Browser not reflecting the css files

Using Django Mystery Errors
1

My Django project is able to read the static files because my Java script files are loading. but my CSS files are not in the Networks tab of the browser. I have tried everything, but nothing is providing a solution. Here I am hoping that someone could help me here.
The project structure -

image
image492×902 37.9 KB

image
image515×1080 49 KB

The html file where I am calling these css files-

```{% load static %}
<html lang="en" data-bs-theme="auto">

<head>
    {% comment %} <script src="/docs/5.3/assets/js/color-modes.js"></script> {% endcomment %}

    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
    <title>Expense Eagle
        {% block title %}
        
        {% endblock title %} 
    </title>
    <link href="{% static 'css/bootstrap.min.css' %}" rel="stylesheet">
    <link href="{% static 'css/main.css' %}" rel="stylesheet">

    <link href="{% static 'css/dashboard.css' %}?v=2" rel="stylesheet">
</head>

<body>
  
    <div class="dropdown position-fixed bottom-0 end-0 mb-3 me-3 bd-mode-toggle">
        <button class="btn btn-bd-primary py-2 dropdown-toggle d-flex align-items-center" id="bd-theme" type="button"
            aria-expanded="false" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-label="Toggle theme (auto)">
            <svg class="bi my-1 theme-icon-active" width="1em" height="1em">
                <use href="#circle-half"></use>
            </svg>
            <span class="visually-hidden" id="bd-theme-text">Toggle theme</span>
        </button>
        <ul class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-end shadow" aria-labelledby="bd-theme-text">
            <li>
                <button type="button" class="dropdown-item d-flex align-items-center" data-bs-theme-value="light"
                    aria-pressed="false">
                    <svg class="bi me-2 opacity-50 theme-icon" width="1em" height="1em">
                        <use href="#sun-fill"></use>
                    </svg>
                    Light
                    <svg class="bi ms-auto d-none" width="1em" height="1em">
                        <use href="#check2"></use>
                    </svg>
                </button>
            </li>
            <li>
                <button type="button" class="dropdown-item d-flex align-items-center" data-bs-theme-value="dark"
                    aria-pressed="false">
                    <svg class="bi me-2 opacity-50 theme-icon" width="1em" height="1em">
                        <use href="#moon-stars-fill"></use>
                    </svg>
                    Dark
                    <svg class="bi ms-auto d-none" width="1em" height="1em">
                        <use href="#check2"></use>
                    </svg>
                </button>
            </li>
            <li>
                <button type="button" class="dropdown-item d-flex align-items-center active" data-bs-theme-value="auto"
                    aria-pressed="true">
                    <svg class="bi me-2 opacity-50 theme-icon" width="1em" height="1em">
                        <use href="#circle-half"></use>
                    </svg>
                    Auto
                    <svg class="bi ms-auto d-none" width="1em" height="1em">
                        <use href="#check2"></use>
                    </svg>
                </button>
            </li>
        </ul>
    </div>

    <main role="main" class="col-md-12">

        {% block content %}

        {% endblock %}

    </main>
    <script src="{% static 'js/main.js' %}"></script>
</body>

</html>

The seetings.py file -

"""
Django settings for expenseswebsite project.

Generated by 'django-admin startproject' using Django 4.2.5.

For more information on this file, see
https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/topics/settings/

For the full list of settings and their values, see
https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/ref/settings/
"""
import os
from pathlib import Path
import django_heroku
import mimetypes
from django.contrib import messages

# Build paths inside the project like this: BASE_DIR / 'subdir'.
BASE_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent


# Quick-start development settings - unsuitable for production
# See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/howto/deployment/checklist/

# SECURITY WARNING: keep the secret key used in production secret!
SECRET_KEY = 'django-insecure-7vk3d4d%m8qb29n=%e7_)j0q^1=&-rhwzmelo*+r#^+l$0bspw'

# SECURITY WARNING: don't run with debug turned on in production!
DEBUG = True

