django-private-storage

3.1.3 verified Fri May 01 auth: no python

Provides private media file storage for Django projects, allowing files to be served only to authenticated users with permission checks. Version 3.1.3 is current. Release cadence is irregular.

pip install django-private-storage

Common errors

error django.core.exceptions.ImproperlyConfigured: PRIVATE_STORAGE_ROOT is not set. ↓

cause Missing PRIVATE_STORAGE_ROOT setting.

fix

Add PRIVATE_STORAGE_ROOT = '/path/to/storage/' to your Django settings.

error AttributeError: module 'private_storage.storage' has no attribute 'PrivateStorage' ↓

cause Wrong import path in version 3.

fix

Use from private_storage.storage.filesystem import PrivateStorage.

Warnings

gotcha The default auth function is `allow_staff` (only staff users). If you want all authenticated users, set `PRIVATE_STORAGE_AUTH_FUNCTION = 'private_storage.permissions.allow_authenticated'`. ↓

fix Set the auth function explicitly in Django settings.

gotcha PrivateStorage does not work with the default Django file storage; it requires a custom storage backend. Do not use `DefaultStorage` or `FileSystemStorage` for private files. ↓

fix Use `from private_storage.storage.filesystem import PrivateStorage` as the storage class.

deprecated Before version 3, the import path was `from private_storage.storage import PrivateStorage`. In v3, the storage classes moved to submodules. ↓

fix Use `from private_storage.storage.filesystem import PrivateStorage`.

Imports

PrivateStorage
wrong
```
from private_storage import PrivateStorage
```
correct
```
from private_storage.storage.filesystem import PrivateStorage
```
Wrong: PrivateStorage is not defined at the package level; must import from the specific submodule.

PrivateMediaView

wrong

from private_storage.views.PrivateStorage import ...

correct

from private_storage.views import PrivateMediaView

Wrong: PrivateMediaView is a class-based view in private_storage.views.

Quickstart

Add to INSTALLED_APPS, configure root and auth function, then use PrivateStorage as the storage backend.

INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'private_storage',
    ...
]

PRIVATE_STORAGE_ROOT = '/path/to/private/media/'
PRIVATE_STORAGE_AUTH_FUNCTION = 'private_storage.permissions.allow_authenticated'

from private_storage.storage.filesystem import PrivateStorage
private_storage = PrivateStorage()