Django Rest Framework -- no module named rest_framework

Question

I've installed django rest framework using pip install djangorestframework yet I still get this error when I run "python3 manage.py sycndb":

ImportError: No module named 'rest_framework'

I'm using python3, is this my issue?

Typhon

Have you installed in settings.py? – Communism

@BurgerKing I added rest_framework to my installed apps. Is that what you meant? – Typhon

Are you using a virtuel environment? – Sorensen

I just try to guess reason. May you give your error message? – Communism

@Sorensen I'm not. I was following this tutorial: youtube.com/watch?v=VZ8NIoLN-yQ at the 5 minute mark. – Typhon

@BurgerKing "ImportError: No module named 'rest_framework'" is the error. – Typhon

Answer 1

You need to install django rest framework using pip3 (pip for python 3):

pip3 install djangorestframework

Instructions on how to install pip3 can be found here

Sorensen

I am not sure why but I am still facing the same issue – Curdle

This solves my problem. In my case I have done codepip install djangorestframeworkcode in the windows powershell – Jetliner

if pip3 does not work, try: python3 -m pip install djangorestframework – Himation

Instead of answers that point out the obvious ("install django, duh") check that you don't have a missing comma in the INSTALLED_APPS list, because that weirdly triggers this ImportError. Kudos to this answer. – Trophoplasm

@alexlomba87, this error also appears if you use python3 but have installed django using pip for python 2.7, which is why this answer does not point out the obvious for many developers. – Sorensen

Thank you for adding that, I'd advice to update the answer to add that info, which is not explicit. Pip3 may be the default for many. – Trophoplasm

/usr/bin/env /bin/python3 manage.py makemigrations fixed my problem – Maracanda

Answer 2

if you forget ,,this will happen,it's weird

wrong example: need a ,

INSTALLED_APPS = [
'rest_framework'
'django.contrib.contenttypes',
'django.contrib.admin',
'django.contrib.auth',
'django.contrib.sessions',
'django.contrib.messages',
'django.contrib.staticfiles',
]

Explanatory

Glad I scrolled down past trying to reinstall DRF. This solved it for me. – Polarize

Such a silly thing xD. It helped me thanks – Arabele

I also made this silly mistake. Your solution worked in this case. Thank you! – Used

Answer 3

Also, check for the possibility of a tiny typo:

It's rest_framework with an underscore (_) in between!

Took me a while to figure out that I was using a dash instead... 😅

Engraft

I agree such a sneaky thing. – Deoxygenate

Thanks for mentioning typo. I am using rest_framwork instead of rest_framework. Missing e in framework. :) – Taxation

And here I am trying to find what sort of dark arts I needed to perform to make this work, and all it was, was a damn typo! Thank you! – Doting

Answer 4

If you're using some sort of virtual environment do this!

1. Exit from your virtual environment.

2. Activate your virtual environment.

After you've done this you can try running your command again and this time it probably won't have any ImportErrors.

Amadeus

to active your virtual environment, please use source venv/bin/activate or source env/bin/activate depends on your folder. – Wrinkle

Answer 5

if after installing and adding it to your INSTALLED_APPS it persist, then it's most likely because you're using python3 to run the server and thats okay. So what you do while installing is use python3 -m pip install djangorestframework .

Uppercut

Don't know why python -m as prefix works in virtual env for me. Thanks. – Granitite

Answer 6

Maybe you install DRF is for python2, not for python3.

You can use python console to check your module:

import rest_framework

Actually you use pip to install module, it will install python2 module.

You should install the pip for python3:

sudo apt-get install python3-setuptools
sudo easy_install3 pip

So, you can install python3 module.

Communism

I see what you mean. I'm getting an error: "apt-get: command not found" when I try to run your command though. – Typhon

Answer 7

When using a virtual environment like virtualenvwithout having django-rest-framework installed globally you might as well have the error. The solution would be:

• activate the environment first with {{your environment name}}/bin/activate for Linux or {{your environment name}}/Scripts/activate for Windows

• and then run the command again.

Kratz

THANK YOU for reminding me! I forgot to activate the VENV for this console! ARG! (Feeling pretty silly right about now for sure.) :facepalm: – Ringe

Answer 8

The command which worked for me is

python -m pip install djangorestframework

Gus

This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review – Smashed

Answer 9

If you are working with PyCharm, I found that restarting the program and closing all prompts after adding 'rest_framework' to my INSTALLED_APPS worked for me.

Zygophyllaceous

Answer 10

Yeh for me it was the python version as well ...
much better to use pipenv ...
create a virtual env using using python 3 ...

install pipenv : pip3 install pipenv
create the virtualenv: pipenv --python 3
activate the virtual env: pipenv shell

Tel

Answer 11

INSTALLED_APPS = [
'rest_framework',
'django.contrib.admin',
'django.contrib.auth',
'django.contrib.contenttypes',
'django.contrib.sessions',
'django.contrib.messages',
'django.contrib.staticfiles',
#apps
'apps.endpoints',

]

maybe forgot the comma "," or while pasting packing name it might have extra whitespace "packagename "check for that

Allomerism

Answer 12

Also, if you're getting this error while running docker-compose up. Make sure to run docker-compose up --build because docker needs to install the djangorestframework dependency as well.

