There is support for three different types of interactive python shells.

IPython:

$ ./manage.py shell_plus --use-ipython

BPython:

$ ./manage.py shell_plus --use-bpython

Python:

$ ./manage.py shell_plus --use-plain

The default resolution order is: bpython, ipython, python.

You can also set the configuration option SHELL_PLUS to explicitly specify which version you want.

# Always use IPython for shell_plus
SHELL_PLUS = "ipython"

Sometimes, models from your own apps and other peoples apps have colliding names, or you may want to completly skip loading an apps models. Here are some examples of how to do that.

Note: This settings are just used inside shell_plus and will not affect your envirnoment.

# Rename the automatic loaded module Messages in the app blog to blog_messages.
SHELL_PLUS_MODEL_ALIASES = {'blog': {'Messages': 'blog_messages'},}
}

# Dont load the 'sites' app, and skip the model 'pictures' in the app 'blog'
SHELL_PLUS_DONT_LOAD = ['sites', 'blog.pictures']
}

You can also combine model_aliases and dont_load.

It is also possible to ignore autoloaded modules when using manage.py, like

$ ./manage.py shell_plus --dont-load app1 --dont-load app2.module1

And, commandline parameters and settings in the configuration file is merged, so you can safely append modules to ignore from the commandline for one time usage.

It is possible to use IPython Notebook, an interactive Python shell which uses a web browser as its user interface, as an alternative shell:

$ ./manage.py shell_plus --notebook

The Django settings module and database models are auto-loaded into the interactive shell's global namespace also for IPython Notebook.

Auto-loading is done by a custom IPython extension which is activated by default by passing the --ext django_extensions.management.notebook_extension argument to the Notebook. If you need to pass custom options to the IPython Notebook, you can override the default options in your Django settings using the IPYTHON_ARGUMENTS setting. For example:

IPYTHON_ARGUMENTS = [
    '--ext', 'django_extensions.management.notebook_extension',
    '--ext', 'myproject.notebook_extension',
    '--debug',
]

To activate auto-loading, remember to either include django-extensions' default notebook extension or copy the auto-loading code from it into your own extension.

Note that the IPython Notebook feature doesn't currently honor the --dont-load option.