Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Django Expert agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The django-expert skill is a set of instructions and reference notes that tells an AI agent to follow Django and Django REST Framework best practices when you ask it to build or change a Django web app or API. It is aimed at Python developers who maintain Django backends, and at developers new to Django who want the agent to apply recommended patterns. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to trigger it and what it needs to run.
Django ExpertJeffallan/claude-skills · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the django-expert ZIP from this page.
- 2Unzip into a skills folder. Unzip into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- 3Or upload in the Claude apps. In the Claude apps, go to Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the skill.
- 4Check your Django setup. Make sure you have a Python environment with a Django 5.0 project and Django REST Framework installed.
- 5Ask for a Django task in plain language. Describe the model, endpoint or ORM problem and name Django or DRF in your request.
- 6Review the output. Read the generated models, serializers, permissions and tests, then run the migrations and tests yourself.
What are agent skills and what does django-expert do?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file and optional reference files. When installed, the agent can load it and follow its guidance when a request matches the skill's description.
When the django-expert skill is active, the agent designs Django models with indexes, reduces slow database lookups using select_related and prefetch_related, writes DRF serializers and viewsets with permissions, sets up JWT authentication, and writes tests. It loads detailed reference notes on each topic when needed.
- Models: fields, relationships, indexes and managers (references/models-orm.md)
- Serializers: ModelSerializer, field-level validation (references/drf-serializers.md)
- ViewSets and views, including Django 5.0 async views (references/viewsets-views.md)
- Authentication: SimpleJWT setup and permissions (references/authentication.md)
- Testing with APITestCase and fixtures (references/testing-django.md)
Install the django-expert skill
Download the ZIP for django-expert from this page and unzip it. You can install it in one of three places, depending on who should use it:
Personal install: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/ so it is available across your projects.
Project install: unzip into the .claude/skills/ folder inside a specific project, so it applies only to that project.
Claude apps: upload the skill in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. The skill's description lists trigger terms such as Django, DRF, Django REST Framework, Django ORM, Django model, serializer, viewset and Python web, and it applies when you work with files such as settings.py, models.py or manage.py. Describe the task in plain language and name the framework so the agent knows which skill applies.
- "Create a Django model for orders with an index on customer and created_at."
- "Add a DRF serializer and viewset for products, with read-only access for anonymous users."
- "Our Django list endpoint is slow and makes many queries. Optimize the ORM calls."
- "Set up JWT login with SimpleJWT for our Django REST API."
- "Write APITestCase tests for the articles endpoints."
Example: a small indexed API
The skill's minimal example shows the pattern it aims for: an Article model with indexed fields, a serializer that validates the title, and a viewset that uses select_related to avoid extra queries on author lookups. Writes require login while reads stay public. Tests check that listing works, that anonymous creation returns 403 and that authenticated creation returns 201.
The agent's output is normally model definitions with indexes, serializers with validation, a viewset or views with permissions, and a short note on query optimization.
class ArticleViewSet(viewsets.ModelViewSet):
serializer_class = ArticleSerializer
permission_classes = [permissions.IsAuthenticatedOrReadOnly]
def get_queryset(self):
return Article.objects.select_related("author").all()What the skill needs
The skill targets Django 5.0 and needs a Python environment with a Django project. It also needs Django REST Framework, and SimpleJWT if you use JWT authentication. Optional packages it mentions are django-filter, drf-spectacular and pytest-django.
The skill does not run scripts and does not use the network itself. Its output is Python code, which someone technical must run, review and deploy.
- Python and a Django project (Django 5.0)
- Django REST Framework
- SimpleJWT, if JWT auth is used
- Optional: django-filter, drf-spectacular, pytest-django
Safety notes and limits
The skill gives general rules: use environment variables for secrets, do not store secrets in settings.py, do not use DEBUG=True in production, use permissions on all endpoints and avoid raw SQL without parameterization. It does not audit your specific configuration, so review generated settings and security choices before deploying, especially for production systems.
The skill is licensed under MIT.
- Review every generated migration and settings change before running it on a real database.
- Check authentication token lifetimes and permissions against your own requirements.
- Do not rely on the skill as a security audit.
Tips for better results
Give the agent your model names, relationships and endpoint paths. The skill's workflow asks for these up front. Ask for validation with curl or APITestCase before adding auth, since the skill's workflow recommends checking endpoints first. Name the query problem you see, such as a slow list page, so the agent focuses on select_related or prefetch_related.
- Share your models.py and settings.py so the agent works from real code.
- Ask for tests alongside each endpoint.
- Ask for a query optimization note on list endpoints.
What people use it for
- Designing a Django model with indexes and relationships for a new app
- Building a DRF API with serializers, viewsets and permissions
- Speeding up a slow list endpoint with select_related or prefetch_related
- Adding SimpleJWT login and token refresh to an existing API
- Writing APITestCase tests for models and endpoints
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the django-expert skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
What are the requirements for django-expert?
You need Python and a Django project, with the skill targeting Django 5.0. Django REST Framework is needed, and SimpleJWT is needed if you use JWT authentication. django-filter, drf-spectacular and pytest-django are optional.
Is the django-expert skill free?
The skill is licensed under MIT. Check the licence file in the source repository for the full terms.
Does django-expert run scripts or use the network?
According to the skill's listing, it does not run scripts and does not use the network. It provides guidance and code for you to run and review.
Why doesn't the skill trigger for my Django request?
Name the framework explicitly in your request, for example Django, DRF or Django REST Framework, and mention the file or concept involved, such as models.py or a serializer. Trigger terms in the skill description include these words.
Can I use django-expert with FastAPI or Flask?
No. The skill is for Django and Django REST Framework. For FastAPI, the source points to a related skill called fastapi-expert.
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Our verdict
Use django-expert if you build or maintain a Django or Django REST Framework backend and want an agent to apply consistent patterns for models, indexes, query optimization, permissions, JWT and tests. Pick something else if you are not a programmer, if your project uses FastAPI or Flask, or if you need a security audit of your production configuration.
Download the skill