Django Simple Queue¶

A lightweight, database-backed task queue for Django applications.

Overview¶

Django Simple Queue provides a simple way to run background tasks in Django using your existing database as the message broker. No additional infrastructure like Redis or RabbitMQ is required.

Features¶

Database-backed: Uses your existing Django database as the queue broker
Subprocess isolation: Each task runs in its own subprocess for memory safety
Generator support: Stream output from long-running tasks with generator functions
Lifecycle signals: Hook into task execution with Django signals
Orphan detection: Automatically detects and handles crashed worker processes
Task timeout: Configurable timeout to prevent runaway tasks
Admin interface: View and manage tasks through Django admin
Allowlist security: Restrict which callables can be executed

Quick Example¶

# myapp/tasks.py
def send_welcome_email(user_id, template="default"):
    from myapp.models import User
    user = User.objects.get(id=user_id)
    # Send email...
    return f"Email sent to {user.email}"

# Enqueue a task
from django_simple_queue.utils import create_task

task_id = create_task(
    task="myapp.tasks.send_welcome_email",
    args={"user_id": 42, "template": "welcome"}
)

# Start the worker
python manage.py task_worker

When to Use¶

Django Simple Queue is ideal for:

Small to medium applications that don't need the complexity of Celery
Development environments where you want a simple queue without extra services
Applications already using PostgreSQL that can leverage its locking features
Teams that want minimal operational overhead

For high-throughput applications or those requiring advanced features like task chaining, routing, or rate limiting, consider Celery or Django-Q2.

Installation¶

pip install django-simple-queue

See the Installation Guide for detailed setup instructions.

License¶

MIT License