Django Messaging¶

A lightweight, extensible Django app for private messaging, built for easy integration.

Overview¶

Django Messaging is a comprehensive messaging solution for Django applications that provides real-time private messaging, group chats, and embedded chat widgets. It's designed to be flexible, easy to integrate, and highly customizable.

Key Features¶

Real-time Messaging System¶

• Supports both WebSocket and polling transport mechanisms for live message delivery without page refresh
• Messages appear instantly in the recipient's message list
• Read receipts track message read status with visual indicators

Multiple Chat Types¶

• Direct Messages (DMs): One-on-one private conversations between users
• Group Chats: Multi-user conversations with member management
• Chat Rooms: Public or private chat rooms that can be attached to any content object

Message Interactions¶

• Reactions: Users can react to messages with emojis
• Edit Messages: Users can edit their own messages with real-time updates
• Delete Messages: Users can delete their own messages
• Message Search: Full-text search across messages with highlighted results

User Management¶

• User Search: Search users by full name, username, or email
• Member Management: Add/remove members from group chats with admin controls
• Role-based Permissions: Admin/member roles for chat management
• Customizable Contact List: Control who users can message

Embedded Widgets¶

• DM Widget: Embeddable direct message widget for user profiles
• Room Widget: Embeddable chat room for any content object
• Reusable chat components using Django {% include %} template tags

Developer-Friendly¶

• RESTful API: Complete API with Django REST Framework for all chat operations
• Template-based UI: Modular, reusable Django template components
• ASGI and WSGI Compatible: Works with both ASGI servers (WebSocket) and traditional WSGI servers (polling)
• Lazy Loading: Efficient message pagination with automatic DOM cleanup
• Internationalization Ready: Built with i18n in mind

Compatibility¶

Benefits¶

• Save Development Time: Saves at least 2.5 weeks of AI-powered development work
• Highly Flexible: All functionality can be extended, overwritten, or replaced
• Easy Integration: Simple setup with minimal configuration required
• Beautiful UI: Pretty default styling with light and dark modes
• Accessible: Optimized for keyboard and mouse accessibility
• No Vendor Lock-in: MIT license, no recurring subscriptions, no domain limitations
• Production Ready: Used in real-world projects like PyBazaar and Make-Impact.org

Quick Example¶

Standalone Messages Page¶

Navigate to /messages/ to access the full messaging interface.

Embedded DM Widget¶

Include the DM widget in a user profile template:

{% if MESSAGING_SETTINGS.ENABLE_DMS and request.user != contact_user %}
    {% include "messaging/includes/dm.html" with contact_user=contact_user %}
{% endif %}

Embedded Chat Room¶

Include a chat room for any content object:

{% if MESSAGING_SETTINGS.ENABLE_CHAT_ROOMS %}
    {% include "messaging/includes/room.html" with content_object=object %}
{% endif %}

Getting Started¶

Ready to add messaging to your Django project? Check out our Installation Guide to get started in minutes.

Want to see it in action first? Try the demo project to explore all features.

Support¶

For technical questions, feature requests, or bug reports, please contact Aidas Bendoraitis at https://www.djangotricks.com/feedback/.

License¶

Django Messaging is released under the MIT License. See License for details.