Chesser

Answer 13

I have faced the same issue and And solve it with upgrading the pip and install rest_framework after that.(update everything)

Windows Command Prompt

> python -m pip install --upgrade pip

Linux Terminal

$ pip install --upgrade pip

MacOS Terminal

$ pip install --upgrade pip

Install Django and Django REST framework

pip install django
pip install djangorestframework

February

Answer 14

if you used pipenv:

if you installed rest_framework thru the new pipenv, you need to run it thru the virtual environment:

1.pipenv shell

2.(env) now, run your command(for example python manage.py runserver)

Gerenuk

Answer 15

First installing the framework globally on the system solved my problem.

machine@debian:/$ sudo pip install djangorestframework
or;
root@debian:/# pip install djangorestframework

Centurial

Answer 16

(I would assume that folks using containers know what they're doing, but here's my two cents)

Let's say you setup your project using cookiecutter-django and enabled the docker container support, be sure to update the pip requirements file with djangorestframework==<x.yy.z> (or whichever python dependency you're trying to install) and re-build the docker images (local and production).

Superannuate

Good catch. This was my case. Forgot to re-run pip freeze to update my requirements.txt file which is what the Dockerfile has as dependencies that get installed into the api container. – Oleary

Answer 17

I've faced the same problem, followed these instructions and it worked for me:

1. python -m pip install --upgrade pip (to upgrade pip)
2. pip3 install djangorestframework

3. Added rest_framework as first app:

   INSTALLED_APPS = [
       'rest_framework',
       'django.contrib.admin',
       'django.contrib.auth',
       'django.contrib.contenttypes',
       'django.contrib.sessions',
       'django.contrib.messages',
       'django.contrib.staticfiles',
       #apps
       'apps.endpoints',
   ]
   

Rosalie

why is it need put first app tell me please? – Landonlandor

Answer 18

Install the missing module separately using pip installer

pip3 install djangorestframework-jsonapi

This worked for me.

Teteak

Answer 19

After installing the necessary packages with python3/pip3 inside my virtual environment, it all came down to running my server with python manage.py runserver instead of python3 manage.py runserver. This was because the virtual environment and other packages were installed using python3/pip3 and not python2/pip2, hence running the server with python3 again resulted in the error. Am sure this will help someone else.

Nigelniger

Answer 20

try this if you are using JWT pip install djangorestframework-jwt

Garth

Answer 21

In my case, my problem was different. I was creating in my bash_profile an alias like:

alias python=/usr/local/bin/python3

And even if I activate my environment, when I ran the command, the python interpreter accessed was from the system and not from my environment.

I just removed the alias from bash_profile and it worked fine.

Hodges

Nice work on your first answer, but make sure you format code correctly. stackoverflow.com/editing-help. – Pistachio

Answer 22

I know there is an accepted answer for this question and many other answers also but I just wanted to add an another case which happened with me was Updating the django and django rest framework to the latest versions to make them work properly without any error.

So all you have to do is just uninstall both django and django rest framework using:

pip uninstall django pip uninstall djangorestframework

and then install it again using:

pip install django pip install djangorestframework

Hetaerism

Answer 23

I recently installed the latest Django 3.1 and Django Rest Framework 3.11.1 libraries only to eventually realize Django 3.1 is not supported by DRF as of 11 April 2020. I did not realize that the exact releases mentioned need to be used.

If you're pulling your hair out because you can't understand why DRF is not importing check these requirements and make sure your app is compatible.

Abelabelard

Answer 24

In my case, I had installed it in the virtualenv but forgot to activate the virtualenv while running the command

 python3 manage.py makemigrations 

So in my case I had to just activate the environment and then run the command

source [virtualenv folder-name]/bin/activate
python3 manage.py makemigrations

This solved my problem.

Enduring

Answer 25

I face the same problem. In my case, I solved it by update Windows Defender configuration.

Lashonda

Answer 26

activate the whole virtual environment

cd django_apps
source /root/django-apps/env/bin/activate

Pellet

Answer 27

Install pip3 install djangorestframework first and add rest_framework in the settings.py. This is how I have a shout out the problem.

Cyanate

Answer 28

Make sure you are using the same language interpreter which you have used in your Django project, which can be an interpreter in the virtual environment, or like me, I have a normal python installed and an anaconda python too. So, try switching the interpreter. See this image for reference

Reorganization

Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please edit to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center. – Scarlatina

Answer 29

The best solution for MAC or LINUX as I tried:

1. Open your project path ( where the settings.py is located )
2. Copy the path from the explorer
3. Open your terminal
4. Type cd[space][paste your path location that you copied before]

then try this:

pip install djangorestframework

it's gonna solve.

REMEMBER: ON YOUR TERMINAL OF MAC OS OR LINUX OS NOT VsCode

point: it also worked for all the other libraries like: cors-headers

Dicky

Answer 30

On Windows, with PowerShell, I had to close and reopen the console and then reactive the virtual environment.

Almetaalmighty

Answer 31

To install it, do the following:

pip install djangorestframework
pip install markdown     
pip install django-filter

We have to check for a few common mistakes:

1. check comma at installed list elements

2. typo errors

Ellerd

Answer 32

Try pressing the icon given if you are getting the following error:

"ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'rest_framework'"

It will ask you to import the given package, that is rest_framework and run the code again.

This worked for me and trying to solve that error for a couple of days.

Highness

Not everyone uses the same editor, and not all editors provide the same feature to import modules through the light bulb. – Sporadic