Django: Constraint on multiple model fields

Question

Example:

class Author(models.Model):
    first_name = models.CharField()
    last_name = models.CharField()

    def _get_full_name(self):
       return '{0} {1}'.format(self.first_name, self.last_name)

   full_name = property(_get_full_name)

What's the recommended way of putting a unique constaint on the full_name? Was thinking of overwriting save but maybe there are better solutions?

Answer 1

Take a look at the Meta class option unique_together

You could do it this way:

class Author(models.Model):
    first_name = models.CharField()
    last_name = models.CharField()

    def _get_full_name(self):
       return '{0} {1}'.format(self.first_name, self.last_name)

    full_name = property(_get_full_name)

    class Meta: 
       unique_together = ("first_name", "last_name")

The advantage is that this is enforced at the DB level with the proper UNIQUE SQL statements.

Answer 2

unique_together

unique_together = ("first_name", "last_name")