DevSuite/src/models

Models Directory

This directory contains your Django models.

Structure

Organize your models as individual Python files:

models/
├── __init__.py
├── user.py
├── product.py
└── order.py

Creating a Model

1. Create the model file (e.g., models/user.py)

from django.db import models
from django.contrib.auth.models import AbstractUser

class User(AbstractUser):
    """Custom user model."""
    bio = models.TextField(blank=True)
    avatar = models.ImageField(upload_to='avatars/', blank=True, null=True)
    created_at = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
    updated_at = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)

    class Meta:
        db_table = 'users'
        verbose_name = 'User'
        verbose_name_plural = 'Users'

    def __str__(self):
        return self.username

2. Import in models/__init__.py

from .user import User
from .product import Product
from .order import Order

__all__ = ['User', 'Product', 'Order']

3. Create corresponding API endpoints

After creating a model, create the corresponding API structure in the api/ directory:

api/
└── user/
    ├── __init__.py
    ├── views.py
    ├── serializers.py
    └── urls.py

See the api/README.md for detailed instructions on creating API endpoints.

4. Register in admin (optional)

Create or update admin/__init__.py:

from django.contrib import admin
from src.models import User

@admin.register(User)
class UserAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
    list_display = ['username', 'email', 'created_at']
    search_fields = ['username', 'email']
    list_filter = ['is_active', 'created_at']

Best Practices

1. One model per file: Keep each model in its own file for better organization
2. Use meaningful names: Choose clear, descriptive names for models and fields
3. Add Meta class: Define db_table, verbose_name, and other metadata
4. Implement str: Always define a meaningful __str__ method
5. Use mixins: Create reusable mixins for common fields (e.g., timestamps)
6. Add docstrings: Document your models with clear docstrings

Common Model Patterns

Timestamped Model Mixin

class TimestampedModel(models.Model):
    """Abstract base class with timestamp fields."""
    created_at = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True)
    updated_at = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)

    class Meta:
        abstract = True

Soft Delete Mixin

class SoftDeleteModel(models.Model):
    """Abstract base class with soft delete functionality."""
    is_deleted = models.BooleanField(default=False)
    deleted_at = models.DateTimeField(null=True, blank=True)

    class Meta:
        abstract = True

    def delete(self, *args, **kwargs):
        self.is_deleted = True
        self.deleted_at = timezone.now()
        self.save()