How do I manage settings and environment variables in Django?

How do I manage settings and environment variables in Django?

In Django, you can manage settings and environment variables using the os module to access environment variables. You can set them in your operating system or use a .env file with a library like python-decouple.

Can you show me an example of how to use a .env file?

Sure! First, install python-decouple using pip. Then, create a .env file in your project root and add your variables like this:

DEBUG=True
SECRET_KEY='your_secret_key'

In your settings.py, you can access these variables like this:

from decouple import config

DEBUG = config('DEBUG', default=False, cast=bool)
SECRET_KEY = config('SECRET_KEY')

What are some best practices for managing sensitive information?

It's best to avoid hardcoding sensitive information in your code. Use environment variables or a secrets management tool. Also, ensure your .env file is included in your .gitignore to prevent it from being pushed to version control.

Can I use different settings for development and production?

Yes, you can create separate settings files for development and production. You can also use environment variables to switch between them dynamically.