🔀 Django If Else – Control Template Output with Conditions (2025 Guide)

🧲 Introduction – What Is if else in Django Templates?

In Django templates, the {% if %}...{% else %} tag allows you to display different content based on conditions. It brings conditional logic to your HTML, enabling dynamic rendering of content based on variables, user authentication, object properties, and more.

🎯 In this guide, you’ll learn:

• How to use {% if %}, {% elif %}, and {% else %}
• How to evaluate conditions like equality and membership
• Best practices for template readability
• Real-world usage examples

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🧱 Basic If-Else Syntax

{% if user.is_authenticated %}
  <p>Welcome, {{ user.username }}!</p>
{% else %}
  <p>Welcome, guest!</p>
{% endif %}

✅ Checks if the user is logged in and displays a greeting accordingly.

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🧪 Using {% elif %} for Multiple Conditions

{% if user.is_superuser %}
  <p>You are a superuser.</p>
{% elif user.is_staff %}
  <p>You are a staff member.</p>
{% else %}
  <p>You are a regular user.</p>
{% endif %}

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🔍 Condition Types Supported

Condition	Description
{% if var %}	True if variable is not empty or False
{% if not var %}	True if variable is empty or False
{% if var == "value" %}	Compare with a string or number
{% if var != value %}	Inequality check
{% if "x" in list %}	Check membership

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📦 Real-World Examples

➤ Show Content Based on Login Status

{% if user.is_authenticated %}
  <a href="{% url 'logout' %}">Logout</a>
{% else %}
  <a href="{% url 'login' %}">Login</a>
{% endif %}

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➤ Render Content Conditionally

{% if product.stock > 0 %}
  <button>Add to Cart</button>
{% else %}
  <span class="out-of-stock">Out of Stock</span>
{% endif %}

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✅ Best Practices

• ✅ Keep logic in templates simple—avoid complex conditions
• ✅ Use {% if var %} to check existence or truthiness
• ✅ Offload complex logic to views or custom template filters
• ✅ Use elif instead of nested if for readability

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📌 Summary – Recap & Next Steps

🔍 Key Takeaways:

• {% if %}, {% elif %}, and {% else %} control what HTML gets rendered
• Supports logical comparisons, negations, and condition chaining
• Useful for user checks, status flags, and dynamic rendering

⚙️ Real-World Relevance:
Conditional rendering is essential for any dynamic site—e.g., showing user content, controlling visibility of buttons, and formatting UI based on data state.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

❓ Can I use and, or, or not in if conditions?

✅ Yes:

{% if user.is_staff and user.is_authenticated %}

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❓ Can I check if a list is empty?

✅ Yes:

{% if items %}
  <!-- Show items -->
{% else %}
  <p>No items found.</p>
{% endif %}

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❓ How do I check for string or number equality?

✅ Use:

{% if post.status == "draft" %}

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❓ Can I use parentheses in conditions?

🚫 No. Django template syntax does not support parentheses in if conditions.

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❓ What happens if the condition is invalid?

🚫 Django raises a TemplateSyntaxError. Make sure your variables exist or wrap them in {% if var %} blocks.

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