Education Ecosystem Blog

The Django backend team is excited to announce a significant update to our platform, aimed at enhancing user experience and ensuring optimal performance. Our dedicated team has been hard at work, implementing key improvements on the server side as we migrate to Django 4.0. This update includes essential changes such as adopting token-based authentication for faster navigation, removal of redundant files to boost server performance, URL route adjustments for compatibility, API serializer optimizations for increased efficiency, and improved security settings for a more secure and reliable environment.

Read on to discover the positive impact these updates will have on our platform and the user experience.

1. Education Ecosystem authentication with JWT Tokens

Education Ecosystem has implemented a new authentication process that uses JSON Web Tokens (JWT). JWT is a secure and efficient method of authentication that allows for faster navigation through our various microservices. It works by generating a unique token for each user upon authentication. This token is then used to authenticate the user for each subsequent request. The token is digitally signed, ensuring its authenticity and integrity, and is passed between the user and our microservices as needed. Previously, our authentication process relied on traditional methods that were less efficient and slower. 

2. Removal of redundant files

Duplicate copies of the same file were removed to improve the overall performance of our platform. In addition, unused and deprecated files are removed to improve compatibility with Django 4.0. Our users can now navigate through our different microservices with ease, making for a better and more enjoyable user experience.

3. Update URL routes

The URL routes are updated to ensure compatibility with Django 4.0. The updated URL routes include the API paths that are used by the server. By updating the URL routes, Education Ecosystem can ensure that our users have a better experience on the platform. 

4. Updates on the API serializers

The API serializers are updated to optimize the load and improve performance. Different serializers will be used for different actions. This will reduce and balance the load to the backend server. As a  result, the work process becomes faster because the workload is distributed efficiently.

5. Improved security settings 

Education Ecosystem has implemented several new security features to enhance the security of our server application. These features include X-Content-Type-Options header, Strict-Transport-Security header, Content Security Policy (CSP), Cross-site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection, SQL injection protection, and Cross-site Scripting (XSS) protection.

These features work together to provide a safer and more secure environment for our users. X-Content-Type-Options header ensures that browsers only render content with the correct MIME type, preventing malicious content from being executed. Strict-Transport-Security header forces browsers to only communicate with our server over HTTPS, protecting against man-in-the-middle attacks. Cross-site Scripting (XSS) protection detects and prevents malicious scripts from being injected into our platform.