---
title: "Django FAQ"
version: 4.1
locale: en
source: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/faq/
canonical: https://djangodocs.dev/en/4.1/faq/
---
# Django FAQ

- [FAQ: General](/en/4.1/faq/general/)

  - [Why does this project exist?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#why-does-this-project-exist)
  - [What does “Django” mean, and how do you pronounce it?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#what-does-django-mean-and-how-do-you-pronounce-it)
  - [Is Django stable?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#is-django-stable)
  - [Does Django scale?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#does-django-scale)
  - [Who’s behind this?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#who-s-behind-this)
  - [How is Django licensed?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#how-is-django-licensed)
  - [Why does Django include Python’s license file?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#why-does-django-include-python-s-license-file)
  - [Which sites use Django?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#which-sites-use-django)
  - [Django appears to be a MVC framework, but you call the Controller the “view”, and the View the “template”. How come you don’t use the standard names?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#django-appears-to-be-a-mvc-framework-but-you-call-the-controller-the-view-and-the-view-the-template-how-come-you-don-t-use-the-standard-names)
  - [\<Framework X\> does \<feature Y\> – why doesn’t Django?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#framework-x-does-feature-y-why-doesn-t-django)
  - [Why did you write all of Django from scratch, instead of using other Python libraries?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#why-did-you-write-all-of-django-from-scratch-instead-of-using-other-python-libraries)
  - [Is Django a content-management-system (CMS)?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#is-django-a-content-management-system-cms)
  - [How can I download the Django documentation to read it offline?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#how-can-i-download-the-django-documentation-to-read-it-offline)
  - [How do I cite Django?](/en/4.1/faq/general/#how-do-i-cite-django)
- [FAQ: Installation](/en/4.1/faq/install/)

  - [How do I get started?](/en/4.1/faq/install/#how-do-i-get-started)
  - [What are Django’s prerequisites?](/en/4.1/faq/install/#what-are-django-s-prerequisites)
  - [What Python version can I use with Django?](/en/4.1/faq/install/#what-python-version-can-i-use-with-django)
  - [What Python version should I use with Django?](/en/4.1/faq/install/#what-python-version-should-i-use-with-django)
  - [Should I use the stable version or development version?](/en/4.1/faq/install/#should-i-use-the-stable-version-or-development-version)
- [FAQ: Using Django](/en/4.1/faq/usage/)

  - [Why do I get an error about importing `DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE`?](/en/4.1/faq/usage/#why-do-i-get-an-error-about-importing-django-settings-module)
  - [I can’t stand your template language. Do I have to use it?](/en/4.1/faq/usage/#i-can-t-stand-your-template-language-do-i-have-to-use-it)
  - [Do I have to use your model/database layer?](/en/4.1/faq/usage/#do-i-have-to-use-your-model-database-layer)
  - [How do I use image and file fields?](/en/4.1/faq/usage/#how-do-i-use-image-and-file-fields)
  - [How do I make a variable available to all my templates?](/en/4.1/faq/usage/#how-do-i-make-a-variable-available-to-all-my-templates)
- [FAQ: Getting Help](/en/4.1/faq/help/)

  - [How do I do X? Why doesn’t Y work? Where can I go to get help?](/en/4.1/faq/help/#how-do-i-do-x-why-doesn-t-y-work-where-can-i-go-to-get-help)
  - [Why hasn’t my message appeared on *django-users*?](/en/4.1/faq/help/#why-hasn-t-my-message-appeared-on-django-users)
  - [Nobody answered my question! What should I do?](/en/4.1/faq/help/#nobody-answered-my-question-what-should-i-do)
  - [I think I’ve found a bug! What should I do?](/en/4.1/faq/help/#i-think-i-ve-found-a-bug-what-should-i-do)
  - [I think I’ve found a security problem! What should I do?](/en/4.1/faq/help/#i-think-i-ve-found-a-security-problem-what-should-i-do)
- [FAQ: Databases and models](/en/4.1/faq/models/)

