**Course Title:** Mastering Django Framework: Building Scalable Web Applications **Section Title:** Static Files and Media Management **Topic:** Implement static file handling in a Django application and configure media uploads.(Lab topic) **Overview** In this topic, we will explore how to handle static files and media uploads in a Django application. We will cover the following topics: 1. Serving static files (CSS, JavaScript, images) 2. Configuring media uploads 3. Using cloud storage for media files (AWS S3, Azure) 4. Best practices for managing static and media files **Serving Static Files** Static files are files that do not change frequently, such as CSS, JavaScript, and images. In Django, we can serve these files using the `static` template tag or by using a static file server. ### Using the `static` Template Tag To use the `static` template tag, we need to add the following code to our `settings.py` file: ```python STATIC_URL = '/static/' ``` Then, in our templates, we can use the `static` tag to link to our static files: ```html <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="{% static 'css/style.css' %}"> ``` ### Using a Static File Server We can also use a static file server to serve our static files. To do this, we need to add the following code to our `settings.py` file: ```python STATIC_ROOT = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'static') ``` Then, we can run the following command to collect our static files: ```bash python manage.py collectstatic ``` This will collect our static files and place them in the `STATIC_ROOT` directory. **Configuring Media Uploads** Media uploads are files that are uploaded by users, such as images or documents. In Django, we can configure media uploads using the `MEDIA_URL` and `MEDIA_ROOT` settings. ### Setting `MEDIA_URL` and `MEDIA_ROOT` To configure media uploads, we need to add the following code to our `settings.py` file: ```python MEDIA_URL = '/media/' MEDIA_ROOT = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'media') ``` Then, we can use the `media` template tag to link to our media files: ```html <img src="{% media 'images/image.jpg' %}"> ``` **Using Cloud Storage for Media Files** We can also use cloud storage services such as AWS S3 or Azure to store our media files. To do this, we need to install the relevant library and configure our settings. ### Using AWS S3 To use AWS S3, we need to install the `boto3` library and add the following code to our `settings.py` file: ```python AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID = 'YOUR_ACCESS_KEY_ID' AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY = 'YOUR_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY' AWS_STORAGE_BUCKET_NAME = 'YOUR_BUCKET_NAME' AWS_S3_REGION_NAME = 'YOUR_REGION_NAME' AWS_S3_SIGNATURE_VERSION = 's3v4' AWS_S3_OBJECT_PARAMETERS = { 'CacheControl': 'max-age=86400', } ``` Then, we can use the `storages` library to upload our media files: ```python from storages.backends.s3boto3 import S3Boto3Storage class MediaStorage(S3Boto3Storage): bucket_name = AWS_STORAGE_BUCKET_NAME location = 'media' ``` **Best Practices for Managing Static and Media Files** Here are some best practices for managing static and media files: * Use a consistent naming convention for your static and media files. * Use a static file server to serve your static files. * Use cloud storage services such as AWS S3 or Azure to store your media files. * Use a library such as `storages` to upload your media files. * Use a template tag such as `static` or `media` to link to your static and media files. **Conclusion** In this topic, we have covered how to handle static files and media uploads in a Django application. We have discussed how to serve static files using the `static` template tag or a static file server, how to configure media uploads using the `MEDIA_URL` and `MEDIA_ROOT` settings, and how to use cloud storage services such as AWS S3 or Azure to store media files. We have also discussed best practices for managing static and media files. **Exercise** 1. Create a new Django project and add a new app to it. 2. Create a new static file called `style.css` in the `static` directory of the app. 3. Use the `static` template tag to link to the `style.css` file in a template. 4. Create a new media file called `image.jpg` in the `media` directory of the app. 5. Use the `media` template tag to link to the `image.jpg` file in a template. 6. Use a cloud storage service such as AWS S3 or Azure to store the `image.jpg` file. 7. Use a library such as `storages` to upload the `image.jpg` file to the cloud storage service. **Leave a comment or ask for help if you need it!** This is the end of the topic. In the next topic, we will cover "Introduction to Django Channels for handling WebSockets."