Django Soft Deletion 🚀

Django Soft Deletion is a Django-based library that enables soft deletion by using a deleted_at timestamp instead of permanently removing records. This allows you to mark objects as deleted while keeping them in the database.

📌 Features

✅ Soft Delete Models – Records are hidden, not deleted.
✅ Custom QuerySet – Easily filter active and deleted records.
✅ Works with Django ORM – No need for major changes in your models.
✅ Cascade Soft Delete Support – Automatically soft deletes related objects.
✅ Signal Support – Pre and post soft delete signals included.

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📦 Installation

pip install git+https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/django-soft-deletion.git

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🔧 Usage

1️⃣ Add SoftDeleteModel to Your Models

Extend SoftDeleteModel in your models to enable soft deletion:

from soft_deletion.models import SoftDeleteModel

class MyModel(SoftDeleteModel):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=255)

2️⃣ Soft Delete an Object

Instead of permanently deleting an object, soft delete it:

obj = MyModel.objects.get(id=1)
obj.soft_delete()

3️⃣ Query Active or Deleted Objects

Use the built-in queryset filters:

# Get only active (non-deleted) records
MyModel.objects.active()

# Get only soft-deleted records
MyModel.objects.deleted()

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⚡ Soft Delete Behavior with Foreign Keys

django-soft-deletion respects Django's on_delete behavior.

class RelatedModel(SoftDeleteModel):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=255)

class MyModel(SoftDeleteModel):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=255)
    related = models.ForeignKey(RelatedModel, on_delete=models.CASCADE)

• on_delete=models.CASCADE → Related objects are also soft deleted.
• on_delete=models.SET_NULL → The foreign key is set to NULL when soft deleting.
• on_delete=models.PROTECT → Prevents soft deletion if related objects exist.

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📜 Soft Delete Signals

You can hook into soft delete events using signals:

from soft_deletion.signals import pre_soft_delete, post_soft_delete

def pre_delete_handler(sender, instance, **kwargs):
    print(f"About to soft delete: {instance}")

pre_soft_delete.connect(pre_delete_handler, sender=MyModel)

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✅ Running Tests

To ensure everything works correctly, run:

pytest

Or using Django's test framework:

python manage.py test