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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-05-30T10:03:07+00:00

I want to test a small reusable app which comes with its own settings

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I want to test a small reusable app which comes with its own settings module. Global (project) settings are accessed inside app’s settings to support variables’ overriding, e.g.

# in <my_app>/settings.py
from django.conf import settings
MY_SETTING_VAR = getattr(settings, 'MY_OVERRIDDEN_VAR', False)

When I run tests with manage.py test myapp I get the following:

ImportError: Settings cannot be imported, because environment
variable DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE is undefined.

What is the right way to run tests in this case?

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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    I’m not sure, i tested exactly what you posted and it works for me:

    <<< 12:18.25 Fri Feb 24 2012!~/testproject 
<<< jpic@germaine!10019 env
>>> ./manage.py test testapp                   
Creating test database for alias 'default'...
Destroying old test database 'default'...
.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ran 1 test in 0.000s

OK
Destroying test database for alias 'default'...
<<< 12:18.27 Fri Feb 24 2012!~/testproject 
<<< jpic@germaine!10020 env
>>> cat testapp/tests.py
from django.test import TestCase

from .settings import *

class SomeTestCase(TestCase):
    def testSomething(self):
        self.assertEqual(MY_SETTING_VAR, 'default')
<<< 12:18.30 Fri Feb 24 2012!~/testproject 
<<< jpic@germaine!10021 env
>>> cat testapp/settings.py
from django.conf import settings
MY_SETTING_VAR = getattr(settings, 'MY_OVERRIDDEN_VAR', 'default')

    You want to make sure your actual code matches this working code.

    It’s better for an app to include a dummy project that demonstrates the app or at least allows testing. For example:

    <<< 12:42.56 Fri Feb 24 2012!~/testproject/testapp 
<<< jpic@germaine!10034 E:1 env
>>> pip install -e git+git@github.com:subsume/django-subscription.git#egg=sub
Obtaining sub from git+git@github.com:subsume/django-subscription.git#egg=sub
  Cloning git@github.com:subsume/django-subscription.git to /home/jpic/env/src/sub
  Running setup.py egg_info for package sub

Installing collected packages: sub
  Running setup.py develop for sub

    Creating /home/jpic/env/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django-subscription.egg-link (link to .)
    Removing django-subscription 0.0 from easy-install.pth file
    Adding django-subscription 0.1 to easy-install.pth file

    Installed /home/jpic/env/src/sub
Successfully installed sub
Cleaning up...
<<< 12:43.08 Fri Feb 24 2012!~/testproject/testapp 
<<< jpic@germaine!10035 env
<<< 12:43.11 Fri Feb 24 2012!~/testproject/testapp 
<<< jpic@germaine!10035 env
>>> cd ../../env/src/sub
<<< 12:43.15 Fri Feb 24 2012!~/env/src/sub 
<<< jpic@germaine!10036 G:master env
>>> ls
django_subscription.egg-info  docs  README  setup.py  subscription  subscription_test_project
<<< 12:43.16 Fri Feb 24 2012!~/env/src/sub 
<<< jpic@germaine!10037 G:master env
>>> cd subscription_test_project 
<<< 12:43.20 Fri Feb 24 2012!~/env/src/sub/subscription_test_project 
<<< jpic@germaine!10038 G:master env
>>> ./manage.py test subscription
Creating test database for alias 'default'...
........
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ran 8 tests in 0.012s

OK
Destroying test database for alias 'default'...
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