Django ORM vs Raw SQL in 2025: When to Drop Down and Why

📰 Dev.to · Aleksei Aleinikov

Learn when to use Django ORM vs Raw SQL to optimize your Django app's performance

intermediate Published 17 May 2025
Action Steps
  1. Add indexes to WHERE-heavy fields to improve query performance
  2. Analyze your database queries to identify bottlenecks
  3. Use Django's built-in query optimization tools, such as select_related() and prefetch_related()
  4. Consider using Raw SQL for complex, high-performance queries
  5. Test and compare the performance of ORM and Raw SQL queries
Who Needs to Know This

Backend developers and software engineers working with Django can benefit from understanding the trade-offs between Django ORM and Raw SQL to improve their app's performance

Key Insight

💡 Adding indexes and optimizing queries with Django's built-in tools can often resolve performance issues before needing to drop down to Raw SQL

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🚀 Boost your Django app's performance by knowing when to use ORM vs Raw SQL! 🛠️

Key Takeaways

Learn when to use Django ORM vs Raw SQL to optimize your Django app's performance

Full Article

🛠 Your Django app is slow. Do this before reaching for Raw SQL: ✅ Add indexes to WHERE-heavy fields ✅...
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