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Getting started with Django web development typically involves running the development server on localhost to preview your site. However, there may be times when you need to access your local development site from another device on the same network. Fortunately, with a few configuration tweaks, you can externally access your Django site hosted locally. Enabling … Read more
When building a Django application, one important but often overlooked setting is configuring the correct timezone. Setting the right timezone ensures dates and times are displayed accurately for users around the world. In this post, we’ll explore the various ways to set the timezone in Django. Why Timezones Matter First, let’s discuss why properly setting … Read more
Django’s powerful ORM allows developers to retrieve data from the database into Python objects called QuerySets. QuerySets have similarities to lists – they are iterable and can contain multiple objects. However, they have some key differences that make them not directly compatible with functions and operations meant for Python lists. Luckily, convertingQuerySets to lists is … Read more
When diving into the world of Django, developers often encounter the terms “projects” and “apps.” These concepts are fundamental to structuring a Django application, and understanding their differences is crucial for building robust and maintainable web projects. Let’s explore what projects and apps are, how they relate to each other, and best practices for using … Read more
Migrating database schema changes is crucial when developing Django applications over time. Often, you may realize you need to rename a model field to something more appropriate. However, renaming fields isn’t as straightforward as it may initially seem. In this post, we’ll explore how to properly rename fields with South. An Introduction to South South … Read more
When building APIs with Django Rest Framework (DRF), we often need to access details about the currently authenticated user in our serializers and views. DRF provides easy access to the current request in views, but accessing it in serializers requires a small tweak. In this post, we’ll explore a few ways to access the request.user … Read more
SQLAlchemy and Django are both popular Python libraries used for interacting with databases in applications. However, they take different approaches – SQLAlchemy is more focused on providing a SQL toolkit and abstraction layer, while Django includes an object-relational mapper (ORM) and full-featured web framework. This leads to differences in their feature sets. One such example … Read more
Django’s object-relational mapper (ORM) provides a powerful way to interact with databases in Python code. While the ORM makes common queries easy, getting a random record takes a little extra work. In this post, we’ll explore a few different approaches to selecting a random row from a Django model. First, let’s look at why retrieving … Read more
When building a Django application that requires storing users’ phone numbers, one decision developers need to make is how to best represent those phone numbers in the database. There are a few different approaches, each with their own pros and cons. In this post, we will compare the options and make a recommendation for the … Read more
Django migration files track changes made to models and the database structure of a Django project. They allow reverting migrations and help teams stay in sync on a project’s database schema. However, migration files can often clutter version control history. So should they be added to .gitignore? There are good arguments on both sides. The … Read more
Django’s Cross Site Request Forgery protection is an important security measure to prevent malicious requests from other sites. However, it can cause frustrating errors when sending legitimate requests, especially Ajax POST requests. In this post, we’ll examine why you may encounter 403 CSRF failures with Ajax and how to properly configure Django and your JavaScript … Read more
Django Rest Framework (DRF) provides a convenient web-based API browser interface out of the box. This allows developers to interact with the APIs directly in the browser, viewing endpoints and sending test requests. However, in production environments, it’s often desirable to disable this feature for improved security and performance. In this post, we’ll explore a … Read more
When building a Django-powered website, you may need to display the site’sDomain name in templates and views. Knowing how to properly get the domain can help ensure links, images, and other external references work correctly. In this post, we’ll explore a few simple ways to get your domain name in Django templates. Using the Sites … Read more
As a Django developer, one of the most important things you need to manage is settings for different environments. Having separate settings for development and production is crucial to ensure smooth deployments and avoid errors. In this post, I will discuss some tips on how to properly configure Django settings files for each environment. Why … Read more
Having a favicon – that tiny icon that appears next to your website’s name in the browser tab – is a simple way to polish your Django web application. Afavicon allows users to quickly identify your site and creates a sense of professionalism. Additionally, setting up afavicon in Django only takes a few steps. What … Read more
In Django, when you retrieve a model instance from the database, it gives you a snapshot of the data at that moment in time. However, if the data gets updated in the database later on, your model instance will still have the old data. Luckily, Django provides an easy way to refresh model instances with … Read more
Migrations are a convenient way to evolve your Django models over time. However, special considerations need to be taken when renaming models or relationship fields. In this post, we’ll explore some strategies to safely handle these changes. Back Up Your Database First and foremost, make sure you have a backup of your database before making … Read more
When defining numeric fields like integers, floats, and decimals in Django models, it can be useful to validate that the values entered do not exceed a certain maximum value. Django provides simple ways to define upper and lower boundaries for numeric fields right in the model definition. Why Limit Maximum Value There are a few … Read more
Having correct grammar and punctuation on your website admin interface creates a professional impression and improves site usability. However, Django’s auto-generated admin sometimes displays plural model names incorrectly. Luckily, fixing this issue is straightforward with some customization. In this post, we’ll explore a simple method to correct Django admin plural names. The Problem-Admin Plural Name … Read more
A foreign key in Django sets up a many-to-one relationship between two models. It connects one model (the child) to another (the parent), allowing the child model to reference a specific record in the parent model. However, sometimes you need a model to reference itself. This is where self-referential foreign keys come in handy. What … Read more