title: What is the difference between postgres and postgresql_psycopg2 as a database engine for django?
body: <p>I have worked with python for a while, but never django. I am taking over a project that a different employee made before leaving our company. I am wondering if there is a difference between the option postgresql and postgresql_psycopg2 as a database driver for django.</p>
  
  <p>In some articles and the docs about how to set up a django project I have seen just postgresql and in <a href="https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-use-postgresql-with-your-django-application-on-ubuntu-14-04" rel="noreferrer">others</a> I have seen the postgresql_psycopg2. I couldn't find anything in the docs (<a href="https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/2.0/ref/settings/#databases" rel="noreferrer">here</a>  or <a href="https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/2.0/ref/settings/#engine" rel="noreferrer">here</a>) that mentioned psycopg2, so is this just the old way of writing the option?</p>
  
  <p>Is one just an alias for the other or are they actually different enignes? I also couldn't find any other SO questions on this.</p>
  
  <pre><code>DATABASES = {
  'default': {
      'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql',# here I also saw postgres_psycopg2
      'NAME': 'premqcsite',
      'USER': 'django_user',
      'PASSWORD': 'Encepta_123',
      'HOST': 'localhost',
      'PORT': '5432',
  }}
  </code></pre>