Andy's answer helps but if you have concern on exposing your database password in your django setting, I suggest to follow django official configuration on mysql connection: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.7/ref/databases/
Quoted here as:
# settings.py
DATABASES = {
'default': {
'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.mysql',
'OPTIONS': {
'read_default_file': '/path/to/my.cnf',
},
}
}
# my.cnf
[client]
database = NAME
user = USER
password = PASSWORD
default-character-set = utf8
To replace 'HOST': '127.0.0.1' in setting, simply add it in my.cnf:
# my.cnf
[client]
database = NAME
host = HOST NAME or IP
user = USER
password = PASSWORD
default-character-set = utf8
Another OPTION that is useful, is to set your storage engine for django, you might want it in your setting.py:
'OPTIONS': {
'init_command': 'SET storage_engine=INNODB',
}