[GH-ISSUE #717] ArchiveBox incompatible with Django versions below v3: Invalid template library specified error

kerem commented

2026-03-01 14:43:42 +03:00

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Originally created by @ekianjo on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox/issues/717

Describe the bug

Followed the install instructions on debian, and once I tried to run the server it works, but gives me a Django related template error when I try to hit the :8000 url:

"Invalid template library specified"
No module named 'django.contrib.admin.templatetags.base'

Steps to reproduce

Followed apt install steps for Debian
created empty folder
ran archivebox setup in it
created user and super user following tutorial
checked that all with fine with --version : no error reported
launched server: archivebox server myip:8000
Tried the myip:8000 in the browser and this is where I see the django error via SSH

ArchiveBox version

Cpython Linux Linux-4.19.0-16-amd64-x86_64-with-debian-10.9 x86_64
IN_DOCKER=False DEBUG=False IS_TTY=True TZ=UTC SEARCH_BACKEND_ENGINE=ripgrep

[i] Dependency versions:
 √  ARCHIVEBOX_BINARY     v0.6.2          valid     /usr/bin/archivebox                                                         
 √  PYTHON_BINARY         v3.7.3          valid     /usr/bin/python3.7                                                          
 √  DJANGO_BINARY         v2.0.10         valid     /usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/django/bin/django-admin.py           
 √  CURL_BINARY           v7.64.0         valid     /usr/bin/curl                                                               
 √  WGET_BINARY           v1.20.1         valid     /usr/bin/wget                                                               
 √  NODE_BINARY           v13.14.0        valid     /usr/bin/node                                                               
 √  SINGLEFILE_BINARY     v0.3.17         valid     ./node_modules/single-file/cli/single-file                                  
 √  READABILITY_BINARY    v0.0.2          valid     ./node_modules/readability-extractor/readability-extractor                  
 √  MERCURY_BINARY        v1.0.0          valid     ./node_modules/@postlight/mercury-parser/cli.js                             
 √  GIT_BINARY            v2.20.1         valid     /usr/bin/git                                                                
 √  YOUTUBEDL_BINARY      v2019.01.17     valid     /usr/bin/youtube-dl                                                         
 -  CHROME_BINARY         -               disabled                                                                              
 √  RIPGREP_BINARY        v0.10.0         valid     /usr/bin/rg                                                                 

[i] Source-code locations:
 √  PACKAGE_DIR           23 files        valid     /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/archivebox                                   
 √  TEMPLATES_DIR         3 files         valid     /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/archivebox/templates                         
 -  CUSTOM_TEMPLATES_DIR  -               disabled                                                                              

[i] Secrets locations:
 -  CHROME_USER_DATA_DIR  -               disabled                                                                              
 -  COOKIES_FILE          -               disabled                                                                              

[i] Data locations:
 √  OUTPUT_DIR            6 files         valid     /home/<myuser>/archivebox                                                  
 √  SOURCES_DIR           0 files         valid     ./sources                                                                   
 √  LOGS_DIR              1 files         valid     ./logs                                                                      
 √  ARCHIVE_DIR           0 files         valid     ./archive                                                                   
 √  CONFIG_FILE           81.0 Bytes      valid     ./ArchiveBox.conf                                                           
 √  SQL_INDEX             204.0 KB        valid     ./index.sqlite3

Originally created by @ekianjo on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox/issues/717 #### Describe the bug Followed the install instructions on debian, and once I tried to run the server it works, but gives me a Django related template error when I try to hit the :8000 url: "Invalid template library specified" No module named 'django.contrib.admin.templatetags.base' #### Steps to reproduce 1. Followed apt install steps for Debian 2. created empty folder 4. ran archivebox setup in it 5. created user and super user following tutorial 6. checked that all with fine with --version : no error reported 7. launched server: archivebox server myip:8000 8. Tried the myip:8000 in the browser and this is where I see the django error via SSH #### ArchiveBox version  ```logs Cpython Linux Linux-4.19.0-16-amd64-x86_64-with-debian-10.9 x86_64 IN_DOCKER=False DEBUG=False IS_TTY=True TZ=UTC SEARCH_BACKEND_ENGINE=ripgrep [i] Dependency versions: √ ARCHIVEBOX_BINARY v0.6.2 valid /usr/bin/archivebox √ PYTHON_BINARY v3.7.3 valid /usr/bin/python3.7 √ DJANGO_BINARY v2.0.10 valid /usr/local/lib/python3.7/dist-packages/django/bin/django-admin.py √ CURL_BINARY v7.64.0 valid /usr/bin/curl √ WGET_BINARY v1.20.1 valid /usr/bin/wget √ NODE_BINARY v13.14.0 valid /usr/bin/node √ SINGLEFILE_BINARY v0.3.17 valid ./node_modules/single-file/cli/single-file √ READABILITY_BINARY v0.0.2 valid ./node_modules/readability-extractor/readability-extractor √ MERCURY_BINARY v1.0.0 valid ./node_modules/@postlight/mercury-parser/cli.js √ GIT_BINARY v2.20.1 valid /usr/bin/git √ YOUTUBEDL_BINARY v2019.01.17 valid /usr/bin/youtube-dl - CHROME_BINARY - disabled √ RIPGREP_BINARY v0.10.0 valid /usr/bin/rg [i] Source-code locations: √ PACKAGE_DIR 23 files valid /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/archivebox √ TEMPLATES_DIR 3 files valid /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/archivebox/templates - CUSTOM_TEMPLATES_DIR - disabled [i] Secrets locations: - CHROME_USER_DATA_DIR - disabled - COOKIES_FILE - disabled [i] Data locations: √ OUTPUT_DIR 6 files valid /home/<myuser>/archivebox √ SOURCES_DIR 0 files valid ./sources √ LOGS_DIR 1 files valid ./logs √ ARCHIVE_DIR 0 files valid ./archive √ CONFIG_FILE 81.0 Bytes valid ./ArchiveBox.conf √ SQL_INDEX 204.0 KB valid ./index.sqlite3 ```

