# ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'dotenv'

**URL:** <https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163>\
**Category:** Getting Started\
**Created:** [July 8, 2023, 7:45pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163 "2023-07-08T19:45:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![strikeouts27](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/strikeouts27/32/13899_2.png) [@strikeouts27](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/strikeouts27)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 7:45pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/1 "2023-07-08T19:45:01Z")

</div>

How do I get around ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'dot env

Stack Overflow Link: [Edit - Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com/posts/76644644/edit)

I am doing the official django tutorial polls app on part 5 which is about testing in django. As a part of the instructions I am supposed to go into my models.py file and run the python manage.py shell command to activate a shell terminal. From there I am supposed to run a series of commands to import things for my test.

Link to material: [Writing your first Django app, part 5 | Django documentation | Django](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/intro/tutorial05/)

The commands I need to run are:

```auto
>>> import datetime
>>> from django.utils import timezone
>>> from polls.models import Question
>>> # create a Question instance with pub_date 30 days in the future
>>> future_question = Question(pub_date=timezone.now() + datetime.timedelta(days=30))
>>> # was it published recently?
>>> future_question.was_published_recently()
True

```

I run the import datetime, and from django.utils import timezone and there are no issues.  
Once I get to from polls.models import Question I am hit with an error message no modulenotfounderror" no module named dot env.

any advice?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![strikeouts27](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/strikeouts27/32/13899_2.png) [@strikeouts27](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/strikeouts27)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 8:09pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/2 "2023-07-08T20:09:08Z")

</div>

settings.py

```auto
"""
Django settings for mysite project.

Generated by 'django-admin startproject' using Django 4.2.1.

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/
"""

from pathlib import Path
import os
from dotenv import load_dotenv, find_dotenv

load_dotenv(find_dotenv())

# 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 = os.environ["SECRET_KEY"]

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

ALLOWED_HOSTS = []

# Application definition

INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'polls.apps.PollsConfig',
    'django.contrib.admin', 
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.messages',
    'django.contrib.staticfiles',
]

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 = 'mysite.urls'

TEMPLATES = [
    {
        'BACKEND': 'django.template.backends.django.DjangoTemplates',
        'DIRS': [],
        '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 = 'mysite.wsgi.application'

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

DATABASES = {
    'default': {
        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql',
        'NAME': 'mysite_database',
    }
}

# 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 = 'US/CENTRAL'

USE_I18N = True

USE_TZ = True

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

STATIC_URL = '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'

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![strikeouts27](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/strikeouts27/32/13899_2.png) [@strikeouts27](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/strikeouts27)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2023, 9:02pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/3 "2023-07-08T21:02:28Z")

</div>

commented out the non imported things.

ran the python3 command to get my bash terminal to cooperate.

ran the python manage.py shell command.

ran the import datetime, polls.modles import Question,  
ModuleNotFoundError No module named ‘polls’ found.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KenWhitesell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/kenwhitesell/32/280_2.png) [@KenWhitesell](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/KenWhitesell)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 2:01am UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/4 "2023-07-09T02:01:05Z")

</div>

Please show the contents of the `INSTALLED_APPS` setting from your settings.py file along with the contents of the `apps.py` file in the `polls` directory.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![strikeouts27](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/strikeouts27/32/13899_2.png) [@strikeouts27](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/strikeouts27)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 2:36am UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/5 "2023-07-09T02:36:41Z")

</div>

I have been working all day on this and have not made progress so if you can be of help… I would greatly appreciate it…

settings.py

```auto
INSTALLED_APPS = [
    'polls.apps.PollsConfig',
    'django.contrib.admin', 
    'django.contrib.auth',
    'django.contrib.contenttypes',
    'django.contrib.sessions',
    'django.contrib.messages',
    'django.contrib.staticfiles',

```

apps.py

```auto
from django.apps import AppConfig

class PollsConfig(AppConfig):
    default_auto_field = 'django.db.models.BigAutoField'
    name = 'polls'

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KenWhitesell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/kenwhitesell/32/280_2.png) [@KenWhitesell](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/KenWhitesell)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 3:04am UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/6 "2023-07-09T03:04:24Z")

</div>

If you run `manage.py check`, what is the output?

---

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**Author:** ![strikeouts27](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/strikeouts27/32/13899_2.png) [@strikeouts27](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/strikeouts27)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 3:33am UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/7 "2023-07-09T03:33:44Z")

</div>

when running python manage.py check I get

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named ‘mysite’  
(project\_env) Andrews-MBP:mysite andrewstribling$

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KenWhitesell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/kenwhitesell/32/280_2.png) [@KenWhitesell](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/KenWhitesell)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/8 "2023-07-09T19:55:18Z")

</div>

To confirm, you’re in the “outer” directory named “mysite”. In that directory you have directories named “mysite” and “polls”, is that correct?

