Django Simple History: Don't Track User Changes
Problem: You're using Django Simple History to track changes in your models, but you don't want to record every user action, just the actual model changes. This might be because you're using a system where users aren't always logged in, or you simply don't need that level of granularity.
Rephrased: You want to keep track of the what changed in your database models, but not the who changed it.
Scenario: Imagine you're building a blog application. You want to track the content of each blog post when it's edited, but you don't necessarily care which user made the change.
Original Code:
from simple_history.models import HistoricalRecords
class BlogPost(models.Model):
title = models.CharField(max_length=200)
content = models.TextField()
history = HistoricalRecords()
The Solution:
Django Simple History provides a user field for each historical record by default. To disable tracking the user, simply set user_field to None:
from simple_history.models import HistoricalRecords
class BlogPost(models.Model):
title = models.CharField(max_length=200)
content = models.TextField()
history = HistoricalRecords(user_field=None)
Analysis:
By setting user_field to None, you effectively remove the user information from the historical records. This is useful in scenarios where:
- Users aren't logged in: For applications where user login is not required, tracking user actions is irrelevant.
- Focus on data: You're primarily interested in the model's changes, not who made them.
- Privacy concerns: You want to avoid storing user data in historical records.
Example:
Let's say a user edits a blog post without logging in. Using the original code, the historical record would contain None for the user field. With user_field=None, the historical record will only store the updated title and content fields, without any mention of the user.
Further Considerations:
- Custom User Field: If you want to track a custom field instead of the default
userfield, you can specify it using theuser_fieldargument. - Anonymous Users: If you want to track actions by anonymous users, you can use the
get_user_model()function to retrieve the user model and setuser_fieldto the corresponding field.
Conclusion:
Django Simple History offers flexibility in controlling the information stored in historical records. By setting user_field to None, you can prioritize tracking model changes while excluding user information. This approach can be valuable for applications that prioritize data integrity or user privacy.
References:
- Django Simple History Documentation: For comprehensive information and customization options.
- Django User Model: Learn about customizing the user model for your application.
