---
title: "FAQ: Using Django"
version: 6.1
locale: en
source: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/6.1/faq/usage/
canonical: https://djangodocs.dev/en/6.1/faq/usage/
---
# FAQ: Using Django

## Why do I get an error about importing [`DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE`](/en/6.1/topics/settings/#envvar-DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE)?

Make sure that:

- The environment variable [`DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE`](/en/6.1/topics/settings/#envvar-DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE) is set to a
  fully-qualified Python module (i.e. `mysite.settings`).
- Said module is on `sys.path` (`import mysite.settings` should work).
- The module doesn’t contain syntax errors.

## I can’t stand your template language. Do I have to use it?

We happen to think our template engine is the best thing since chunky bacon,
but we recognize that choosing a template language runs close to religion.
There’s nothing about Django that requires using the template language, so
if you’re attached to Jinja2, Mako, or whatever, feel free to use those.

## Do I have to use your model/database layer?

Nope. Just like the template system, the model/database layer is decoupled from
the rest of the framework.

The one exception is: If you use a different database library, you won’t get to
use Django’s automatically-generated admin site. That app is coupled to the
Django database layer.

## How do I use image and file fields?

Using a [`FileField`](/en/6.1/ref/models/fields/#django.db.models.FileField) or an
[`ImageField`](/en/6.1/ref/models/fields/#django.db.models.ImageField) in a model takes a few steps:

1. In your settings file, you’ll need to define [`MEDIA_ROOT`](/en/6.1/ref/settings/#std-setting-MEDIA_ROOT) as
   the full path to a directory where you’d like Django to store uploaded
   files. (For performance, these files are not stored in the database.)
   Define [`MEDIA_URL`](/en/6.1/ref/settings/#std-setting-MEDIA_URL) as the base public URL of that directory.
   Make sure that this directory is writable by the web server’s user
   account.
2. Add the [`FileField`](/en/6.1/ref/models/fields/#django.db.models.FileField) or
   [`ImageField`](/en/6.1/ref/models/fields/#django.db.models.ImageField) to your model, defining the
   [`upload_to`](/en/6.1/ref/models/fields/#django.db.models.FileField.upload_to) option to specify a
   subdirectory of [`MEDIA_ROOT`](/en/6.1/ref/settings/#std-setting-MEDIA_ROOT) to use for uploaded files.
3. All that will be stored in your database is a path to the file
   (relative to [`MEDIA_ROOT`](/en/6.1/ref/settings/#std-setting-MEDIA_ROOT)). You’ll most likely want to use the
   convenience [`url`](/en/6.1/ref/models/fields/#django.db.models.fields.files.FieldFile.url) attribute
   provided by Django. For example, if your
   [`ImageField`](/en/6.1/ref/models/fields/#django.db.models.ImageField) is called `mug_shot`, you can get
   the absolute path to your image in a template with
   `{{ object.mug_shot.url }}`.

## How do I make a variable available to all my templates?

Sometimes your templates all need the same thing. A common example would be
dynamically generated menus. At first glance, it seems logical to add a common
dictionary to the template context.

The best way to do this in Django is to use a `RequestContext`. Details on
how to do this are here: [Using RequestContext](/en/6.1/ref/templates/api/#subclassing-context-requestcontext).