You have a `settings.py` file in the inner “mysite” directory?

Additionally, you have a `urls.py` file in both of those two directories?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![strikeouts27](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/strikeouts27/32/13899_2.png) [@strikeouts27](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/strikeouts27)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 8:38pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/9 "2023-07-09T20:38:27Z")

</div>

Yes that is correct I have an outer directory mysite and an inner directory with a folder named mysite. the polls app is in the mysite directory.  
Urls.py is located in the project root folter or inner mysite folder and there is a urls.py file for the polls app as well.

I am pretty certain you said no screenshots were allowed for code, but what about folder directory assistance?  
If not my github repository for this is

> **[GitHub - strikeouts27/mysite: Django tutorials official poll app](https://github.com/strikeouts27/mysite)**
>
> Django tutorials official poll app. Contribute to strikeouts27/mysite development by creating an account on GitHub.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KenWhitesell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/kenwhitesell/32/280_2.png) [@KenWhitesell](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/KenWhitesell)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 8:56pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/10 "2023-07-09T20:56:57Z")

</div>

First, I cloned your repo and tried running `manage.py check` on it. Once I cleaned up a couple things, it worked.

- I installed the `python-dotenv` package.
- I changed the timezone setting from “US/CENTRAL” (which flagged as an error) to “America/Chicago” (See [Settings | Django documentation | Django](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/ref/settings/#std-setting-TIME_ZONE))
- I corrected the DATABASES in the settings to include the other necessary fields - see [Settings | Django documentation | Django](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.2/ref/settings/#databases)

What version of python are you using? (What is the output of `python -V`?)

---

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**Author:** ![strikeouts27](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/strikeouts27/32/13899_2.png) [@strikeouts27](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/strikeouts27)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 9:17pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/11 "2023-07-09T21:17:37Z")

</div>

> [@KenWhitesell](#):
>
> ython -V

python 3.11.3

i ran the pip install python-dotenv command just now as well as updating the time zone.

I wonder why I am having these issues. I have pushed these changes up to my repo.

it seems that from dotenv is not working. however the load\_dotenv, and find\_dotenv is no longer having yellow lines underneath it. Is there some way for me to get the dotenv working?

any suggestions?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KenWhitesell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/kenwhitesell/32/280_2.png) [@KenWhitesell](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/KenWhitesell)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 9:39pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/12 "2023-07-09T21:39:52Z")

</div>

I don’t know what you mean here by “not working”.

---

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**Author:** ![strikeouts27](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/strikeouts27/32/13899_2.png) [@strikeouts27](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/strikeouts27)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/13 "2023-07-09T21:42:57Z")

</div>

in my settings.py there are the following lines of code.

```auto
from dotenv import load_dotenv, find_dotenv

```

dotenv is underlined in yellow and is showing as not defined.

it is throwing an error for my program.

i set up a virtual enviornment  
and ran the pip install python-dotenv and my dotenv is acting like it is not importina and my code is not working when I try to run the commands listed on part 5 of the tutorial.

when I try to run python manage.py shell and I get  
KeyError: ‘SECRET\_KEY’

