Third Party Packages allow developers to share code that extends the functionality of Django REST framework, in order to support additional use-cases.
We **support**, **encourage** and **strongly favour** the creation of Third Party Packages to encapsulate new behaviour rather than adding additional functionality directly to Django REST Framework.
We aim to make creating Third Party Packages as easy as possible, whilst keeping the **simplicity** of the core API and ensuring that **maintenance** of the main project remains under control. If a Third Party Package proves popular it is relatively easy to move it into the main project; removing features is much more problematic.
If you have an idea for a new feature please consider how it may be packaged as a Third Party Package. We're always happy to dicuss ideas on the [Mailing List][discussion-group].
## How to create a Third Party Package
### Creating your package
You can use [this cookiecutter template][cookiecutter] for creating reusable Django REST Framework packages quickly. Cookiecutter creates projects from project templates. While optional, this cookiecutter template includes best practices from Django REST framework and other packages, as well as a Travis CI configuration, Tox configuration, and a sane setup.py for easy PyPI registration/distribution.
Note: Let us know if you have an alternate cookiecuter package so we can also link to it.
#### Running the initial cookiecutter command
To run the initial cookiecutter command, you'll first need to install the Python `cookiecutter` package.
$ pip install cookiecutter
Once `cookiecutter` is installed just run the following to create a new project.
You'll be prompted for some questions, answer them, then it'll create your Python package in the current working directory based on those values.
full_name (default is "Your full name here")? Johnny Appleseed
email (default is "you@example.com")? jappleseed@example.com
github_username (default is "yourname")? jappleseed
pypi_project_name (default is "dj-package")? djangorestframework-custom-auth
repo_name (default is "dj-package")? django-rest-framework-custom-auth
app_name (default is "djpackage")? custom_auth
project_short_description (default is "Your project description goes here")?
year (default is "2014")?
version (default is "0.1.0")?
#### Getting it onto GitHub
To put your project up on GitHub, you'll need a repository for it to live in. You can create a new repository [here][new-repo]. If you need help, check out the [Create A Repo][create-a-repo] article on GitHub.
#### Adding to Travis CI
We recommend using [Travis CI][travis-ci], a hosted continuous integration service which integrates well with GitHub and is free for public repositories.
To get started with Travis CI, [sign in][travis-ci] with your GitHub account. Once you're signed in, go to your [profile page][travis-profile] and enable the service hook for the repository you want.
If you use the cookiecutter template, your project will already contain a `.travis.yml` file which Travis CI will use to build your project and run tests. By default, builds are triggered everytime you push to your repository or create Pull Request.
#### Uploading to PyPI
Once you've got at least a prototype working and tests running, you should publish it on PyPI to allow others to install it via `pip`.
You must [register][pypi-register] an account before publishing to PyPI.
To register your package on PyPI run the following command.
$ python setup.py register
If this is the first time publishing to PyPI, you'll be prompted to login.
Note: Before publishing you'll need to make sure you have the latest pip that supports `wheel` as well as install the `wheel` package.
$ pip install --upgrade pip
$ pip install wheel
After this, every time you want to release a new version on PyPI just run the following command.
$ python setup.py publish
You probably want to also tag the version now:
git tag -a {0} -m 'version 0.1.0'
git push --tags
After releasing a new version to PyPI, it's always a good idea to tag the version and make available as a GitHub Release.
We recommend to follow [Semantic Versioning][semver] for your package's versions.
### Development
#### Version requirements
The cookiecutter template assumes a set of supported versions will be provided for Python and Django. Make sure you correctly update your requirements, docs, `tox.ini`, `.travis.yml`, and `setup.py` to match the set of versions you wish to support.
#### Tests
The cookiecutter template includes a `runtests.py` which uses the `pytest` package as a test runner.
Before running, you'll need to install a couple test requirements.
Run the tests using a more concise output style, no coverage, no flake8.
$ ./runtests.py --fast
Don't run the flake8 code linting.
$ ./runtests.py --nolint
Only run the flake8 code linting, don't run the tests.
