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wagtail/choosing_wagtail_page_models_vs_django_models.md

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+# Choosing Between Wagtail Page Models and Django Models 
+
+> Generated by ChatGPT and edited by me. While I didn't write this, I did review it closely and it does reflect my experience. 
+
+Discussion of the pros and cons to using a combination of Django models and Wagtail Page models in a Wagtail project, or only using Wagtail Page models for most objects. This was created in the context of an e-commerce platform. 
+
+## Using Only Wagtail's Page Model 
+
+### Pros
+- **Integrated CMS Features**: Leverages Wagtail's built-in features like hierarchical structuring and rich text editing.
+- **Simplicity**: Simplifies the architecture by avoiding additional models.
+- **SEO and Navigation**: Benefits from Wagtail's SEO tools and site navigation integration.
+
+### Cons
+- **Performance Issues**: The generic nature of the Page model may not be as efficient for a large catalog of products.
+- **Limited Flexibility**: May find it challenging to manage complex relationships and queries with a more extensive product structure.
+
+## Integrating Custom Django Models
+
+### Pros
+- **Performance and Scalability**: Custom models can be optimized for better performance with large datasets.
+- **Flexibility**: Allows for a tailored database schema, making it easier to implement complex relationships and business logic.
+- **Separation of Concerns**: Offers a cleaner, more modular architecture by separating e-commerce functionality from content management.
+
+### Cons
+- **Increased Complexity**: Adds complexity to the application, requiring manual integration between Wagtail pages and Django models.
+- **Integration Effort**: Some of Wagtail's out-of-the-box benefits need to be manually implemented for Django models.
+
+## Takeaway
+
+- **Simple Applications**: If the product catalog is modest and the product structure is straightforward, using Wagtail's Page model might suffice.
+- **Complex Applications**: For platforms with a large number of products, complex attributes, or sophisticated business logic, integrating custom Django models with Wagtail pages is advisable for greater flexibility and performance.
+
+This decision should be based on the specific needs of the project, including the size of the product catalog, complexity of product data, and scalability requirements.