  - [How can I see the raw SQL queries Django is running?](/en/4.1/faq/models/#how-can-i-see-the-raw-sql-queries-django-is-running)
  - [Can I use Django with a preexisting database?](/en/4.1/faq/models/#can-i-use-django-with-a-preexisting-database)
  - [If I make changes to a model, how do I update the database?](/en/4.1/faq/models/#if-i-make-changes-to-a-model-how-do-i-update-the-database)
  - [Do Django models support multiple-column primary keys?](/en/4.1/faq/models/#do-django-models-support-multiple-column-primary-keys)
  - [Does Django support NoSQL databases?](/en/4.1/faq/models/#does-django-support-nosql-databases)
  - [How do I add database-specific options to my CREATE TABLE statements, such as specifying MyISAM as the table type?](/en/4.1/faq/models/#how-do-i-add-database-specific-options-to-my-create-table-statements-such-as-specifying-myisam-as-the-table-type)
- [FAQ: The admin](/en/4.1/faq/admin/)

  - [I can’t log in. When I enter a valid username and password, it just brings up the login page again, with no error messages.](/en/4.1/faq/admin/#i-can-t-log-in-when-i-enter-a-valid-username-and-password-it-just-brings-up-the-login-page-again-with-no-error-messages)
  - [I can’t log in. When I enter a valid username and password, it brings up the login page again, with a “Please enter a correct username and password” error.](/en/4.1/faq/admin/#i-can-t-log-in-when-i-enter-a-valid-username-and-password-it-brings-up-the-login-page-again-with-a-please-enter-a-correct-username-and-password-error)
  - [How do I automatically set a field’s value to the user who last edited the object in the admin?](/en/4.1/faq/admin/#how-do-i-automatically-set-a-field-s-value-to-the-user-who-last-edited-the-object-in-the-admin)
  - [How do I limit admin access so that objects can only be edited by the users who created them?](/en/4.1/faq/admin/#how-do-i-limit-admin-access-so-that-objects-can-only-be-edited-by-the-users-who-created-them)
  - [My admin-site CSS and images showed up fine using the development server, but they’re not displaying when using mod\_wsgi.](/en/4.1/faq/admin/#my-admin-site-css-and-images-showed-up-fine-using-the-development-server-but-they-re-not-displaying-when-using-mod-wsgi)
  - [My “list\_filter” contains a ManyToManyField, but the filter doesn’t display.](/en/4.1/faq/admin/#my-list-filter-contains-a-manytomanyfield-but-the-filter-doesn-t-display)
  - [Some objects aren’t appearing in the admin.](/en/4.1/faq/admin/#some-objects-aren-t-appearing-in-the-admin)
  - [How can I customize the functionality of the admin interface?](/en/4.1/faq/admin/#how-can-i-customize-the-functionality-of-the-admin-interface)
  - [The dynamically-generated admin site is ugly! How can I change it?](/en/4.1/faq/admin/#the-dynamically-generated-admin-site-is-ugly-how-can-i-change-it)
  - [What browsers are supported for using the admin?](/en/4.1/faq/admin/#what-browsers-are-supported-for-using-the-admin)
- [FAQ: Contributing code](/en/4.1/faq/contributing/)

  - [How can I get started contributing code to Django?](/en/4.1/faq/contributing/#how-can-i-get-started-contributing-code-to-django)
  - [I submitted a bug fix in the ticket system several weeks ago. Why are you ignoring my patch?](/en/4.1/faq/contributing/#i-submitted-a-bug-fix-in-the-ticket-system-several-weeks-ago-why-are-you-ignoring-my-patch)
  - [When and how might I remind the team of a patch I care about?](/en/4.1/faq/contributing/#when-and-how-might-i-remind-the-team-of-a-patch-i-care-about)
  - [But I’ve reminded you several times and you keep ignoring my patch!](/en/4.1/faq/contributing/#but-i-ve-reminded-you-several-times-and-you-keep-ignoring-my-patch)
  - [I’m sure my ticket is absolutely 100% perfect, can I mark it as “Ready For Checkin” myself?](/en/4.1/faq/contributing/#i-m-sure-my-ticket-is-absolutely-100-perfect-can-i-mark-it-as-ready-for-checkin-myself)
- [Troubleshooting](/en/4.1/faq/troubleshooting/)

  - [Problems running `django-admin`](/en/4.1/faq/troubleshooting/#problems-running-django-admin)
  - [Miscellaneous](/en/4.1/faq/troubleshooting/#miscellaneous)