Django Variables: Using Variables in Templates

Introduction

In Django, variables play a crucial role in rendering dynamic content in templates. They allow you to pass data from the view to the template, enabling you to display dynamic information and create more interactive web pages. In this guide, we will explore how to use variables in Django templates with examples.

Step 1: Passing Variables from Views

Before we can use variables in templates, we need to pass them from the view function or class-based view to the template. In your view, define a variable and include it in the context dictionary that you pass to the template renderer. Here's an example:

from django.shortcuts import render

def my_view(request):
    my_variable = "Hello, Django!"
    context = {'variable': my_variable}
    return render(request, 'my_template.html', context)
    

In this example, we define a variable called my_variable with the value "Hello, Django!". We then create a context dictionary that includes the variable as a key-value pair. Finally, we render the template my_template.html and pass the context dictionary to the template renderer.

Step 2: Accessing Variables in Templates

In the template file, you can access the variables passed from the view using the Django template syntax. Here's an example:

<h2>Welcome to my website!</h2>
<p>{{ variable }}</p>
    

In this example, we use double curly braces ({{ variable }}) to output the value of the variable passed from the view. The rendered template will display "Hello, Django!" in the paragraph element.

Step 3: Performing Operations with Variables

Django templates provide various built-in filters and tags that allow you to perform operations on variables. You can apply filters to modify the variable's value, use tags for control flow and iteration, and leverage template tags and filters provided by Django or create your own. Here's an example:

<p>Uppercase: {{ variable|upper }}</p>
<p>Looping through a list:</p>
<ul>
    {% for item in my_list %}
    <li>{{ item }}</li>
    {% endfor %}
</ul>
    

In this example, we use the |upper filter to convert the variable to uppercase. We also demonstrate the usage of the for tag to iterate over a list called my_list and display each item as a list item.

Conclusion

Variables are fundamental in Django templates as they allow you to inject dynamic content and create interactive web pages. By following this guide, you have learned how to pass variables from views to templates, access variables in templates using the Django template syntax, and perform operations on variables using filters and tags. With Django's powerful template system, you can build dynamic and data-driven web applications with ease.