ALLOWED_HOSTS = []


# Application definition

INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'django.contrib.admin',
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.messages',
    'django.contrib.staticfiles',
    'expenses',
    'authentication'
]

MIDDLEWARE = [
    'django.middleware.security.SecurityMiddleware',
    'django.contrib.sessions.middleware.SessionMiddleware',
    'django.middleware.common.CommonMiddleware',
    'django.middleware.csrf.CsrfViewMiddleware',
    'django.contrib.auth.middleware.AuthenticationMiddleware',
    'django.contrib.messages.middleware.MessageMiddleware',
    'django.middleware.clickjacking.XFrameOptionsMiddleware',
]

ROOT_URLCONF = 'expenseswebsite.urls'

TEMPLATES = [
    {
        'BACKEND': 'django.template.backends.django.DjangoTemplates',
        'DIRS': [os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'templates')],
        'APP_DIRS': True,
        'OPTIONS': {
            'context_processors': [
                'django.template.context_processors.debug',
                'django.template.context_processors.request',
                'django.contrib.auth.context_processors.auth',
                'django.contrib.messages.context_processors.messages',
            ],
        },
    },
]

WSGI_APPLICATION = 'expenseswebsite.wsgi.application'


# Database
# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/ref/settings/#databases

DATABASES = {
    'default': {
        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql_psycopg2',
        'NAME': os.environ.get('DB_NAME', 'incomeexpensesdb'),
        'USER': os.environ.get('DB_USER', 'postgres'),
        'PASSWORD': os.environ.get('DB_USER_PASSWORD', 'root'),
        'HOST': os.environ.get('DB_HOST', 'localhost'),
        'PORT': os.environ.get('DB_PORT', '5432'),
    }
}

# Password validation
# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/ref/settings/#auth-password-validators

AUTH_PASSWORD_VALIDATORS = [
    {
        'NAME': 'django.contrib.auth.password_validation.UserAttributeSimilarityValidator',
    },
    {
        'NAME': 'django.contrib.auth.password_validation.MinimumLengthValidator',
    },
    {
        'NAME': 'django.contrib.auth.password_validation.CommonPasswordValidator',
    },
    {
        'NAME': 'django.contrib.auth.password_validation.NumericPasswordValidator',
    },
]


# Internationalization
# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/topics/i18n/

LANGUAGE_CODE = 'en-us'

TIME_ZONE = 'UTC'

USE_I18N = True

USE_TZ = True


# Static files (CSS, JavaScript, Images)
# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/howto/static-files/

STATIC_URL = '/static/'
STATICFILES_DIRS = [
    os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'expenseswebsite', 'static'),
]
# print(STATICFILES_DIRS)
# STATIC_ROOT = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'expenseswebsite/static')

# Default primary key field type
# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/ref/settings/#default-auto-field

DEFAULT_AUTO_FIELD = 'django.db.models.BigAutoField'
django_heroku.settings(locals())

mimetypes.add_type("text/css", ".css", True)

MESSAGE_TAGS={
    messages.ERROR: 'danger'
}```


the browser's network tab - 
![image|690x365](upload://8liCnVIhtgmjcFOwWhMWix89lna.png)


Please help me.
2

Hi dev, this issue did you notice it after deployment or before deployment on Heroku?

Help us, so that we can help you?

Footnote: Don’t reveal your project SECRET_KEY pls

3

Hey dev, thanks for pointing out that I should keep my secret key hidden, for the context this is just a practice project to practice django. And no I havent deployed it on the heroku I began to setup heroku but left it in middle.

4

As far as I can see with the screenshots, your BASE_DIR targets the expenseswebsite directory.

This is confirmed by the fact that your templates are correctly loading when adding os.path.join(BASE_SITE, "templates") in your TEMPLATES > DIRS setting.

As your static directory is at the same level as your templates directory, the STATICSFILES_DIRS should be

STATICFILES_DIRS = [
    os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'static'),
]

instead of

However, I think your project structure is wrong. I think your settings.py file (as well as urls.py, wsgi.py, …) are under the static directory, which is bad in the sense this would expose your application`s code.

You probably want to put those files directly under expenseswebsite directory, then adapt your BASE_DIR or TEMPLATES > DIRS / STATICFILES_DIRS accordingly.