Performance Optimization

Caching

Use Django's caching framework to store expensive computations, database queries, or rendered templates. Configure cache backends (e.g., Memcached, Redis) in settings.py.

Use cache.get() and cache.set() for manual caching.
Use @cache_page decorator for view-level caching.

Example:

from django.core.cache import cache

result = cache.get('expensive_result')
if result is None:
    result = compute_expensive_result()
    cache.set('expensive_result', result, 300)

Database Optimization

Use select_related and prefetch_related to reduce query count.
Add indexes to frequently queried fields.
Profile queries using Django Debug Toolbar.

Async Tasks

Use Celery or Django Q for background processing and async tasks.
Offload long-running jobs (emails, reports, imports) to task queues.

Best Practices

Profile and monitor application performance regularly.
Cache expensive operations and static content.
Optimize queries and database schema.
Document performance strategies for new team members.