$ ./runtests.py --lintonly
Run the tests for a given test case.
$ ./runtests.py MyTestCase
Run the tests for a given test method.
$ ./runtests.py MyTestCase.test_this_method
Shorter form to run the tests for a given test method.
$ ./runtests.py test_this_method
To run your tests against multiple versions of Python as different versions of requirements such as Django we recommend using `tox`. [Tox][tox-docs] is a generic virtualenv management and test command line tool.
First, install `tox` globally.
$ pip install tox
To run `tox`, just simply run:
$ tox
To run a particular `tox` environment:
$ tox -e envlist
`envlist` is a comma-separated value to that specifies the environments to run tests against. To view a list of all possible test environments, run:
$ tox -l
#### Version compatibility
Sometimes, in order to ensure your code works on various different versions of Django, Python or third party libraries, you'll need to run slightly different code depending on the environment. Any code that branches in this way should be isolated into a `compat.py` module, and should provide a single common interface that the rest of the codebase can use.
Check out Django REST framework's [compat.py][drf-compat] for an example.
### Once your package is available
Once your package is decently documented and available on PyPI, you might want share it with others that might find it useful.
#### Adding to the Django REST framework grid
We suggest adding your package to the [REST Framework][rest-framework-grid] grid on Django Packages.
#### Adding to the Django REST framework docs
Create a [Pull Request][drf-create-pr] or [Issue][drf-create-issue] on GitHub, and we'll add a link to it from the main REST framework documentation. You can add your package under **Third party packages** of the API Guide section that best applies, like [Authentication][authentication] or [Permissions][permissions]. You can also link your package under the [Third Party Resources][third-party-resources] section.
#### Announce on the discussion group.
You can also let others know about your package through the [discussion group][discussion-group].
## Existing Third Party Packages
Django REST Framework has a growing community of developers, packages, and resources.
Check out a grid detailing all the packages and ecosystem around Django REST Framework at [Django Packages][rest-framework-grid].
To submit new content, [open an issue][drf-create-issue] or [create a pull request][drf-create-pr].
* [django-rest-framework-mongoengine][django-rest-framework-mongoengine] - Serializer class that supports using MongoDB as the storage layer for Django REST framework.
* [djangorestframework-hstore][djangorestframework-hstore] - Serializer class to support django-hstore DictionaryField model field and its schema-mode feature.
* [djangorestframework-bulk][djangorestframework-bulk] - Implements generic view mixins as well as some common concrete generic views to allow to apply bulk operations via API requests.
* [djangorestrelationalhyperlink][djangorestrelationalhyperlink] - A hyperlinked serialiser that can can be used to alter relationships via hyperlinks, but otherwise like a hyperlink model serializer.
* [django-rest-swagger][django-rest-swagger] - An API documentation generator for Swagger UI.
* [django-rest-framework-proxy][django-rest-framework-proxy] - Proxy to redirect incoming request to another API server.
* [gaiarestframework][gaiarestframework] - Utils for django-rest-framewok
* [drf-extensions][drf-extensions] - A collection of custom extensions
* [ember-data-django-rest-adapter][ember-data-django-rest-adapter] - An ember-data adapter
## Other Resources
### Tutorials
* [Beginner's Guide to the Django Rest Framework][beginners-guide-to-the-django-rest-framework]
* [Getting Started with Django Rest Framework and AngularJS][getting-started-with-django-rest-framework-and-angularjs]
* [End to end web app with Django-Rest-Framework & AngularJS][end-to-end-web-app-with-django-rest-framework-angularjs]
* [Start Your API - django-rest-framework part 1][start-your-api-django-rest-framework-part-1]
* [Permissions & Authentication - django-rest-framework part 2][permissions-authentication-django-rest-framework-part-2]
* [ViewSets and Routers - django-rest-framework part 3][viewsets-and-routers-django-rest-framework-part-3]
* [Django Rest Framework User Endpoint][django-rest-framework-user-endpoint]
* [Check credentials using Django Rest Framework][check-credentials-using-django-rest-framework]
