Django SuperApp enables rapid development through pre-built standalone apps. Each app has its own settings and URLs that are automatically integrated into the main project.
Using the bootstrap-app Command
Navigate to the apps directory
Change to your project’s apps directory: The bootstrap-app command must be run from inside the superapp/apps directory. Running it from any other location will result in an error.
Run the bootstrap command
Create a new app using a template repository: django_superapp bootstrap-app \ --template-repo https://github.com/django-superapp/django-superapp-sample-app \ ./my_app
You can use any compatible template repository. See the Templates guide for more information on available templates.
Install app dependencies
If your app has specific requirements, install them: cd my_app pip install -r requirements.txt
App Structure Requirements Each SuperApp app follows a consistent structure that enables automatic integration:
superapp/apps/my_app/ ├── __init__.py ├── settings.py # App-specific settings ├── urls.py # App URL patterns ├── requirements.txt # App dependencies ├── models.py ├── views.py ├── admin/ # Admin configurations │ └── model_name.py └── templates/ └── my_app/
Settings.py Structure Every app must include a settings.py file with an extend_superapp_settings() function. This function receives the main settings dictionary and can modify it to register the app.
Basic Settings Integration superapp/apps/sample_app/settings.py
def extend_superapp_settings ( main_settings ): # Register the app in INSTALLED_APPS main_settings[ 'INSTALLED_APPS' ] += [ 'superapp.apps.sample_app' ]
Adding Middleware def extend_superapp_settings ( main_settings ): main_settings[ 'INSTALLED_APPS' ] += [ 'superapp.apps.my_app' ] # Add app-specific middleware main_settings[ 'MIDDLEWARE' ] += [ 'superapp.apps.my_app.middleware.CustomMiddleware' , ]
Configuring App Settings def extend_superapp_settings ( main_settings ): main_settings[ 'INSTALLED_APPS' ] += [ 'superapp.apps.my_app' ] # Add custom app configuration main_settings[ 'MY_APP_CONFIG' ] = { 'feature_enabled' : True , 'api_timeout' : 30 , }
The SuperApp system automatically discovers and calls the extend_superapp_settings() function from each app’s settings.py file during initialization.
URLs.py Structure Apps define their URL patterns using an extend_superapp_urlpatterns() function that receives and modifies the main URL patterns list.
Basic URL Integration superapp/apps/sample_app/urls.py
from django.urls import path from superapp.apps.sample_app.views import hello_world def extend_superapp_urlpatterns ( main_urlpatterns ): main_urlpatterns += [ path( 'hello_world/' , hello_world, name = 'sample_hello_world' ) ]
Using URL Namespaces from django.urls import path, include def extend_superapp_urlpatterns ( main_urlpatterns ): app_patterns = [ path( 'dashboard/' , views.dashboard, name = 'dashboard' ), path( 'settings/' , views.settings, name = 'settings' ), ] main_urlpatterns += [ path( 'my-app/' , include((app_patterns, 'my_app' ))) ]
Including API Endpoints from django.urls import path from rest_framework.routers import DefaultRouter from superapp.apps.my_app.views import api def extend_superapp_urlpatterns ( main_urlpatterns ): router = DefaultRouter() router.register( r 'items' , api.ItemViewSet) main_urlpatterns += [ path( 'api/my-app/' , include(router.urls)), ]
Always use the += operator to append to main_urlpatterns. Do not reassign the list directly, as this will break the integration with other apps.
Requirements.txt for App Dependencies Each app can specify its own Python dependencies that are separate from the main project requirements.
App-Specific Requirements superapp/apps/my_app/requirements.txt
# API and data processing requests>=2.28.0 pandas>=1.5.0 # Background tasks celery>=5.2.0 redis>=4.3.0 # Additional utilities python-dateutil>=2.8.0
Pin your dependencies to specific versions or use version ranges to ensure compatibility and reproducibility across environments.
Installation During Deployment App requirements should be installed during deployment or development setup:
# Install all app requirements find superapp/apps -name "requirements.txt" -exec pip install -r {} \; # Or install specific app requirements pip install -r superapp/apps/my_app/requirements.txt
Real-World Examples Admin Portal App The Admin Portal app demonstrates a complete integration:
cd superapp/apps django_superapp bootstrap-app \ --template-repo https://github.com/django-superapp/django-superapp-admin-portal \ ./admin_portal
Authentication App The Authentication app shows how to add user management:
cd superapp/apps django_superapp bootstrap-app \ --template-repo https://github.com/django-superapp/django-superapp-authentication \ ./authentication
Key Principles
Modular Structure Organize code using Django apps within SuperApp for clear separation and reuse
Independent Configuration Each app has its own settings.py and urls.py that extend the main configuration
Automatic Discovery The SuperApp system automatically discovers and integrates app configurations
Isolated Dependencies Apps can specify their own requirements without affecting the main project
Next Steps
Admin Integration Learn how to integrate Django admin with your apps
Templates Explore template repositories and create custom templates
Best Practices Follow best practices for app development
API Reference View the complete API reference