Coming from Django

If you have used manage.py shell or django-extensions' shell_plus, you already know how fastapi-repl works. This page maps the options you know to their equivalents.

manage.py shell

Django	fastapi-repl
manage.py shell	fastapi-repl
-i ipython / -i bpython / -i python	-i ipython, or --ipython, --bpython, --plain
-c "code"	-c "code" (with top-level await)
Code on stdin	Code on stdin
--no-startup	--no-startup
--no-imports (Django 5.2)	--no-imports
-v 2 to list auto-imports	-v, or fastapi-repl imports
get_auto_imports() override	imports, objects and namespace hooks
settings.py	[tool.fastapi-repl] in pyproject.toml

shell_plus

shell_plus	fastapi-repl
Loads every model	Every model, found through the ORM
SHELL_PLUS_DONT_LOAD	dont_load, -x/--dont-load
SHELL_PLUS_MODEL_ALIASES	model_aliases
SHELL_PLUS_APP_PREFIXES and collision prefixes	collision = "prefix"
SHELL_PLUS_PRE_IMPORTS	pre_imports
SHELL_PLUS_IMPORTS	imports, -I/--import
SHELL_PLUS_POST_IMPORTS	post_imports
SHELL_PLUS_DONT_LOAD_DEFAULT_IMPORTS	default_imports = false, --no-helpers
Django helpers (Q, F, Count...)	ORM helpers (select, func... or Q, F, Count for Tortoise)
--print-sql	--print-sql
--truncate-sql	--truncate-sql
--print-sql-location	--print-sql-location (sync engines)
--quiet-load	--quiet-load
SHELL_PLUS_PRINT_SQL	print_sql = true
SHELL_PLUS = "ipython"	interface = "ipython"
SHELL_PLUS_PRE_IMPORTS for side effects	pre_imports or startup hooks
--ipython, --ptpython, --ptipython, --bpython, --plain	Same flags
--notebook, --lab, --kernel	Same flags
IPYTHON_ARGUMENTS, NOTEBOOK_ARGUMENTS	ipython_arguments, jupyter_arguments
--command	-c/--command
runscript	fastapi-repl run

What is different

• There is no settings module. Configuration is TOML plus environment variables, so personal preferences do not end up in the team config.
• Models come from your ORM, not an app registry. Point models at your model packages, or let the app import them.
• The database session is an object you use. Django's ORM hides the connection; SQLAlchemy and friends need a session, so session is created for you and closed on exit. Remember to commit().
• Async is first-class. await works at the prompt and in scripts. Django's shell refuses async ORM calls in many places.
• The app's lifespan is optional. Django has no equivalent; think of it as running AppConfig.ready() for the services your app starts.