How to make circular imports for included fields

[Nekidev]

I have the following serializers:

# Module 1
from artist.serializers import ArtistSerializer

class ImageSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
    included_serializers = {
        "artist": ArtistSerializer
    }

    class Meta:
        model = Image
        fields = ["artist"]


# Module 2
from image.serializers import ImageSerializer

class ArtistSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
    included_serializers = {
        "images": ImageSerializer
    }

    class Meta:
        model = Artist
        fields = ["images"]

The images field is a reverse relationship.

This raises a circular dependendy error. I have already tried importing the serializers from inside of the class, but this does not work because when one class is imported, the circular dependency problem starts again. Is there any way that this can be done without importing the serializers to each module? I cannot move the 2 serializers to the same module to fix the error since they need to be in their own apps. Is this impossible?

[sliverc]

Hi @Nekidev. This is a good question. Django REST framework JSON:API supports dotted import string to define included serializers.

This could look something likes this:

class ImageSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
    included_serializers = {
        "artist": "artist.serializers.ArtistSerializer"
    }

    class Meta:
        model = Image
        fields = ["artist"]

Defining the serializers as dotted import string should resolve your circular import problem.

[Nekidev]

Thanks, I had tried using a string but without the serializers module since models do not require it.