Django - Model graphic representation (ERD)

Question

I'm searching a way to represent my Django project model graphically.

Is there a "native" way to do this kind of ERD (diagram) ?

Here is an example of how I finally view the PDF representing some models of my django project

$ python manage.py graph_models app1 app2 ... | dot -Tpdf | evince

It generates the dot data with my applications (app1, app2, ...)
Passes the result to dot to output into PDF format
Opens the output with evince

It's awesome to see from the one deleted answer (why has it been deleted?) a small project evolved: https://github.com/LegoStormtroopr/django-spaghetti-and-meatballs — Daniel W., Dec 25 '20 at 01:43

score 105 · Accepted Answer · edited Jan 30 '14 at 10:32

105

If you want to extract UML diagram from your Django models you can use the Graph models command of django-extensions. Another one that do mostly the same thing: django-graphviz.

If you want to create your Django models from UML: uml-to-django.

And to create UML diagrams, there's Dia, yED and ArgoUML

You can check also this list of tools.

edited Jan 30 '14 at 10:32

RickyA

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answered Jul 21 '11 at 14:07

Etienne

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I'll use django-extension with pygraphviz ([when I succeed in installing them](http://superuser.com/questions/313278/pygraphviz-install-on-ubuntu-10-with-django-extensions):) – Pierre de LESPINAY Jul 21 '11 at 15:01
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I just submitted a pull-request to allow use of PyDot instead of PyGraphViz; which means you won't need to worry about C extensions ;) – A T Feb 24 '13 at 06:31
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-1: UML is not ERD. – LJNielsenDk Dec 11 '13 at 19:39
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There is no current way to use graphviz with Python3 ATM. – nerdoc Oct 31 '14 at 08:07
@nerdoc do you mean this error: TypeError: can't use a string pattern on a bytes-like object ? That's what I'm getting on Python3. – RubberDuckRabbit Aug 24 '17 at 22:29

score 6 · Answer 2 · edited Mar 13 '17 at 12:43

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Best I can think of is Argo UML which requires you to design by hand (and then you can convert the UML into Django with this tool)

If you want to do django - uml conversion (the other way) try looking at Django To UML

edited Mar 13 '17 at 12:43

Vini.g.fer

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answered Jul 21 '11 at 13:15

Samuele Mattiuzzo

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You can still use a tool like Argo to create your ERD diagrams. Anyway, if you have a better option, post your answer :) Just downvoting because our answers are "hacks" around a problem and not the perfect solution is a bit cocky. Cheers. – Samuele Mattiuzzo Dec 12 '13 at 11:33
The link to Argo UML has changed to this: https://argouml-tigris-org.github.io/tigris/argouml/ and I couldn't find an updated link of Django to UML documentation. – moojen Mar 10 '23 at 11:40

Django - Model graphic representation (ERD)

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