[Django] #35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
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Django
Oct 4, 2024, 9:27:46 AM10/4/24
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#35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Type: Bug
Status: new | Component:
| Migrations
Version: 5.1 | Severity: Normal
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage:
unmanaged | Unreviewed
Has patch: 0 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
I believe there is a bug with the `makemigrations` command.
**The Issue/Bug:** Changes to unmanaged models are not being recognized by
`makemigrations`. If those same changes are applied to a managed model,
`makemigrations` recognizes the changes.
The `makemigrations` command tracks the Creation of an unmanaged model,
the Deletion of an unmanaged model, but does not track changes to the
attributes/fields of an unmanaged model (see example below for more
depth).
**Concerns/Discussion:** If you create an unmanaged model, make the
initial migration and then have to change a field on it, `makemigrations`
will not detect the change you made. At that point, your migrations (the
'historical reference') are out of sync with the current reality of the
model.
I have an if this is unclear.
For this example let's assume we have two models: `UnmanagedThing` and
`ManagedThing` (unmanaged and managed, respectively)
{{{
class UnmanagedThing(models.Model):
"""
This model represents an unmanaged Thing.
"""
id = models.IntegerField(
db_column="thingID", primary_key=True
)
thing_number = models.CharField(max_length=16,
db_column="thingNumber")
thing_name = models.CharField(max_length=50, db_column="thingName")
grade_level = models.CharField(max_length=2, db_column="gradeLevel")
class Meta:
"""Meta options for the UnmanagedThing model."""
verbose_name = "Unmanaged Thing"
verbose_name_plural = "Unmanaged Things"
managed = False
db_table = "some_table_name"
def __str__(self) -> str:
"""Return the course name."""
return f"{self.thing_name}"
class ManagedThing(models.Model):
"""
This model represents an unmanaged Thing.
"""
id = models.IntegerField(
db_column="thingID", primary_key=True
)
thing_number = models.CharField(max_length=16,
db_column="thingNumber")
thing_name = models.CharField(max_length=50, db_column="thingName")
grade_level = models.CharField(max_length=2, db_column="gradeLevel")
class Meta:
"""Meta options for the UnmanagedThing model."""
verbose_name = "Unmanaged Thing"
verbose_name_plural = "Unmanaged Things"
def __str__(self) -> str:
"""Return the course name."""
return f"{self.thing_name}"
}}}
If I run `makemigrations` I get the expected `0001...` migration file and
I see both models created with their respective fields/options.
If I change `thing_name` to be an `IntegerField` on the managed model and
run `makemigrations`, I see a `0002...` migration file created with the
expected 'AlterField' inside of it.
If I change `thing_name` to be an `IntegerField` on the unmanaged model
and run `makemigrations`, I see "No changes detected" and nothing is
created. However, now there is a disconnect between my model and what is
recorded in migrations.
Everything else works similarly between the two; if I delete either one,
it's recorded in a migration file. If I change the unmanaged model to
'managed', it creates a migration file for that (and subsequently begins
tracking changes as expected with `makemigrations`)
Per the django docs: " You should think of migrations as a version control
system for your database schema. `makemigrations` is responsible for
packaging up your model changes into individual migration files -
analogous to commits"; it's not behaving that way currently, so I believe
this to be a valid bug worth fixing if the docs
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813>
Django <https://code.djangoproject.com/>
The Web framework for perfectionists with deadlines.
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Type: Bug
Status: new | Component:
| Migrations
Version: 5.1 | Severity: Normal
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage:
unmanaged | Unreviewed
Has patch: 0 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
I believe there is a bug with the `makemigrations` command.
**The Issue/Bug:** Changes to unmanaged models are not being recognized by
`makemigrations`. If those same changes are applied to a managed model,
`makemigrations` recognizes the changes.
The `makemigrations` command tracks the Creation of an unmanaged model,
the Deletion of an unmanaged model, but does not track changes to the
attributes/fields of an unmanaged model (see example below for more
depth).
**Concerns/Discussion:** If you create an unmanaged model, make the
initial migration and then have to change a field on it, `makemigrations`
will not detect the change you made. At that point, your migrations (the
'historical reference') are out of sync with the current reality of the
model.
I have an if this is unclear.
For this example let's assume we have two models: `UnmanagedThing` and
`ManagedThing` (unmanaged and managed, respectively)
{{{
class UnmanagedThing(models.Model):
"""
This model represents an unmanaged Thing.
