Django rest framework, use different serializers in the same ModelViewSet

Question

I would like to provide two different serializers and yet be able to benefit from all the facilities of ModelViewSet:

• When viewing a list of objects, I would like each object to have an url which redirects to its details and every other relation appear using __unicode __ of the target model;

example:

{
  "url": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/database/gruppi/2/",
  "nome": "universitari",
  "descrizione": "unitn!",
  "creatore": "emilio",
  "accesso": "CHI",
  "membri": [
    "emilio",
    "michele",
    "luisa",
    "ivan",
    "saverio"
  ]
}

• When viewing the details of an object, I would like to use the default HyperlinkedModelSerializer

example:

{
  "url": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/database/gruppi/2/",
  "nome": "universitari",
  "descrizione": "unitn!",
  "creatore": "http://127.0.0.1:8000/database/utenti/3/",
  "accesso": "CHI",
  "membri": [
    "http://127.0.0.1:8000/database/utenti/3/",
    "http://127.0.0.1:8000/database/utenti/4/",
    "http://127.0.0.1:8000/database/utenti/5/",
    "http://127.0.0.1:8000/database/utenti/6/",
    "http://127.0.0.1:8000/database/utenti/7/"
  ]
}

I managed to make all this work as I wish in the following way:

serializers.py

# serializer to use when showing a list
class ListaGruppi(serializers.HyperlinkedModelSerializer):
    membri = serializers.RelatedField(many = True)
    creatore = serializers.RelatedField(many = False)

    class Meta:
        model = models.Gruppi

# serializer to use when showing the details
class DettaglioGruppi(serializers.HyperlinkedModelSerializer):
    class Meta:
        model = models.Gruppi

views.py

class DualSerializerViewSet(viewsets.ModelViewSet):
    """
    ViewSet providing different serializers for list and detail views.

    Use list_serializer and detail_serializer to provide them
    """
    def list(self, *args, **kwargs):
        self.serializer_class = self.list_serializer
        return viewsets.ModelViewSet.list(self, *args, **kwargs)

    def retrieve(self, *args, **kwargs):
        self.serializer_class = self.detail_serializer
        return viewsets.ModelViewSet.retrieve(self, *args, **kwargs)

class GruppiViewSet(DualSerializerViewSet):
    model = models.Gruppi
    list_serializer = serializers.ListaGruppi
    detail_serializer = serializers.DettaglioGruppi

    # etc.

Basically I detect when the user is requesting a list view or a detailed view and change serializer_class to suit my needs. I am not really satisfied with this code though, it looks like a dirty hack and, most importantly, what if two users request a list and a detail at the same moment?

Is there a better way to achieve this using ModelViewSets or do I have to fall back using GenericAPIView?

EDIT:
Here's how to do it using a custom base ModelViewSet:

class MultiSerializerViewSet(viewsets.ModelViewSet):
    serializers = { 
        'default': None,
    }

    def get_serializer_class(self):
            return self.serializers.get(self.action,
                        self.serializers['default'])

class GruppiViewSet(MultiSerializerViewSet):
    model = models.Gruppi

    serializers = {
        'list':    serializers.ListaGruppi,
        'detail':  serializers.DettaglioGruppi,
        # etc.
    }

Answer 1

Override your get_serializer_class method. This method is used in your model mixins to retrieve the proper Serializer class.

Note that there is also a get_serializer method which returns an instance of the correct Serializer

class DualSerializerViewSet(viewsets.ModelViewSet):
    def get_serializer_class(self):
        if self.action == 'list':
            return serializers.ListaGruppi
        if self.action == 'retrieve':
            return serializers.DettaglioGruppi
        return serializers.Default # I dont' know what you want for create/destroy/update.