django-browser-reload

What it is and what it does

django-browser-reload is a Django middleware and template tag that injects a listener script into your HTML pages during development. When you save changes to Python code, templates, or static files, the script receives a server-sent event and automatically reloads the most recently active browser tab, eliminating the need for manual refresh.

The package works by establishing a persistent EventSource connection from a SharedWorker in your browser to a Django view. When Django's autoreload system detects file changes or the server restarts, the view sends events that trigger a reload. It supports both WSGI and ASGI, works with Django's Content Security Policy middleware on version 6.0+, and can be deployed via middleware for automatic injection or via template tags for selective page control.

Use it for:

• Accelerate frontend development iteration by seeing CSS, JavaScript, and template changes instantly without manual browser refresh.
• Debug template rendering issues faster by watching changes propagate to the browser in real time.
• Test responsive design across multiple browser tabs while editing, with only the most recently used tab reloading to avoid disruption.
• Integrate into a Django admin customization workflow to see admin template changes reflected immediately.
• Combine with django-watchfiles for even faster file detection and reloading during active development.

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

Automatically reloads your browser when you modify Python code, templates, or static files during Django development, eliminating manual refresh cycles.

Yes. This is a low-friction development tool with no security vulnerabilities, active maintenance, permissive licensing, and minimal dependencies. It directly addresses a common Django developer pain point—manual browser refresh during iteration—and is mature enough for production-grade development workflows. Install it in any Django 4.2+ project running on Python 3.9+ where you want faster feedback loops during local development.

Install

django-browser-reload on PyPI

pip install django-browser-reload

uv add django-browser-reload

poetry add django-browser-reload

Installing django-browser-reload

Before you install

Low friction install with only asgiref and django as runtime dependencies. Actively maintained with recent commits and a stable release history since 2021.

License in practice

MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in both open-source and commercial projects.

Quickstart

pip install django-browser-reload

# In settings.py
INSTALLED_APPS = [
    "django.contrib.staticfiles",
    "django_browser_reload",
]

MIDDLEWARE = [
    "django_browser_reload.middleware.BrowserReloadMiddleware",
]

# In urls.py
urlpatterns = [
    path("__reload__/", include("django_browser_reload.urls")),
]

# Run with DEBUG=True
python manage.py runserver

Requires DEBUG=True to function. Browser must support EventSource and SharedWorker (available on Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, and Safari 16+). runserver must not use the --nothreading option.

Verify before relying

• Whether performance impact is negligible when many tabs are open simultaneously.
• Compatibility with custom WSGI/ASGI servers beyond Django's built-in runserver.

Package facts

Evidence: django_browser_reload-1.21.0-py3-none-any.whl

Keywords: Django

Tags

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