Django string relationships to avoid circular imports

normal_way.py

from django.db import models 
from app1.models import ModelOne
from app2.models import ModelTwo

class ThingInThisApp(models.Model):
  one = models.ForeignKey(ModelOne, related_name="things", on_delete.models.CASCADE)
  two = models.ForeignKey(ModelTwo, related_name="things", on_delete.models.CASCADE)
  # ... 

string_way.py

from django.db import models 


class ThingInThisApp(models.Model):
  """ Removing the imports removes a ton of circular dependency issues """
  one = models.ForeignKey("app1.ModelOne", related_name="things", on_delete.models.CASCADE)
  two = models.ForeignKey("app2.ModelTwo", related_name="things", on_delete.models.CASCADE)

  def some_method(self):
    # In a pinch you can sometimes get away with importing in the method or function directly, but 
    # this is probably the least awesome way to do it 
    from other_app.models import Something 
    # use Something here 
    
# If your issues are with utility functions just move them into another file and import the models.  The issue is 
# USUALLY related to models that import models which import models and that doesn't happen if you have a `utils.py` that 
# is importing from 2-3 apps