Fixed #27222 -- Refreshed model field values assigned expressions on …

…save(). Removed the can_return_columns_from_insert skip gates on existing field_defaults tests to confirm the expected number of queries are performed and that returning field overrides are respected.
django · charettes · May 6, 2025 · Mar 22, 2025 · Mar 19, 2025 · Mar 19, 2025
commit 4b0253eb2358c0e84e3a2c2feabeccb1ef78d2a7
diff --git a/django/db/models/base.py b/django/db/models/base.py
@@ -1100,6 +1100,11 @@ def _save_table(
                     and f.referenced_fields.intersection(non_pks_non_generated)
                 )
             ]
+            for field, _model, value in values:
+                if (update_fields is None or field.name in update_fields) and hasattr(
+                    value, "resolve_expression"
+                ):
+                    returning_fields.append(field)
             results = self._do_update(
                 base_qs,
                 using,
@@ -1140,7 +1145,15 @@ def _save_table(
                 for f in meta.local_concrete_fields
                 if not f.generated and (pk_set or f is not meta.auto_field)
             ]
-            returning_fields = meta.db_returning_fields
+            returning_fields = list(meta.db_returning_fields)
+            for field in fields:
+                value = (
+                    getattr(self, field.attname) if raw else field.pre_save(self, False)
+                )
+                if hasattr(value, "resolve_expression"):
+                    returning_fields.append(field)
+                elif field.db_returning:
+                    returning_fields.remove(field)
             results = self._do_insert(
                 cls._base_manager, using, fields, returning_fields, raw
             )
@@ -1201,8 +1214,13 @@ def _do_insert(self, manager, using, fields, returning_fields, raw):
         )
 
     def _assign_returned_values(self, returned_values, returning_fields):
-        for value, field in zip(returned_values, returning_fields):
+        returning_fields_iter = iter(returning_fields)
+        for value, field in zip(returned_values, returning_fields_iter):
             setattr(self, field.attname, value)
+        # Defer all fields that were meant to be updated with their database
+        # resolved values but couldn't as they are effectively stale.
+        for field in returning_fields_iter:
+            self.__dict__.pop(field.attname, None)
 
     def _prepare_related_fields_for_save(self, operation_name, fields=None):
         # Ensure that a model instance without a PK hasn't been assigned to

diff --git a/docs/ref/models/expressions.txt b/docs/ref/models/expressions.txt
@@ -69,8 +69,6 @@ Some examples
 
     # Create a new company using expressions.
     >>> company = Company.objects.create(name="Google", ticker=Upper(Value("goog")))
-    # Be sure to refresh it if you need to access the field.
-    >>> company.refresh_from_db()
     >>> company.ticker
     'GOOG'
 
@@ -157,12 +155,6 @@ know about it - it is dealt with entirely by the database. All Python does,
 through Django's ``F()`` class, is create the SQL syntax to refer to the field
 and describe the operation.
 
-To access the new value saved this way, the object must be reloaded::
-
-   reporter = Reporters.objects.get(pk=reporter.pk)
-   # Or, more succinctly:
-   reporter.refresh_from_db()
-
 As well as being used in operations on single instances as above, ``F()`` can
 be used with ``update()`` to perform bulk updates on a ``QuerySet``. This
 reduces the two queries we were using above - the ``get()`` and the
@@ -199,7 +191,6 @@ array-slicing syntax. The indices are 0-based and the ``step`` argument to
     >>> writer = Writers.objects.get(name="Priyansh")
     >>> writer.name = F("name")[1:5]
     >>> writer.save()
-    >>> writer.refresh_from_db()
     >>> writer.name
     'riya'
 
@@ -221,23 +212,27 @@ robust: it will only ever update the field based on the value of the field in
 the database when the :meth:`~Model.save()` or ``update()`` is executed, rather
 than based on its value when the instance was retrieved.
 
-``F()`` assignments persist after ``Model.save()``
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+``F()`` assignments are refreshed after ``Model.save()``
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-``F()`` objects assigned to model fields persist after saving the model
-instance and will be applied on each :meth:`~Model.save()`. For example::
+``F()`` objects assigned to model fields are refreshed from the database
+on :meth:`~Model.save()` on backends that support it without incurring a
+subsequent query (SQLite, Postgres, and Oracle) and deferred otherwise
+(MySQL). For example:
 
-    reporter = Reporters.objects.get(name="Tintin")
-    reporter.stories_filed = F("stories_filed") + 1
-    reporter.save()
+.. code-block:: pycon
 
-    reporter.name = "Tintin Jr."
-    reporter.save()
+    >>> reporter = Reporters.objects.get(name="Tintin")
+    >>> reporter.stories_filed = F("stories_filed") + 1
+    >>> reporter.save()
+    >>> reporter.stories_filed  # This triggers a refresh query on MySQL
+    14  # Assuming the database value was 13 when the object was saved.
+
+.. versionchanged:: 6.0
 
-``stories_filed`` will be updated twice in this case. If it's initially ``1``,
-the final value will be ``3``. This persistence can be avoided by reloading the
-model object after saving it, for example, by using
-:meth:`~Model.refresh_from_db()`.
+    In previous versions of Django, ``F()`` objects were not refreshed from the
+    database on :meth:`~Model.save()` which resulted in them being evaluated
+    and persisted every time the instance was saved.
 
