Django 'django.db.utils.OperationalError: no such table' (or 'relation does not exist') after pulling code, switching database or adding an app: how to fix unapplied migrations

Cause: Django queried a table that does not exist in the database it is connected to. Usual reasons: migrations were never applied to this database (new checkout, new SQLite file, fresh container, test or production environment), a new model or app was added but makemigrations was never run, the app has no migrations folder, or settings point at a different database than you think. Django compares models to migration files, not to the live database, so it will not warn you until a query fails. Fix (best first): 1. See what is pending: python manage.py showmigrations (applied ones are marked [X]), or python manage.py migrate --plan. 2. Apply them: python manage.py migrate. For several databases use --database=<alias> for each configured alias. 3. If you changed models, create migration files first: python manage.py makemigrations (add the app label if the app has no migrations folder, for example makemigrations myapp), review the generated file, commit it, then run migrate. 4. If the table exists but Django thinks the migration is unapplied (adopting migrations on an existing schema), use migrate --fake-initial for the initial migration only, and only when the schema truly matches the models. Avoid --fake otherwise, since it can desync Django's record from reality. 5. Confirm which database is in use: check DATABASES in settings and any DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE or DATABASE_URL environment variable in the failing environment. In containers, run migrate on startup or as a deploy step. 6. Apps without migrations only get tables from migrate --run-syncdb, which the docs describe as not recommended; prefer creating migrations. 7. In CI, run makemigrations --check --dry-run and migrate --check to catch missing or unapplied migrations early. Verify: showmigrations shows [X] for every migration, and the failing page or query now runs without OperationalError. Sources: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/stable/topics/migrations/ https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/stable/ref/django-admin/