digital house—exciting, right?

Step 2: Views - The Messenger

A View connects your Model and Template. It processes data from the Model and delivers it to the Template for display. Think of it as a waiter delivering the chef’s creation (your data) to the customer (the template). No tipping required.

from django.shortcuts import render
from .models import Product

def product_list(request):
    products = Product.objects.all()
    return render(request, 'product_list.html', {'products': products})

Step 3: Templates - The Beautiful Face

Templates define how your data appears to users. Let’s create a simple HTML file to display the Product data.

    
    
    


    
Product List
    

        {% for product in products %}
        

            {{ product.name }}: ${{ product.price }}
            
{{ product.description }}
        
        {% endfor %}