cannot import name importlib for rest_framework.urlpatterns - django

Question

I am learning how to create a Rest API in django. in views.py, adding
from rest_framework.urlpatterns import format_suffix_patterns
is causing
ImportError: cannot import name importlib. I searched that this is because I am using Django 1.9 or more maybe. But can't figure out how to solve this.
Thanks for help.
Tutorial that I am following: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW_5xCCPWFk&index=40&list=PL6gx4Cwl9DGBlmzzFcLgDhKTTfNLfX1IK
full traceback
Performing system checks...
Unhandled exception in thread started by <function wrapper at 0x7f1b5badc500>
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/django/utils/autoreload.py", line 226, in wrapper
fn(*args, **kwargs)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/django/core/management/commands/runserver.py", line 116, in inner_run
self.check(display_num_errors=True)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/django/core/management/base.py", line 426, in check
include_deployment_checks=include_deployment_checks,
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/django/core/checks/registry.py", line 75, in run_checks
new_errors = check(app_configs=app_configs)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/django/core/checks/urls.py", line 10, in check_url_config
return check_resolver(resolver)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/django/core/checks/urls.py", line 19, in check_resolver
for pattern in resolver.url_patterns:
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/django/utils/functional.py", line 33, in __get__
res = instance.__dict__[self.name] = self.func(instance)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/django/core/urlresolvers.py", line 417, in url_patterns
patterns = getattr(self.urlconf_module, "urlpatterns", self.urlconf_module)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/django/utils/functional.py", line 33, in __get__
res = instance.__dict__[self.name] = self.func(instance)
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/django/core/urlresolvers.py", line 410, in urlconf_module
return import_module(self.urlconf_name)
File "/usr/lib/python2.7/importlib/__init__.py", line 37, in import_module
__import__(name)
File "/home/sonali/Videos/rest_api_project/rest_api_project/urls.py", line 20, in <module>
from rest_framework.urlpatterns import format_suffix_patterns
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/rest_framework/urlpatterns.py", line 4, in <module>
from rest_framework.settings import api_settings
File "/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/rest_framework/settings.py", line 23, in <module>
from django.utils import importlib
ImportError: cannot import name importlib
Python version 2.7.6

Answer 1

The django.utils.importlib module was removed in Django 1.9. It looks as if you are running an old version of rest framework that does not support Django 1.9.
Support for Django 1.9 was added in rest framework 3.3, and the current version is 3.6.3.
If your tutorial was written for Django 1.8, then you might find it easier to complete the tutorial using Django 1.8. If it was written for an earlier version of Django that that, then it would probably be better to look for a new tutorial.