 Using ``F()`` in filters
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

diff --git a/docs/releases/6.0.txt b/docs/releases/6.0.txt
@@ -225,6 +225,13 @@ Models
   support it (MySQL and MariaDB), the fields are marked as deferred to trigger
   a refresh on subsequent accesses.
 
+* :class:`~django.db.models.GeneratedField` and :ref:`fields assigned
+  expressions <avoiding-race-conditions-using-f>` are now refreshed from the
+  database after :meth:`~django.db.models.Model.save` on backends that support
+  the ``RETURNING`` clause (SQLite, Postgres, and Oracle). On backends that
+  don't support it (MySQL and MariaDB), the fields are marked as deferred to
+  trigger a refresh on subsequent accesses.
+
 Pagination
 ~~~~~~~~~~
 

diff --git a/tests/basic/tests.py b/tests/basic/tests.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import inspect
 import threading
+import time
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 from unittest import mock
 
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@
     models,
     transaction,
 )
+from django.db.models.functions import Now
 from django.db.models.manager import BaseManager
 from django.db.models.query import MAX_GET_RESULTS, EmptyQuerySet
 from django.test import (
@@ -557,6 +559,26 @@ def new_instance():
             with self.subTest(case=case):
                 self.assertIs(case._is_pk_set(), True)
 
+    def test_save_expressions(self):
+        article = Article(pub_date=Now())
+        article.save()
+        expected_num_queries = (
+            0 if connection.features.can_return_columns_from_insert else 1
+        )
+        with self.assertNumQueries(expected_num_queries):
+            article_pub_date = article.pub_date
+        self.assertIsInstance(article_pub_date, datetime)
+        # Sleep slightly to ensure at different database level NOW().
+        time.sleep(0.1)
+        article.pub_date = Now()
+        article.save()
+        expected_num_queries = (
+            0 if connection.features.can_return_rows_from_update else 1
+        )
+        with self.assertNumQueries(expected_num_queries):
+            self.assertIsInstance(article.pub_date, datetime)
+        self.assertGreater(article.pub_date, article_pub_date)
+
 
 class ModelLookupTest(TestCase):
     @classmethod

diff --git a/tests/expressions/tests.py b/tests/expressions/tests.py
@@ -403,8 +403,11 @@ def test_object_update(self):
         # F expressions can be used to update attributes on single objects
         self.gmbh.num_employees = F("num_employees") + 4
         self.gmbh.save()
-        self.gmbh.refresh_from_db()
-        self.assertEqual(self.gmbh.num_employees, 36)
+        expected_num_queries = (
+            0 if connection.features.can_return_rows_from_update else 1
+        )
+        with self.assertNumQueries(expected_num_queries):
+            self.assertEqual(self.gmbh.num_employees, 36)
 
     def test_new_object_save(self):
         # We should be able to use Funcs when inserting new data
@@ -1596,8 +1599,11 @@ def test_decimal_expression(self):
         n = Number.objects.create(integer=1, decimal_value=Decimal("0.5"))
         n.decimal_value = F("decimal_value") - Decimal("0.4")
         n.save()
-        n.refresh_from_db()
-        self.assertEqual(n.decimal_value, Decimal("0.1"))
+        expected_num_queries = (
+            0 if connection.features.can_return_rows_from_update else 1
+        )
+        with self.assertNumQueries(expected_num_queries):
+            self.assertEqual(n.decimal_value, Decimal("0.1"))
 
 
 class ExpressionOperatorTests(TestCase):

diff --git a/tests/field_defaults/tests.py b/tests/field_defaults/tests.py
@@ -15,13 +15,7 @@
 )
 from django.db.models.functions import Collate
 from django.db.models.lookups import GreaterThan
-from django.test import (
-    SimpleTestCase,
-    TestCase,
-    override_settings,
-    skipIfDBFeature,
-    skipUnlessDBFeature,
-)
+from django.test import SimpleTestCase, TestCase, override_settings, skipUnlessDBFeature
 from django.utils import timezone
 
 from .models import (
@@ -44,47 +38,56 @@ def test_field_defaults(self):
         self.assertEqual(a.headline, "Default headline")
         self.assertLess((now - a.pub_date).seconds, 5)
 
-    @skipUnlessDBFeature(
-        "can_return_columns_from_insert", "supports_expression_defaults"
-    )
+    @skipUnlessDBFeature("supports_expression_defaults")
     def test_field_db_defaults_returning(self):
         a = DBArticle()
         a.save()
         self.assertIsInstance(a.id, int)
-        self.assertEqual(a.headline, "Default headline")
-        self.assertIsInstance(a.pub_date, datetime)
-        self.assertEqual(a.cost, Decimal("3.33"))
+        expected_num_queries = (
