[DEPR]: Old Django settings modules

[kdmccormick]

RFC Start Date

2025-06-24

Target Plan Accepted Date

2025-07-08

Target Transition Unblocked Date

Transition is already unblocked

Earliest Breaking Changes Unblocked Date

2025-07-22

Earliest Open edX Named Release with Breaking Changes

Ulmo - 2025-10

Rationale

We have several Django settings files which have not been actively developed or supported for years. We are not aware of any usage of them.

They cause confusion and un-neccessarily consume contributor attention during upgrades.

Note on devstack-related files

All devstack-related settings files were already deprecated when Devstack was deprecated, including:

• */envs/devstack.py
• */envs/devstack_docker.py (just an alias to devstack.py)
• */envs/devstack_with_worker.py
• */envs/devstack_optimized.py
• */envs/devstack-experimental.yml

However, we did not immediately remove */envs/devstack.py because Tutor is still using it. As part of this DEPR, we will leave */envs/devstack.py in place, but remove the others.

Note to 2U: edx/devstack is still using */envs/devstack_with_worker.py. You'll need to copy that into the edx/devstack repo just like you did with */envs/devstack.py.

Removal

We will delete:

• cms/envs/analytics_exporter.py
• cms/envs/devstack-experimental.yml
• cms/envs/devstack_docker.py
• cms/envs/devstack_optimized.py
• cms/envs/devstack_with_worker.py
• cms/envs/openstack.py
• cms/envs/test_static_optimized.py
• lms/envs/analytics_exporter.py
• lms/envs/devstack-experimental.yml
• lms/envs/devstack_docker.py
• lms/envs/devstack_optimized.py
• lms/envs/devstack_with_worker.py
• lms/envs/docker-production.py
• lms/envs/openstack.py
• lms/envs/static.py
• lms/envs/test_static_optimized.py

Replacement

Today, these are the supported production settings files:

• lms/envs/production.py
• cms/envs/production.py

Furthermore, these dev settings files are not officially supported, but they will continue existing for now, as Tutor relies on them:

• lms/envs/devstack.py
• cms/envs/devstack.py

In the future, the supported settings files will change. See https://github.com/openedx/edx-platform/blob/master/docs/decisions/0022-settings-simplification.rst.

Deprecation

No plan

Additional Info

None

Task List

• feat!: Remove unused Django settings files #36908

[timmc-edx]

The docker-production env is useful inside Docker -- I haven't looked into the details, but we currently use it at 2U because otherwise the result of any management command is filled with tons of stacktraces. Something about adjusting the logging to match the Docker environment. Maybe there could be an environment variable to support a transition away from that?

[kdmccormick]

Do you have any suggestions @timmc-edx ?

[robrap]

Thanks @kdmccormick. Here is a github search for some usage at 2U.

I don't have anything against acceptance of the plan in general. I would like some scheduled transition time for any files that are in use. For anything not in use, they could be removed earlier.