ImproperlyConfigured: Django Settings Not Configured

Why This Happens

Django requires settings to be configured before using any Django features. If you import a model in a standalone script without configuring settings, this error occurs.

The Problem

from myapp.models import User
users = User.objects.all()

The Fix

import os, django
os.environ.setdefault('DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'myproject.settings')
django.setup()

from myapp.models import User
users = User.objects.all()

Step-by-Step Fix

1. 1

   Set DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE

   Set the environment variable before importing Django.

2. 2

   Call django.setup()

   Call after setting env var and before Django imports.

3. 3

   Use manage.py shell

   For interactive work, use python manage.py shell.