# Django Patterns > Django patterns, anti-patterns, ORM gotchas, view design, migrations, settings, and review checklist for Django backend work. Use whenever the project contains `manage.py`, `settings.py`, `apps.py`, OR `pyproject.toml`/`requirements.txt`/`Pipfile` with `django` (or `Django`) listed as a dependency, OR the user asks about Django, Python web backend, ORM queries, models, views, forms, templates, migrations, admin, signals, middleware, or any work touching `.py` files in a Django app structure, even if Django is not mentioned by name. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/django-patterns-4` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/django-patterns-4` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/django-patterns-4/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/django-patterns-4 --- # Django patterns Django 5.2 LTS (extended support through April 2028). Django 6.0 is current stable (non-LTS). Baseline for this skill is 5.2 LTS. Adapt advice to the version in the project's `requirements.txt`, `pyproject.toml`, or lockfile. DRF-specific patterns load when the project includes `djangorestframework` in dependencies. ## When to load this skill - Project contains `manage.py`, `settings.py`, `apps.py` - `pyproject.toml`, `requirements.txt`, or `Pipfile` lists `django` or `Django` - User asks about Django, models, ORM, views, forms, templates, migrations, admin, signals, middleware ## When not to load this skill - Pure FastAPI, Flask, or other Python web frameworks without Django - Django REST Framework questions only (DRF-specific patterns live in their own skill) ## Reference files | File | Topics | | -------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [models.md](reference/models.md) | Model definition, Meta.constraints, Meta.indexes, null vs blank, on_delete, custom managers | | [orm.md](reference/orm.md) | select_related, prefetch_related, F(), Q(), .only()/.defer(), .iterator(), bulk operations | | [views-and-forms.md](reference/views-and-forms.md) | CBV vs FBV, thin views, get_object_or_404, ModelForm, clean(), redirect after POST | | [templates.md](reference/templates.md) | Template inheritance, auto-escaping, \|safe risks, {% csrf_token %} | | [settings.md](reference/settings.md) | Split settings, DEBUG, ALLOWED*HOSTS, SECRET_KEY, SECURE*\* family, django-environ | | [testing.md](reference/testing.md) | pytest-django, @pytest.mark.django_db, Factory Boy, model_bakery, --reuse-db | | [migrations.md](reference/migrations.md) | Naming, atomic behavior, RunPython, makemigrations --check, squashing | | [admin.md](reference/admin.md) | ModelAdmin, list_display, list_filter, search_fields, permissions, production posture | | [anti-patterns.md](reference/anti-patterns.md) | Severity-labeled anti-patterns to flag in review | ## References - https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/stable/ - https://www.djangoproject.com/download/ (LTS and stable versions) - https://pytest-django.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ - https://factoryboy.readthedocs.io/en/stable/ - https://github.com/joke2k/django-environ ## Maintenance Django releases roughly every 8 months. LTS releases every 2 years. Verify version claims against https://www.djangoproject.com/download/ before citing. pytest-django, Factory Boy, and model_bakery follow their own release cycles; check PyPI for current versions. --- > Source: [ku5ic/dotfiles](https://github.com/ku5ic/dotfiles) — distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io).