kerem closed this issue

2026-03-01 14:43:43 +03:00

kerem commented

2026-03-01 14:43:43 +03:00

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@lgwapnitsky commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021):

just verifying that you ran 'init'...

@lgwapnitsky commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021): just verifying that you ran 'init'...

kerem commented

2026-03-01 14:43:43 +03:00

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@ekianjo commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021):

do you need init ? From the install instructions it seemed that it was only needed when using existing folders with prior data?

@ekianjo commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021): do you need init ? From the install instructions it seemed that it was only needed when using existing folders with prior data?

kerem commented

2026-03-01 14:43:43 +03:00

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@ekianjo commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021):

I just ran init and it did some additional checks without changing anything - then the error remains.

@ekianjo commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021): I just ran init and it did some additional checks without changing anything - then the error remains.

kerem commented

2026-03-01 14:43:43 +03:00

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@pirate commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021):

You django version is waaaay too old (a long with a bunch of the other dependencies in that version output). I don't know how you managed to get such old versions from apt
(maybe Debian has super out-of-date packages pinned?), but you need at least Django version 3, if not 3.1.

pip3 install django==3.1.8.

You should also try to upgrade some of the other dependencies. I recommend at a minimum: Python 3.8, Node 14, YoutubeDL 2021. If that sounds unappealing then you should switch to Docker, because you're gonna have a bad time trying to run it with such old versions of all the dependencies.

@pirate commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021): You django version is waaaay too old (a long with a bunch of the other dependencies in that version output). I don't know how you managed to get such old versions from apt (maybe Debian has super out-of-date packages pinned?), but you need at least Django version 3, if not 3.1. `pip3 install django==3.1.8`. You should also try to upgrade some of the other dependencies. I recommend at a minimum: Python 3.8, Node 14, YoutubeDL 2021. If that sounds unappealing then you should switch to Docker, because you're gonna have a bad time trying to run it with such old versions of all the dependencies.

kerem commented

2026-03-01 14:43:43 +03:00

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@lgwapnitsky commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021):

good catch. i missed that

Larry G. Wapnitsky

E: Larry@Wapnitsky.com
Web: Larry.Wapnitsky.com http://larry.wapnitsky.com/Twitter:
@LGWapnitsky

On Tue, Apr 20, 2021 at 5:07 PM Nick Sweeting @.***>
wrote:

You django version is waaaay too old. I don't know where you installed it
from, but you need at least Django version 3, if not 3.1.

pip3 install django==3.1.8.

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@lgwapnitsky commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021): good catch. i missed that *Larry G. Wapnitsky* *E: Larry@Wapnitsky.com* *Web: Larry.Wapnitsky.com <http://larry.wapnitsky.com/>Twitter: @LGWapnitsky* On Tue, Apr 20, 2021 at 5:07 PM Nick Sweeting ***@***.***> wrote: > You django version is waaaay too old. I don't know where you installed it > from, but you need at least Django version 3, if not 3.1. > > pip3 install django==3.1.8. > > — > You are receiving this because you commented. > Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub > <https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox/issues/717#issuecomment-823601044>, > or unsubscribe > <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAE6CFGYLWYXDX2PWSDQQR3TJXUI3ANCNFSM43HAP64A> > . >

kerem commented

2026-03-01 14:43:44 +03:00

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@ekianjo commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021):

OK, after upgrading to Django 3.1.8 the problem is gone away - thanks!

@ekianjo commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021): OK, after upgrading to Django 3.1.8 the problem is gone away - thanks!

kerem referenced this issue

2026-03-01 14:48:43 +03:00

[PR #451] [MERGED] Add options to ease management of node related extractors #1171

kerem referenced this issue

2026-03-01 18:00:24 +03:00