What exactly does the db.sqlite3 file contain in a Django project?

The entire local database, including every table, row, and user account Only the project's static files (CSS, JS, images) A backup of the settings.py configuration A log file of past database migrations only

Why didn't Django automatically prevent db.sqlite3 from being committed to GitHub?

Because Django doesn't manage Git configuration, that's the developer's responsibility Because GitHub blocks database files automatically, so this shouldn't have happened Because SQLite files are encrypted by default Because .gitignore is created automatically by Django on project start

If db.sqlite3 was already committed before adding it to .gitignore, what's needed to actually stop tracking it?

Run git rm --cached db.sqlite3, then commit the change Just add db.sqlite3 to .gitignore, Git handles the rest automatically Delete the GitHub repository and create a new one Rename the file so Git no longer recognizes it

Why is exposing the Django SECRET_KEY particularly dangerous?

It's used to sign cookies and sessions, so it can be used to forge authentication tokens It's used to encrypt the database file itself It grants direct SSH access to the production server It's required to run any Django management command

What's the recommended way to handle secrets like SECRET_KEY according to the article?

Store them in a local .env file loaded via python-decouple, and commit a .env.example with placeholders Hardcode them directly in settings.py since it's simpler to manage Store them in a public GitHub Gist for easy access Email them to yourself as a backup

According to the article, what should you do before your very first commit on a new Django project?

Add a .gitignore for db.sqlite3 and .env, move SECRET_KEY to an env variable, and set DEBUG=False in production Deploy to production first, then worry about security once there are real users Only add .gitignore rules once a security incident actually happens Keep DEBUG=True in production for easier troubleshooting