---
title: "Django REST Framework + Vercel"
description: "A minimal Django REST Framework API running on Vercel Serverless Functions."
url: "https://vercel.com/templates/python/django-rest-framework"
links:
  repository: "https://github.com/vercel/examples/tree/main/python/django-rest-framework"
  demo: "https://django-rest-framework-example.vercel.app/api/time/"
  deploy: "https://vercel.com/new/clone?demo-title=Django+REST+Framework+%2B+Vercel&demo-description=A+minimal+Django+REST+Framework+API+running+on+Vercel+Serverless+Functions.&demo-url=https%3A%2F%2Fdjango-rest-framework-example.vercel.app%2F&project-name=Django+REST+Framework+%2B+Vercel&repository-name=django-rest-framework&repository-url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fvercel%2Fexamples%2Ftree%2Fmain%2Fpython%2Fdjango-rest-framework&env=DJANGO_SECRET_KEY&envDescription=Secret+key+for+Django+cryptographic+signing&demo-image=%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fe5382hct74si%2F3CLbkosH7XGnfesHpzSZwp%2F4f3a9793f9760eb431c1fce4e84ef266%2FDjango.png"
---

# Django REST Framework + Vercel

A minimal Django REST Framework API running on Vercel Serverless Functions.

[![Deploy with Vercel](https://vercel.com/button)](https://vercel.com/new/clone?repository-url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fvercel%2Fexamples%2Ftree%2Fmain%2Fpython%2Fdjango-rest-framework&env=DJANGO_SECRET_KEY&envDescription=Secret%20key%20for%20Django%20cryptographic%20signing&demo-title=Django%20REST%20Framework%20%2B%20Vercel&demo-description=A%20minimal%20Django%20REST%20Framework%20API%20running%20on%20Vercel%20Serverless%20Functions.&demo-url=https%3A%2F%2Fdjango-rest-framework-example.vercel.app%2F)

# Django REST Framework + Vercel

A minimal [Django REST Framework](https://www.django-rest-framework.org/) API running on Vercel with Serverless Functions using the [Python Runtime](https://vercel.com/docs/concepts/functions/serverless-functions/runtimes/python).

## Demo

https://django-rest-framework-example.vercel.app/api/time/

## Setting the Secret Key

Django requires a secret key for cryptographic signing to be set in the `DJANGO_SECRET_KEY` environment variable. This can be set in the web interface, or by running:

```bash
uv run python -c 'from django.core.management.utils import get_random_secret_key; print(get_random_secret_key())' | vercel env add -y DJANGO_SECRET_KEY prod
```

## How it Works

A single DRF view in `api/views.py` returns the current UTC time as JSON:

```python
@api_view(["GET"])
def current_time(request):
    return Response({"time": datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat()})
```

This view is exposed at `/api/time/` and the app is served via WSGI in `config/wsgi.py`:

```python
application = get_wsgi_application()
```

## Running Locally

```bash
uv sync
uv run python manage.py runserver
```

Your API is now available at `http://localhost:8000/api/time/`.

## One-Click Deploy

Deploy the example using [Vercel](https://vercel.com?utm_source=github&utm_medium=readme&utm_campaign=vercel-examples):

[![Deploy with Vercel](https://vercel.com/button)](https://vercel.com/new/clone?repository-url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fvercel%2Fexamples%2Ftree%2Fmain%2Fpython%2Fdjango-rest-framework&env=DJANGO_SECRET_KEY&envDescription=Secret%20key%20for%20Django%20cryptographic%20signing&demo-title=Django%20REST%20Framework%20%2B%20Vercel&demo-description=A%20minimal%20Django%20REST%20Framework%20API%20running%20on%20Vercel%20Serverless%20Functions.&demo-url=https%3A%2F%2Fdjango-rest-framework-example.vercel.app%2F)

---

## Additional documentation

The [Vercel Knowledge Base](https://vercel.com/kb) contains guides and answers to common questions about Vercel, including deployment, framework configuration, domains, caching, and troubleshooting.