Django - Global Static Files
Add a Global CSS File
We have learned how to add a static file in the application's static folder, and how to use it in the application.
But what if other applications in your project want to use the file?
Then we have to create a folder on the root directory and put the file(s) there.
It is not enough to create a static folder in the root directory, and Django will fix the rest. We have to tell Django where to look for these static files.
Start by creating a folder on the project's root level, this folder can be called whatever you like, I will call it mystaticfiles in this tutorial:
my_tennis_club
db.sqlite3
manage.py
my_tennis_club/
members/
mystaticfiles/
Add a CSS file in the mystaticfiles folder, the name is your choice, we will call it myglobal.css in this example:
my_tennis_club
db.sqlite3
manage.py
my_tennis_club/
members/
mystaticfiles/
myglobal.css
Open the CSS file and insert the following:
my_tennis_club/mystaticfiles/myglobal.css:
body {
color: violet;
}
Modify Settings
You will have to tell Django to also look for static files in the mystaticfiles folder in the root directory, this is done in the settings.py file:
Add a STATICFILES_DIRS list:
my_tennis_club/my_tennis_club/settings.py:
.
.
STATIC_ROOT = BASE_DIR / 'productionfiles'
STATIC_URL = 'static/'
#Add this in your settings.py file:
STATICFILES_DIRS = [
BASE_DIR / 'mystaticfiles'
]
.
.In the STATICFILES_DIRS list, you can list all the directories where Django should look for static files.
The BASE_DIR keyword represents the root directory of the project, and together with the / "mystaticfiles", it means the mystaticfiles folder in the root directory.
Search Order
If you have files with the same name, Django will use the first occurrence of the file.
The search starts in the directories listed in STATICFILES_DIRS, using the order you have provided. Then, if the file is not found, the search continues in the static folder of each application.
Modify the Template
Now you have a global CSS file for the entire project, which can be accessed from all your applications.
To use it in a template, use the same syntax as you did for the myfirst.css file:
Begin the template with the following:
{% load static %}And refer to the file like this:
<link rel="stylesheet" href="{% static 'myglobal.css' %}">Example
my_tennis_club/members/templates/template.html:
{% load static %}
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="{% static 'myglobal.css' %}">
<body>
{% for x in fruits %}
<h1>{{ x }}</h1>
{% endfor %}
</body>
</html>Didn't Work?
That is correct. You need to collect the static files once again.
Collect Static Files
Run the collectstatic command to collect the new static file:
py manage.py collectstatic
Which will produce this result:
You have requested to collect static files at the destination
location as specified in your settings:
C:\Users\Your Name\myworld\my_tennis_club\productionfiles
This will overwrite existing files!
Are you sure you want to do this?
Type 'yes' to continue, or 'no' to cancel:
Type yes:
Type 'yes' to continue, or 'no' to cancel: yes
Which will produce this result:
1 static file copied to 'C:\Users\Your Name\myworld\my_tennis_club\productionfiles', 131 unmodified.
The Example Should Work
Start the server, and the example will work:
py manage.py runserver
Check out the result in your own browser: 127.0.0.1:8000/testing/.
Example
my_tennis_club/members/templates/template.html:
{% load static %}
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="{% static 'myglobal.css' %}">
<body>
{% for x in fruits %}
<h1>{{ x }}</h1>
{% endfor %}
</body>
</html>