+            0 if connection.features.can_return_columns_from_insert else 3
+        )
+        with self.assertNumQueries(expected_num_queries):
+            self.assertEqual(a.headline, "Default headline")
+            self.assertIsInstance(a.pub_date, datetime)
+            self.assertEqual(a.cost, Decimal("3.33"))
 
-    @skipIfDBFeature("can_return_columns_from_insert")
     @skipUnlessDBFeature("supports_expression_defaults")
     def test_field_db_defaults_refresh(self):
         a = DBArticle()
         a.save()
-        a.refresh_from_db()
+        expected_num_queries = (
+            0 if connection.features.can_return_columns_from_insert else 3
+        )
         self.assertIsInstance(a.id, int)
-        self.assertEqual(a.headline, "Default headline")
-        self.assertIsInstance(a.pub_date, datetime)
-        self.assertEqual(a.cost, Decimal("3.33"))
+        with self.assertNumQueries(expected_num_queries):
+            self.assertEqual(a.headline, "Default headline")
+            self.assertIsInstance(a.pub_date, datetime)
+            self.assertEqual(a.cost, Decimal("3.33"))
 
     def test_null_db_default(self):
         obj1 = DBDefaults.objects.create()
-        if not connection.features.can_return_columns_from_insert:
-            obj1.refresh_from_db()
-        self.assertEqual(obj1.null, 1.1)
+        expected_num_queries = (
+            0 if connection.features.can_return_columns_from_insert else 1
+        )
+        with self.assertNumQueries(expected_num_queries):
+            self.assertEqual(obj1.null, 1.1)
 
         obj2 = DBDefaults.objects.create(null=None)
-        self.assertIsNone(obj2.null)
+        with self.assertNumQueries(0):
+            self.assertIsNone(obj2.null)
 
     @skipUnlessDBFeature("supports_expression_defaults")
     @override_settings(USE_TZ=True)
     def test_db_default_function(self):
         m = DBDefaultsFunction.objects.create()
-        if not connection.features.can_return_columns_from_insert:
-            m.refresh_from_db()
-        self.assertAlmostEqual(m.number, pi)
-        self.assertEqual(m.year, timezone.now().year)
-        self.assertAlmostEqual(m.added, pi + 4.5)
-        self.assertEqual(m.multiple_subfunctions, 4.5)
+        expected_num_queries = (
+            0 if connection.features.can_return_columns_from_insert else 4
+        )
+        with self.assertNumQueries(expected_num_queries):
+            self.assertAlmostEqual(m.number, pi)
+            self.assertEqual(m.year, timezone.now().year)
+            self.assertAlmostEqual(m.added, pi + 4.5)
+            self.assertEqual(m.multiple_subfunctions, 4.5)
 
     @skipUnlessDBFeature("insert_test_table_with_defaults")
     def test_both_default(self):
@@ -125,14 +128,15 @@ def test_foreign_key_db_default(self):
         child2 = DBDefaultsFK.objects.create(language_code=parent2)
         self.assertEqual(child2.language_code, parent2)
 
-    @skipUnlessDBFeature(
-        "can_return_columns_from_insert", "supports_expression_defaults"
-    )
+    @skipUnlessDBFeature("supports_expression_defaults")
     def test_case_when_db_default_returning(self):
         m = DBDefaultsFunction.objects.create()
-        self.assertEqual(m.case_when, 3)
+        expected_num_queries = (
+            0 if connection.features.can_return_columns_from_insert else 1
+        )
+        with self.assertNumQueries(expected_num_queries):
+            self.assertEqual(m.case_when, 3)
 
-    @skipIfDBFeature("can_return_columns_from_insert")
     @skipUnlessDBFeature("supports_expression_defaults")
     def test_case_when_db_default_no_returning(self):
         m = DBDefaultsFunction.objects.create()

diff --git a/tests/update_only_fields/tests.py b/tests/update_only_fields/tests.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from django.core.exceptions import ObjectNotUpdated
-from django.db import DatabaseError, transaction
+from django.db import DatabaseError, connection, transaction
+from django.db.models import F
 from django.db.models.signals import post_save, pre_save
 from django.test import TestCase
 
@@ -308,3 +309,16 @@ def test_update_fields_not_updated(self):
                 transaction.atomic(),
             ):
                 obj.save(update_fields=["name"])
+
+    def test_update_fields_expression(self):
+        obj = Person.objects.create(name="Valerie", gender="F", pid=42)
+        updated_pid = F("pid") + 1
+        obj.pid = updated_pid
+        obj.save(update_fields={"gender"})
+        self.assertIs(obj.pid, updated_pid)
+        obj.save(update_fields={"pid"})
+        expected_num_queries = (
+            0 if connection.features.can_return_rows_from_update else 1
+        )
+        with self.assertNumQueries(expected_num_queries):
+            self.assertEqual(obj.pid, 43)