Referencing Django Settings in models.py

Django Web Framework Tutorials

When building a Django application, you may need to reference configuration variables from settings.py in other parts of your code. One common place is in models.py, where you define your database models. Accessing settings allows you to parameterize aspects of your models. For example, you can define the default database or control auto-created fields like … Read more

The Most Efficient Way to Store Lists in Django Models

Django Web Framework Tutorials

Django is a powerful web framework for Python that makes it easy to build complex database-backed web applications. One common task is needing to store a list or array of data in a model. There are a few different ways to approach this, each with their own pros and cons. In this post, we will … Read more

Is it Secure to Store Passwords as Environment Variables in Django?

Django Web Framework Tutorials

When building a Django application, one of the most important considerations is how to securely store sensitive data like passwords, API keys, and other credentials. A common question that arises is whether it is safe to store these secrets as environment variables rather than hardcoding them in config files. In this post, we’ll explore the … Read more

Resolving “Django Reverse with arguments ‘()’ and keyword arguments ‘{}’ not found”

Django Web Framework Tutorials

Django‘s reverse() function is incredibly useful for programmatically generating URLs in your views and templates. However, you may sometimes run into the frustrating error “Reverse with arguments ‘()’ and keyword arguments ‘{}’ not found”. In this blog post, I’ll explain what’s causing this error and show you exactly how to fix it. Understanding Django’s Reverse … Read more

Completely Deleting All Rows from a Django Model Table

Django Web Framework Tutorials

Django provides a very convenient way to delete all rows from a database table that is tied to a Django model. While dropping the table and recreating it is an option, Django allows you to truncate the table instead which is faster, especially for large tables. The Django Model and Database Table Relationship First, it’s … Read more

Allowing Null Values in Django Unique Fields

Django Web Framework Tutorials

Django provides a way to ensure uniqueness for model fields through the unique=True parameter. However, by default, Django’s unique constraint does not allow multiple NULL-values. So if you want to allow one or more NULL values in a unique field, you need to put in some extra work. In this post, we’ll explore the options … Read more

Understanding Django’s Auto-Created Primary Keys

Django Web Framework Tutorials

When you create a model in Django and don’t explicitly define a primary key, Django will automatically add an id field to serve as the primary key. This auto-created id field can generate warnings that many developers find confusing at first. In this blog post, we’ll take a deeper look at these warnings and what … Read more

Adding Additional Fields to a ModelSerializer

Django Web Framework Tutorials

Django REST Framework makes it easy to quickly build REST APIs for Django models. The ModelSerializer class provides a convenient way to serialize Django models to and from JSON. Often, you may need to add extra fields to the serialized representation that are not part of the model itself. In this post, we’ll explore a … Read more

Converting Django QuerySets to Lists

Django Web Framework Tutorials

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

Renaming a Model Field with South in Django

Django Web Framework Tutorials

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

Accessing the Request User in DRF Serializers

Django Web Framework Tutorials

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

Does SQLAlchemy Have an Equivalent of get_or_create?

Django Web Framework Tutorials

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 Model and Field Renaming Strategies

Django Web Framework Tutorials

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

Backwards Migration with Django South

Django Web Framework Tutorials

Django South is a useful database migration library for Django projects. It allows you to evolve your database schema over time through a series of incremental migration files. However, sometimes you may need to perform a backwards migration if you make a mistake or want to revert to an earlier version. Luckily, South makes backwards … Read more

Understanding Django’s Nested Meta Class

Django Web Framework Tutorials

When working with Django, you’ll often encounter the mysterious nested Meta class within your model definitions. What exactly is it, and how does it impact your application? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll demystify the Meta class, explore its purpose, and discuss best practices. What is the Meta Class? Let’s break it down: Why Use the … Read more

Integrating MySQL with Python and Django

Django Web Framework Tutorials

As developers, we often find ourselves working with databases to store and retrieve data efficiently. When building web applications using Django, integrating a DB becomes essential. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to seamlessly connect MySQL with your Python and Django projects on OSX 10.6. Whether you are a seasoned developer or just starting … Read more

Automating Creating a Superuser in Django

Django Web Framework Tutorials

Developing web applications with Django often requires creating administrative user accounts to access the admin site. Manually creating a superuser by running python manage.py createsuperuser and entering credentials can be tedious, especially when setting up new projects or deploying to multiple environments. Thankfully, Django provides ways to automate the process of creating superuser. In this … Read more