followben / app-rename-example

A commit-by-commit example of how to rename a django app.

Rename app from shop to catalogue

This repo shows how you can rename a django app.

Read through the commits to see how the following steps were completed.

Steps:

• Prepare existing setup for move:
  • Create an app config (set name and label to defaults).
  • Add the app config to INSTALLED_APPS.
  • On all models, explicitly set db_table to the current value.
  • Doctor migrations so that db_table was "always" explicitly defined.
  • Ensure no migrations are required (checks previous step).
• Change app label:
  • Set label in app config to new value (catalogue).
  • Update migrations and foreign keys to reference new app label.
  • Run custom SQL to fix migrations and content_types app.

    UPDATE django_migrations
       SET app = 'catalogue'
     WHERE app = 'shop';
    
    UPDATE django_content_type
       SET app_label = 'catalogue'
     WHERE app_label = 'shop';

  • Ensure no migrations are required (checks previous step).
• Rename tables:
  • Remove "custom" db_table.
  • Run makemigrations so django can rename the table "to the default".
• Move the files:
  • Rename module directory.
  • Fix imports.
  • Update app config's name.
  • Update where INSTALLED_APPS references the app config.
• Tidy up:
  • Remove custom app config if it's no longer required.
  • If app config gone, don't forget to also remove it from INSTALLED_APPS.