Object of type <> is not JSON serializable Django REST Framework

Question

I am trying to create a search function inside my class-based view using Django Rest Framework, but it does not seems to work.

when I try to search for some customers it gives me an error:

raise TypeError(f'Object of type {o.class.name} '
TypeError: Object of type Customer is not JSON serializable

I know there is some question out there looking like mine, but I dont think any of them can help my. I am a bit new to Django REST framework.

my view:

class staff_search_partial(generics.ListAPIView):
    renderer_classes = [JSONRenderer, TemplateHTMLRenderer]
    template_name = 'BankApp/staff_search_partial.html'
    serializer_class = CustomerSerializer
    permissions_classes = [permissions.IsAuthenticated, ]

    def post(self, request):
        assert request.user.is_staff, 'Customer user routing staff view.'

        search_term = request.POST['search_term']
        print(type(search_term))
        customers = Customer.objects.filter(
                Q(user__username__contains=search_term)   |
                Q(user__firstname__contains=search_term) |
                Q(user__lastname__contains=search_term)  |
                Q(user__email__contains=search_term)      |
                Q(personalid__contains=search_term)      |
                Q(phone_contains=search_term)
            )[:15]

        return Response({'customers': customers})

the Customer model:

class Customer(models.Model):
    user        = models.OneToOneField(User, primary_key=True, on_delete=models.PROTECT)
    rank        = models.ForeignKey(Rank, default=2, on_delete=models.PROTECT)
    personal_id = models.IntegerField(db_index=True)
    phone       = models.CharField(max_length=35, db_index=True)

    @property
    def full_name(self) -> str:
        return f'{self.user.first_name} {self.user.last_name}'

    @property
    def accounts(self) -> QuerySet:
        return Account.objects.filter(user=self.user)

    @property
    def can_make_loan(self) -> bool:
        return self.rank.value >= settings.CUSTOMER_RANK_LOAN

    @property
    def default_account(self) -> Account:
        return Account.objects.filter(user=self.user).first()

    def make_loan(self, amount, name):
        assert self.can_make_loan, 'User rank does not allow for making loans.'
        assert amount >= 0, 'Negative amount not allowed for loan.'
        loan = Account.objects.create(user=self.user, name=f'Loan: {name}')
        Ledger.transfer(
            amount,
            loan,
            f'Loan paid out to account {self.default_account}',
            self.default_account,
            f'Credit from loan {loan.pk}: {loan.name}',
            is_loan=True
        )

the customer serializer:

class CustomerSerializer (serializers.ModelSerializer):

    class Meta:
        fields = ('user', 'rank', 'personal_id', 'phone', 'full_name', 'accounts', 'can_make_loan', 'default_account')
        model = Customer

Answer 1

As i wrote in comment under your question, you should serialize queryset

class staff_search_partial(generics.ListAPIView):
    renderer_classes = [JSONRenderer, TemplateHTMLRenderer]
    template_name = 'BankApp/staff_search_partial.html'
    serializer_class = CustomerSerializer
    permissions_classes = [permissions.IsAuthenticated, ]

    def post(self, request):
        assert request.user.is_staff, 'Customer user routing staff view.'

        search_term = request.POST['search_term']
        print(type(search_term))
        customers = Customer.objects.filter(
            Q(user__username__contains=search_term)   |
            Q(user__firstname__contains=search_term) |
            Q(user__lastname__contains=search_term)  |
            Q(user__email__contains=search_term)      |
            Q(personalid__contains=search_term)      |
            Q(phone_contains=search_term)
        )[:15]
        customers_data = CustomerSerializer(customers, many=True).data
        return Response({'customers': customers_data})

Answer 2

@TrueGopnik answer is right. but i don't think you need to write queryset for search filter. you can use django restframework serachfilters. which make your work less. please go thorugh this documentation https://www.django-rest-framework.org/api-guide/filtering/#searchfilter

Answer 3

You must edit you view class like this

class staff_search_partial(generics.ListAPIView):
    renderer_classes = [JSONRenderer, TemplateHTMLRenderer]
    template_name = 'BankApp/staff_search_partial.html'
    serializer_class = CustomerSerializer
    permissions_classes = [permissions.IsAuthenticated, ]

    def post(self, request):
        assert request.user.is_staff, 'Customer user routing staff view.'

        search_term = request.POST['search_term']
        print(type(search_term))
        customers = Customer.objects.filter(
                Q(user__username__contains=search_term)   |
                Q(user__firstname__contains=search_term) |
                Q(user__lastname__contains=search_term)  |
                Q(user__email__contains=search_term)      |
                Q(personalid__contains=search_term)      |
                Q(phone_contains=search_term)
            )[:15]

        return customers

Just return customers not a dictionary