After reviewing the python documentation I think I figured it out. Key Error means hey there is no key holding this information. I borrowed the line of code shown below because it was helping me with my secret\_key setup. But the thing is I don’t have access to that dictionary data. Either I need to revisit the instructions or find another way to set up my secret\_key.

```auto
SECRET_KEY=os.environ["SECRET_KEY"]

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KenWhitesell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/kenwhitesell/32/280_2.png) [@KenWhitesell](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/KenWhitesell)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 11:20pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/14 "2023-07-09T23:20:19Z")

</div>

> [@strikeouts27](#):
>
> dotenv is underlined in yellow and is showing as not defined.

That is your IDE doing that. Whether or not it’s significant is a completely separate issue.

> [@strikeouts27](#):
>
> ```auto
> SECRET_KEY=os.environ["SECRET_KEY"]
> ^^^^^^^^^^
> 
> ```

See the docs for [os.environ](https://docs.python.org/3/library/os.html#os.environ)

In _your_ own words, what do you think that line of code does?

---

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**Author:** ![strikeouts27](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/strikeouts27/32/13899_2.png) [@strikeouts27](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/strikeouts27)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 11:52pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/15 "2023-07-09T23:52:58Z")

</div>

> [@KenWhitesell](#):
>
> os.environ

Before checking the documentation that was a line of code someone gave me as part of a setup for a way to hide my secret key.  
Per the documentation,  
A [mapping](https://docs.python.org/3/glossary.html#term-mapping) object where keys and values are strings that represent the process environment. For example, `environ['HOME']` is the pathname of your home directory (on some platforms), and is equivalent to `getenv("HOME")` in C.

In my own words it seems like this is an object of some sort that influences the environment variables in my project.

per the documentation: This mapping may be used to modify the environment as well as query the environment. [`putenv()`](https://docs.python.org/3/library/os.html#os.putenv) will be called automatically when the mapping is modified.

I think this reinforces what I suspect.

Thinking this through my question are,

what are enviornment variables? → I will be looking that up in the python documentation

> **[Environment Variables in Python - Read, Print, Set - AskPython](https://www.askpython.com/python/environment-variables-in-python)**
>
> Environment Variables in Python can be accessed using os.environ object. Read, print and set python environment variables, environment variable exists.

“We can use Python os module “environ” property to get the dictionary of all the environment variables. When the os module is loaded by Python interpreter, the environ value is set. Any further changes in the environment variables through external programs will not get reflected in the already running Python program.”

Why are these lines of code necessary? → I need to check the stack overflow article that talked about setting this up.  
Link to that is here: [Where to store secret keys DJANGO - Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/15209978/where-to-store-secret-keys-django)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KenWhitesell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/kenwhitesell/32/280_2.png) [@KenWhitesell](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/KenWhitesell)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 12:00am UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/16 "2023-07-10T00:00:43Z")

</div>

> [@strikeouts27](#):
>
> In my own words it seems like this is an object of some sort that influences the environment variables in my project.

It can - more commonly, it’s used to give your program access environment variables. (Changing the environment in Django doesn’t do you a lot of good. The value in Django is allowing it to read those environment variables.)

> [@strikeouts27](#):
>
> I will be looking that up in the python documentation

That’s a good place to start, but you should be aware that environment variables exist for _every_ program that runs.

> [@strikeouts27](#):
>
> I need to check the stack overflow article that talked about setting this up.

Please, do yourself a favor and do _not_ rely up SO as a primary source of information. Save yourself some headaches and _always_ double-check anything you see on there from a primary source.

> [@strikeouts27](#):
>
> How is this code impacting my project, and what should I do with it?

Assuming you’re referring to:

> [@strikeouts27](#):
>
> `SECRET_KEY=os.environ["SECRET_KEY"]`

It’s getting the environment variable named `SECRET_KEY`, and assigning it to the settings variable named `SECRET_KEY`.

Until you are comfortable with environment variables and how they’re used, you can save yourself some problems by just assiging a secret key in your settings.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![strikeouts27](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/strikeouts27/32/13899_2.png) [@strikeouts27](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/strikeouts27)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 12:16am UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/17 "2023-07-10T00:16:58Z")

</div>

so the solution may be to remove this code and use git ignore to stop my secret\_keys from being uploaded to github

I need to check the documentation about the best way to save my secret keys. leaving it in settings.py leaves the secret key getting uploaded to github. I have been told to use a txt file and gitignore but if there is a more conventional way I am open to it.

---

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**Author:** ![KenWhitesell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/kenwhitesell/32/280_2.png) [@KenWhitesell](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/KenWhitesell)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 12:34am UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/18 "2023-07-10T00:34:37Z")

</div>

> [@strikeouts27](#):
>
> so the solution may be to remove this code and use git ignore to stop my secret\_keys from being uploaded to github

That’s one option, there are others.

Since we’re talking about a tutorial here, you could simply ignore the security issues with your SECRET\_KEY being in github. Yes, it’s not something you want to do with a real system - but while you’re learing your way through things, this is one of those issues that can safely be ignored.

---

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**Author:** ![aoulaa](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/aoulaa/32/17668_2.png) [@aoulaa](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/aoulaa)\
**Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 7:12pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/modulenotfounderror-no-module-named-dotenv/22163/19 "2023-12-08T19:12:39Z")

</div>

it migth be a bit late but did you try this ?

add these line to manay.py inside of main function

```
"""Run administrative tasks."""
dotenv.read_dotenv()

os.environ.setdefault('DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'path.settings')

```

also install django-dotenv and also don’t forget to uninstall python-dotenv

more info here [GitHub - jpadilla/django-dotenv: Loads environment variables from .env](https://github.com/jpadilla/django-dotenv)