"""
id = models.IntegerField(
db_column="thingID", primary_key=True
)
thing_number = models.CharField(max_length=16,
db_column="thingNumber")
thing_name = models.CharField(max_length=50, db_column="thingName")
grade_level = models.CharField(max_length=2, db_column="gradeLevel")
class Meta:
"""Meta options for the UnmanagedThing model."""
verbose_name = "Unmanaged Thing"
verbose_name_plural = "Unmanaged Things"
managed = False
db_table = "some_table_name"
def __str__(self) -> str:
"""Return the course name."""
return f"{self.thing_name}"
class ManagedThing(models.Model):
"""
This model represents an unmanaged Thing.
"""
id = models.IntegerField(
db_column="thingID", primary_key=True
)
thing_number = models.CharField(max_length=16,
db_column="thingNumber")
thing_name = models.CharField(max_length=50, db_column="thingName")
grade_level = models.CharField(max_length=2, db_column="gradeLevel")
class Meta:
"""Meta options for the UnmanagedThing model."""
verbose_name = "Unmanaged Thing"
verbose_name_plural = "Unmanaged Things"
def __str__(self) -> str:
"""Return the course name."""
return f"{self.thing_name}"
}}}
If I run `makemigrations` I get the expected `0001...` migration file and
I see both models created with their respective fields/options.
If I change `thing_name` to be an `IntegerField` on the managed model and
run `makemigrations`, I see a `0002...` migration file created with the
expected 'AlterField' inside of it.
If I change `thing_name` to be an `IntegerField` on the unmanaged model
and run `makemigrations`, I see "No changes detected" and nothing is
created. However, now there is a disconnect between my model and what is
recorded in migrations.
Everything else works similarly between the two; if I delete either one,
it's recorded in a migration file. If I change the unmanaged model to
'managed', it creates a migration file for that (and subsequently begins
tracking changes as expected with `makemigrations`)
Per the django docs: " You should think of migrations as a version control
system for your database schema. `makemigrations` is responsible for
packaging up your model changes into individual migration files -
analogous to commits"; it's not behaving that way currently, so I believe
this to be a valid bug worth fixing if the docs
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813>
Django <https://code.djangoproject.com/>
The Web framework for perfectionists with deadlines.
Django
Oct 4, 2024, 9:33:08 AM10/4/24
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: (none)
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Type: Bug | Status: new
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage:
unmanaged | Unreviewed
Has patch: 0 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Description changed by Hanny G:
unmanaged | Unreviewed
Has patch: 0 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Old description:
bugs like: [https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/27319]"
Additional Suggestions: I think an option to exclude specific models or
just exclude all unmanaged models would be something worth adding in the
event we did not want to track historical changes to an unmanaged model or
have it recorded in migrations.
--
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813#comment:1>
Django
Oct 4, 2024, 6:54:04 PM10/4/24
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage:
unmanaged | Unreviewed
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage:
unmanaged | Unreviewed
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Changes (by Hanny G):
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
* has_patch: 0 => 1
* owner: (none) => Hanny G
* status: new => assigned
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813#comment:2>
Django
Oct 7, 2024, 3:25:26 AM10/7/24
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Changes (by Sarah Boyce):
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
* cc: Simon Charette (added)
* stage: Unreviewed => Accepted
Comment:
Thank you! [https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/bug-or-proposal-
makemigrations-and-unmanaged-models/35373 Related forum post]
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813#comment:3>
Django
Oct 8, 2024, 9:17:05 AM10/8/24
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Comment (by imakhan):
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
The purpose of Django's makemigrations command is to identify changes in
managed models, or models in which Django has authority over the database
table structure.
Makemigrations does not completely monitor unmanaged models (where managed
= False in the model's Meta class).
In particular, the makemigrations command does not detect changes to the
fields of unmanaged models, even though the creation or deletion of an
unmanaged model is tracked.
A mismatch between your code and the database structure may result from
this behavior, especially if the model is altered after the initial
transfer.
