Django is widely recognized as the ultimate framework for rapid web development, thanks to its robust features and efficient design. One of the standout advantages of Django is its “batteries included” philosophy, which means it comes with a multitude of built-in components, such as authentication, URL routing, and an admin panel. This allows developers to focus on building unique features rather than reinventing the wheel. Furthermore, its scalability ensures that applications can grow seamlessly, catering to increasing traffic and data demands without compromising performance.

Another compelling reason to choose Django is its commitment to security and maintainability. With a strong emphasis on security best practices, Django helps protect websites from common vulnerabilities like SQL injection and cross-site scripting. Additionally, the framework encourages clean, maintainable code through its clear project structure and adherence to the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle. This makes it easier for teams to collaborate and maintain projects, ultimately leading to faster development cycles and a more efficient workflow.

Django is a powerful web framework that simplifies the development process, making it a popular choice among web developers. Here are the Top 5 Django Features that every web developer should know:

1. Admin Interface: Django's built-in admin panel allows developers to manage their application data swiftly. This feature is particularly helpful for creating user-friendly data management interfaces without needing additional coding.
2. ORM (Object-Relational Mapping): Django's ORM provides an intuitive way to interact with databases through Python code instead of SQL. This abstraction layer enhances productivity by allowing developers to use Python objects to save and retrieve data easily. Learn more about it here.

3. Security Features: Django incorporates a variety of built-in security features, including protection against SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and cross-site request forgery. It ensures your web applications are secure out of the box, making it easier for developers to adhere to best practices. More details on Django's security framework can be found here.
4. Scalability: Django is designed to handle high traffic loads, making it a suitable choice for large-scale applications. Its component-based architecture allows developers to break their applications into smaller, manageable pieces without compromising performance. Check out more about its scalability here.
5. Community and Ecosystem: With a large and active community, Django offers extensive documentation, tutorials, and third-party packages that augment its functionality. This community support can prove invaluable for developers looking to solve specific problems or enhance their applications. You can explore the community resources and packages here.

Building a scalable web application using Django can be an enriching experience, especially given its robust framework. To begin with, you should choose the right architecture. This means **selecting a suitable database** like PostgreSQL, which is known for handling larger datasets efficiently. Next, you should implement RESTful APIs using Django REST framework to communicate between the server and client. For detailed steps on building RESTful APIs, check out this quickstart guide. Once you have your framework laid out, optimizing your application's speed through effective caching strategies, such as using Redis or Memcached, becomes imperative.

Additionally, scalability is about **handling increased traffic** smoothly. This can be achieved by using a combination of load balancers and horizontal scaling with cloud services like AWS or Google Cloud. Integrate Docker for containerization, ensuring your application can be deployed consistently across various environments. Don’t forget to implement thorough monitoring of your application using tools like New Relic or Prometheus, so you can proactively manage potential issues. For more comprehensive insights on deploying Django applications, refer to this DigitalOcean tutorial. Following these steps will help you build a scalable Django web application that meets your users' needs effectively.