How to Rename a Module in Frappe (Safely)

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How to Rename a Module in Frappe (Safely)

Renaming a module in Frappe requires updates in both the UI and the source code to maintain consistency across your app. Follow these steps carefully:

Step 1: Rename the Module from the Desk (UI)

  1. Go to the Module Def (Module Definition) from the Desk.
  2. Click the Rename option.
  3. If prompted, select “Merge with existing” if a module with the new name already exists.
  4. Confirm the change.

Step 2: Rename the Module Folder in the Source Code

  1. Navigate to your app’s module folder:
    apps/[your_app]/[your_app]/[module_name]
  2. Rename the folder to the new module name using snake_case.
    Example:
    attachments → parent_attachments

Step 3: Update Doctype Definitions

  1. For each Doctype that was under the old module, navigate to:
    apps/[your_app]/[your_app]/[new_module_name]/doctype/[doctype_name]/[doctype_name].json
  2. Open the .json file and locate the "module" field.
  3. Update the value to the new module name in Title Case.
    Example:
    "module": "Attachments" → "module": "Parent Attachments"

Step 4: Update modules.txt

  1. Open the modules.txt file located at:
    apps/[your_app]/[your_app]/modules.txt
  2. Add the new module name (Title Case).
  3. Remove the old module name to avoid errors like:
    Module not found

Notes

After completing the above steps, run the following commands:

bench build
bench clear-cache
bench migrate

If needed, restart your bench:

bench restart

Common Mistakes

  • :x: Mismatch between folder name (snake_case) and "module" field (Title Case)
  • :x: Forgetting to update modules.txt
  • :x: Not updating all DocTypes under the renamed module
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