Unmanaged Model:
Consider you have two models in Django: one is unmanaged and the other is
managed.
class UnmanagedThing(models.Model):
id = models.IntegerField(db_column="thingID", primary_key=True)
thing_number = models.CharField(max_length=16,
db_column="thingNumber")
thing_name = models.CharField(max_length=50, db_column="thingName")
grade_level = models.CharField(max_length=2, db_column="gradeLevel")
class Meta:
managed = False # This tells Django not to manage the table's
db_column="thingNumber")
thing_name = models.CharField(max_length=50, db_column="thingName")
grade_level = models.CharField(max_length=2, db_column="gradeLevel")
class Meta:
structure.
db_table = "some_table_name"
Managemed Model
class ManagedThing(models.Model):
id = models.IntegerField(db_column="thingID", primary_key=True)
thing_number = models.CharField(max_length=16,
db_column="thingNumber")
thing_name = models.CharField(max_length=50, db_column="thingName")
grade_level = models.CharField(max_length=2, db_column="gradeLevel")
class Meta:
managed = True # This tells Django to manage the table's
db_column="thingNumber")
thing_name = models.CharField(max_length=50, db_column="thingName")
grade_level = models.CharField(max_length=2, db_column="gradeLevel")
class Meta:
structure.
Anticipated Conduct: First Migration: Django creates a migration file that
records the construction of the managed and unmanaged models when you
execute makemigrations for the first time.
Modifications to the Managed Model: Django recognizes when you change the
thing_name in the managed model from a CharField to an IntegerField and
generates a migration that takes into account the field change.
Changes in the Unmanaged Model: Django does not detect any changes when
makemigrations are executed if you change thing_name in the unmanaged
model from a CharField to an IntegerField.
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813#comment:4>
Django
Oct 8, 2024, 9:17:41 AM10/8/24
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Changes (by imakhan):
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
* cc: imakhan (added)
Comment:
pls check code
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813#comment:5>
Django
Oct 8, 2024, 9:35:16 AM10/8/24
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Comment (by Simon Charette):
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
> The purpose of Django's makemigrations command is to identify changes in
managed models, or models in which Django has authority over the database
table structure.
tracking changes to unmanaged models for two reasons
1. Support managed models referencing un-managed ones
2. Support data migrations involving un-managed models
The report here relates to 2. which I think it reasonable to assume that
if the framework tracks additions and removal it should also alterations.
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813#comment:6>
Django
Dec 20, 2024, 7:41:31 AM12/20/24
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Comment (by Hanny G):
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Just curious - what are the remaining steps for this ticket to be looked
at and the PR to be accepted?
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813#comment:7>
Django
Dec 20, 2024, 9:14:03 AM12/20/24
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Comment (by Simon Charette):
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
The patch is in
[https://code.djangoproject.com/query?status=!closed&needs_better_patch=0&needs_tests=0&needs_docs=0&has_patch=1&stage=Accepted&desc=1&order=changetime
the review queue] so it will eventually be looked at. The upcoming release
of 5.2 has kept everyone busy which explains why no one had a chance to
look at your patch yet.
One thing that might be worth doing in the mean time is to add a release
note mentioning that `makemigrations` will now appropriately track any
change to managed models which might cause new changes to be detected on
upgrade.
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813#comment:8>
Django
Apr 26, 2025, 9:18:11 AMApr 26
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 1
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
unmanaged |
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Changes (by kevingill1966):
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
* needs_docs: 0 => 1
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813#comment:9>
Django
Jul 17, 2025, 10:37:35 AMJul 17
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Ready for
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
unmanaged | checkin
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Changes (by Hanny G):
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
* needs_docs: 1 => 0
* stage: Accepted => Ready for checkin
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813#comment:10>
Django
Jul 17, 2025, 11:11:45 AMJul 17
to django-...@googlegroups.com
#35813: Makemigrations not properly tracking changes to unmanaged models
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
Keywords: makemigrations, | Triage Stage: Accepted
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Reporter: Hanny G | Owner: Hanny G
Type: Bug | Status: assigned
Component: Migrations | Version: 5.1
Severity: Normal | Resolution:
unmanaged |
Has patch: 1 | Needs documentation: 0
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
Changes (by Simon Charette):
Needs tests: 0 | Patch needs improvement: 0
Easy pickings: 0 | UI/UX: 0
-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------
* stage: Ready for checkin => Accepted
Comment:
Please refer to
[https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/5.2/internals/contributing/triaging-
tickets/#ready-for-checkin the triage workflow]; you can't mark your own
patch as RFC.
--
Ticket URL: <https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/35813#comment:11>
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