Storing files in the cloud is an essential feature for modern Django applications. While Amazon S3 is a popular choice, Backblaze B2 offers a reliable and affordable alternative with a simple API and competitive pricing. In this post, we’ll go step-by-step on how to connect your Django app to Backblaze B2 using django-storages.

Why Choose Backblaze B2?

• 💸 Affordable: Only $0.005/GB/month.
• 🚀 Fast: Competitive performance with automatic redundancy.
• 🔐 Secure: Built-in encryption and private buckets.
• 🔄 Easy Integration: Compatible with b2sdk and django-storages.

1. Prerequisites

• You have a Django app already set up
• You have a Backblaze B2 account — sign up here

2. Install Required Packages

pip install django-storages[b2] b2sdk

3. Configure Django to Use Backblaze

INSTALLED_APPS += ["storages"]

DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE = "storages.backends.b2.B2Storage"

B2_ACCOUNT_ID = "your-account-id"
B2_APPLICATION_KEY = "your-application-key"
B2_BUCKET_NAME = "your-bucket-name"

4. Use File and Image Fields as Usual

class Document(models.Model):
    title = models.CharField(max_length=255)
    file = models.FileField(upload_to="docs/")

5. Optional: Serving Public Files

Make your bucket public if you don't need signed URLs via the bucket settings page.

6. Debugging & Logs

• ✔ Are the credentials correct?
• ✔ Is the bucket name correct and accessible by the App Key?
• ✔ Are you using the latest versions of the packages?

Further Reading

• django-storages B2 Docs
• Official Backblaze B2 Documentation
• b2sdk on PyPI

💬 Got questions or got stuck? Drop your thoughts in the comments below or reach out via our contact form. Let’s debug it together!