values()¶

values(*fields, **expressions)¶

Returns a QuerySet that returns dictionaries, rather than model instances, when used as an iterable.

Each of those dictionaries represents an object, with the keys corresponding to the attribute names of model objects.

This example compares the dictionaries of values() with the normal model objects:

The values() method takes optional positional arguments, *fields, which specify field names to which the SELECT should be limited. If you specify the fields, each dictionary will contain only the field keys/values for the fields you specify. If you don’t specify the fields, each dictionary will contain a key and value for every field in the database table.

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Example:

The values() method also takes optional keyword arguments, **expressions, which are passed through to annotate():

You can use built-in and custom lookups in ordering. For example:

An aggregate within a values() clause is applied before other arguments within the same values() clause. If you need to group by another value, add it to an earlier values() clause instead. For example:

A few subtleties that are worth mentioning:

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  If you have a field called foo that is a ForeignKey, the default values() call will return a dictionary key called foo_id, since this is the name of the hidden model attribute that stores the actual value (the foo attribute refers to the related model). When you are calling values() and passing in field names, you can pass in either foo or foo_id and you will get back the same thing (the dictionary key will match the field name you passed in).

  For example:

• When using values() together with distinct(), be aware that ordering can affect the results. See the note in distinct() for details.

• If you use a values() clause after an extra() call, any fields defined by a select argument in the extra() must be explicitly included in the values() call. Any extra() call made after a values() call will have its extra selected fields ignored.

• Calling only() and defer() after values() doesn’t make sense, so doing so will raise a TypeError.

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  Combining transforms and aggregates requires the use of two annotate() calls, either explicitly or as keyword arguments to values(). As above, if the transform has been registered on the relevant field type the first annotate() can be omitted, thus the following examples are equivalent:

It is useful when you know you’re only going to need values from a small number of the available fields and you won’t need the functionality of a model instance object. It’s more efficient to select only the fields you need to use.

Finally, note that you can call filter(), order_by(), etc. after the values() call, that means that these two calls are identical:

The people who made Django prefer to put all the SQL-affecting methods first, followed (optionally) by any output-affecting methods (such as values()), but it doesn’t really matter. This is your chance to really flaunt your individualism.

You can also refer to fields on related models with reverse relations through OneToOneField, ForeignKey and ManyToManyField attributes: