Django rest framework, use different serializers in the same ModelViewSet

Using Different Serializers in the Same ModelViewSet in Django Rest Framework

Are you facing the challenge of using different serializers in the same Django Rest Framework ModelViewSet? Maybe you want to display different information in the list view compared to the detail view and struggling to find a clean and efficient solution. Don't worry, we've got you covered! In this blog post, we'll address this common issue and provide you with easy solutions to implement in your project. 😎

The Problem

Let's say you have a ModelViewSet where you want to use different serializers for the list view and the detail view. In the list view, you want to display a summarized version of the model with a few fields and some related information. But in the detail view, you want to provide more detailed information, including hyperlinks to related models.

The Solution

Option 1: Creating Separate Serializers

One approach is to create separate serializers for the list view and the detail view. This allows you to customize each serializer according to your specific needs. Let's start by creating the serializers in your serializers.py:

serializers.py

from rest_framework import serializers

# Serializer to use when showing a list
class ListaGruppi(serializers.ModelSerializer):
    membri = serializers.StringRelatedField(many=True)
    creatore = serializers.StringRelatedField(many=False)

    class Meta:
        model = models.Gruppi
        fields = ['url', 'nome', 'descrizione', 'creatore', 'accesso', 'membri']

# Serializer to use when showing the details
class DettaglioGruppi(serializers.HyperlinkedModelSerializer):
    class Meta:
        model = models.Gruppi
        fields = ['url', 'nome', 'descrizione', 'creatore', 'accesso', 'membri']

In the ListaGruppi serializer, we use the StringRelatedField to display the related fields as strings. This way, we can show the related objects using their __str__ representation. In the DettaglioGruppi serializer, we use the HyperlinkedModelSerializer to generate hyperlinks for the related fields.

Option 2: Using a Custom Base ModelViewSet

If you want a more elegant solution, you can create a custom base ModelViewSet that automatically selects the serializer based on the action being performed. This approach reduces code duplication and makes it easier to manage multiple serializers. Here's how you can do it:

views.py

from rest_framework import viewsets

class MultiSerializerViewSet(viewsets.ModelViewSet):
    serializers = {
        'default': None,
    }

    def get_serializer_class(self):
        return self.serializers.get(self.action, self.serializers['default'])

class GruppiViewSet(MultiSerializerViewSet):
    model = models.Gruppi

    serializers = {
        'list': serializers.ListaGruppi,
        'retrieve': serializers.DettaglioGruppi,
        # Add more serializers for other actions if needed
    }

    # Other viewset configurations...

In this approach, we create a MultiSerializerViewSet class that extends viewsets.ModelViewSet. Inside this class, we define a dictionary serializers that maps each action (e.g., 'list', 'retrieve') to the corresponding serializer class. The get_serializer_class method automatically selects the appropriate serializer based on the current action.

The Call-to-Action

Now that you have learned the easy solutions to use different serializers in the same ModelViewSet in Django Rest Framework, it's time to put this knowledge into practice! Start by applying the solution that suits your project's requirements and see the magic happen 🪄.

If you found this blog post helpful, don't forget to share it with your fellow Django developers who might be facing the same challenge. And, of course, let us know in the comments below if you have any other questions or topics you'd like us to cover.

Happy coding! 💻🚀