Katana

Katana is a modern, open-source, type-safe, schema-first REST API framework for Python, designed to combine the strengths of today’s leading tools into a clean, developer-focused experience.

Inspired by frameworks such as FastAPI, Django, Flask, and Django Ninja, Katana emphasizes clarity, strong typing, and predictable data flow—without sacrificing flexibility or performance.

Core Principles

Katana is built with a focus on:

• Schema-first design powered by Pydantic
• Seamless integration with the Django ORM
• Async-ready architecture with a straightforward developer experience
• Minimalism without sacrificing capability

Philosophy

Katana is a living framework, continuously evolving based on real-world usage, emerging patterns, and the demands of modern backend systems.

The goal of Katana is not to reinvent the ecosystem, but to refine it—providing a lean, adaptable foundation for building robust, maintainable REST APIs while staying aligned with the strengths and boundaries of Python.

Contributing

Katana grows through real-world use and community input.

• Open an issue to report bugs, suggest features, or start discussions
• Submit a pull request for fixes or improvements
• Share ideas—even early ones—to help shape the framework

For guidelines and best practices, please read the Contributing Guide.

Thank you, for using Katana!