diff -r 5ff1fc726848 -r c6bca38c1cbf parts/django/docs/releases/0.95.txt --- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/parts/django/docs/releases/0.95.txt Sat Jan 08 11:20:57 2011 +0530 @@ -0,0 +1,124 @@ +================================= +Django version 0.95 release notes +================================= + +Welcome to the Django 0.95 release. + +This represents a significant advance in Django development since the 0.91 +release in January 2006. The details of every change in this release would be +too extensive to list in full, but a summary is presented below. + +Suitability and API stability +============================= + +This release is intended to provide a stable reference point for developers +wanting to work on production-level applications that use Django. + +However, it's not the 1.0 release, and we'll be introducing further changes +before 1.0. For a clear look at which areas of the framework will change (and +which ones will *not* change) before 1.0, see the api-stability.txt file, which +lives in the docs/ directory of the distribution. + +You may have a need to use some of the features that are marked as +"subject to API change" in that document, but that's OK with us as long as it's +OK with you, and as long as you understand APIs may change in the future. + +Fortunately, most of Django's core APIs won't be changing before version 1.0. +There likely won't be as big of a change between 0.95 and 1.0 versions as there +was between 0.91 and 0.95. + +Changes and new features +======================== + +The major changes in this release (for developers currently using the 0.91 +release) are a result of merging the 'magic-removal' branch of development. +This branch removed a number of constraints in the way Django code had to be +written that were a consequence of decisions made in the early days of Django, +prior to its open-source release. It's now possible to write more natural, +Pythonic code that works as expected, and there's less "black magic" happening +behind the scenes. + +Aside from that, another main theme of this release is a dramatic increase in +usability. We've made countless improvements in error messages, documentation, +etc., to improve developers' quality of life. + +The new features and changes introduced in 0.95 include: + + * Django now uses a more consistent and natural filtering interface for + retrieving objects from the database. + + * User-defined models, functions and constants now appear in the module + namespace they were defined in. (Previously everything was magically + transferred to the django.models.* namespace.) + + * Some optional applications, such as the FlatPage, Sites and Redirects + apps, have been decoupled and moved into django.contrib. If you don't + want to use these applications, you no longer have to install their + database tables. + + * Django now has support for managing database transactions. + + * We've added the ability to write custom authentication and authorization + backends for authenticating users against alternate systems, such as + LDAP. + + * We've made it easier to add custom table-level functions to models, + through a new "Manager" API. + + * It's now possible to use Django without a database. This simply means + that the framework no longer requires you to have a working database set + up just to serve dynamic pages. In other words, you can just use + URLconfs/views on their own. Previously, the framework required that a + database be configured, regardless of whether you actually used it. + + * It's now more explicit and natural to override save() and delete() + methods on models, rather than needing to hook into the pre_save() and + post_save() method hooks. + + * Individual pieces of the framework now can be configured without + requiring the setting of an environment variable. This permits use of, + for example, the Django templating system inside other applications. + + * More and more parts of the framework have been internationalized, as + we've expanded internationalization (i18n) support. The Django + codebase, including code and templates, has now been translated, at least + in part, into 31 languages. From Arabic to Chinese to Hungarian to Welsh, + it is now possible to use Django's admin site in your native language. + +The number of changes required to port from 0.91-compatible code to the 0.95 +code base are significant in some cases. However, they are, for the most part, +reasonably routine and only need to be done once. A list of the necessary +changes is described in the `Removing The Magic`_ wiki page. There is also an +easy checklist_ for reference when undertaking the porting operation. + +.. _Removing The Magic: http://code.djangoproject.com/wiki/RemovingTheMagic +.. _checklist: http://code.djangoproject.com/wiki/MagicRemovalCheatSheet1 + +Problem reports and getting help +================================ + +Need help resolving a problem with Django? The documentation in the distribution +is also available online_ at the `Django Web site`_. The :doc:`FAQ ` +document is especially recommended, as it contains a number of issues that come +up time and again. + +For more personalized help, the `django-users`_ mailing list is a very active +list, with more than 2,000 subscribers who can help you solve any sort of +Django problem. We recommend you search the archives first, though, because +many common questions appear with some regularity, and any particular problem +may already have been answered. + +Finally, for those who prefer the more immediate feedback offered by IRC, +there's a #django channel on irc.freenode.net that is regularly populated by +Django users and developers from around the world. Friendly people are usually +available at any hour of the day -- to help, or just to chat. + +.. _online: http://www.djangoproject.com/documentation/0.95/ +.. _Django Web site: http://www.djangoproject.com/ +.. _django-users: http://groups.google.com/group/django-users + +Thanks for using Django! + +The Django Team +July 2006 +