id	summary	reporter	owner	description	type	status	component	version	severity	resolution	keywords	cc	stage	has_patch	needs_docs	needs_tests	needs_better_patch	easy	ui_ux
27798	Add a standardised approach for packaged apps to define default settings	Anthony King	nobody	"WIP: I'm writing this up as I think about different aspects of it. If people like the general idea, I can redo it once my thoughts are consolidated.

Currently, people are making apps that use a variety of different ways to manage their settings.

A common way is this:
{{{#!python
# myapp/settings.py
from django.conf import settings
MYAPP_SOME_SETTINGS = getattr(settings, 'MYAPP_SOME_SETTINGS', 'default')
}}}
However as mentioned by Adam, this can cause breakages in `override_settings` if this is done at import time.

Also mentioned by Adam is that default settings sometimes need to be backed by some form of logic. He currently uses this approach:
https://github.com/YPlan/nexus/blob/620efbb7d13100848346c45717ca63d01ec301e5/nexus/conf.py

I'd like to propose a change to django settings that will allow loading a `default_settings.py` from packaged apps as part of the setup sequence.

This has 2 advantages:
  - `default_settings.py` becomes less verbose/error prone
  - structures of packages becomes less fragmented

There is potential to clean up internal code as well (such as moving `contrib` settings out of `global_settings.py`)

Even though I keep referencing `default_settings.py`, it doesn't have to be this file. To avoid conflicts, the module could be set in `AppConfig`.

A second approach could also be to define default settings in the AppConfig itself..

{{{#!python
# myapp/apps.py
class MyAppConfig(AppConfig):
    ...
    class DefaultSettings:
        MYAPP_SOME_SETTINGS = 'default'

        @property
        def MYAPP_DYNAMIC_SETTING(self):
            # set a default dynamically, based on environment or settings?
}}}

This approach would allow for Adam's dynamic default usecase.

Could someone who knows the setup order provide feedback on this?"	New feature	closed	Core (Other)		Normal	duplicate			Someday/Maybe	0	0	0	0	0	0