How to use requirements.txt in Django?

requirements.txt is a file that lists all Python packages (dependencies) required for your Django project to run. It’s crucial for:

1. Project Dependencies Management
   • Lists exact versions of all required packages
   • Makes it easy to install all necessary packages in one command
   • Ensures consistency across different environments
2. Project Sharing
   • Other developers can quickly set up the same environment
   • Deployment servers can automatically install required packages
   • Prevents missing dependency issues

Let’s create a requirements.txt for your project:

source venv/bin/activate
pip freeze > requirements.txt

This will create a file like this:

requirements.txt
asgiref==3.7.2
Django==4.2.7
django-cors-headers==4.3.0
djangorestframework==3.14.0
pytz==2023.3.post1
sqlparse==0.4.4

To install these dependencies in a new environment:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Best practices:

1. Update requirements.txt whenever you add new packages
2. Pin specific versions to ensure consistency
3. Keep it in version control (don’t add it to .gitignore)
4. Review it periodically for security updates

Here are the common commands you’ll use to manage packages:

1. Install all dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

2. Add a new package:

pip install package_name

3. Update requirements.txt after adding new packages:

pip freeze > requirements.txt

4. Uninstall a package:

pip uninstall package_name

This approach is simple and works well for most projects.