Dynamic serializers are extremely useful to make flexible APIs.
Why do we need dynamic serializers
Flexibility: It provides flexibility. We often run into issues, where we need a serializer but not all the fields from that serializer. In that case dynamic serializers are especially useful to use subsets of data.
Code Reusability: No need to write multiple serializers anymore, a single dynamic serializer can achieve various needs.
Performance: If we only pick the fields we need, it will immensely improve the overall performance.
While it has good advantages, it comes with few complexities as well. It can make debugging a little difficult and we can come across with errors if we do not follow good practices and test all kind of edge cases.
Implementation:
class DynamicSerializer(ModelSerializer):
"""
A ModelSerializer that takes an additional 'fields'
argument that controls which fields should be displayed.
"""
def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
fields = kwargs.pop('fields', None)
# Instantiate the superclass normally
super(DynamicFieldsModelSerializer, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
if fields is not None:
# Drop any fields that are not specified in the `fields` argument.
allowed = set(fields)
existing = set(self.fields.keys())
for field_name in existing - allowed:
self.fields.pop(field_name)
# Example usage in a view
class UserSerializer(DynamicFieldsModelSerializer):
class Meta:
model = User
fields = '__all__' `
# In your view
serializer = UserSerializer(user, fields=('id', 'username', 'email'))
Conclusion:
Dynamic serializer is powerful tool in Django, especially for large and complex projects.
Proper implementation and thorough testing are important to achieve good and optimised results.
Top comments (0)