How to change Python django settings at runtime?

In Django, the settings module is typically loaded once when the server starts, and changing settings at runtime is not recommended. However, there are a few approaches you can consider if you need to change Django settings dynamically:

1. Environment variables: One common approach is to use environment variables to configure your Django settings. You can define environment variables in your deployment environment and read them in your settings module. This way, you can change the environment variables without modifying the code.
2. Configuration file: Another approach is to use a configuration file, such as a JSON or YAML file, to store your settings. You can read the configuration file in your settings module and update the settings accordingly. This allows you to modify the file without restarting the server.
3. Django settings.configure(): Django provides a method called settings.configure() that allows you to override settings dynamically. However, it’s important to note that this method should be used with caution and is typically meant for special cases, such as running Django from a script rather than a server.

Here’s an example of how you can use settings.configure():

from django.conf import settings

# Define your dynamic settings
dynamic_settings = {
    'DEBUG': True,
    'DATABASES': {
        'default': {
            'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql',
            'NAME': 'mydatabase',
            'USER': 'myuser',
            'PASSWORD': 'mypassword',
            'HOST': 'localhost',
            'PORT': '',
        }
    }
}

# Update settings using settings.configure()
settings.configure(**dynamic_settings)

# Now you can use Django as usual
from django.core.wsgi import get_wsgi_application
application = get_wsgi_application()

In this example, we import the settings module from Django and define our dynamic settings in the dynamic_settings dictionary. We then pass the dictionary as keyword arguments to settings.configure(). After that, you can continue using Django as you normally would.

Please note that dynamically changing settings at runtime can introduce complexity and potential issues. It’s generally recommended to carefully consider your use case and evaluate if there are alternative approaches that may be more appropriate for your specific requirements.