Question: I created added a dashboard to my project it is using bootstrap files which I am trying to load but aren't loading.
I am trying to load static file using {% static '' %} and it's now picking up the files. You can ask for further code.

Here is the code of the template 

```
    <link href=" {%static '../static/Dashboard/assets/css/bootstrap.min.css'%}" rel="stylesheet" />

    <link href="{%static '../static/Dashboard/assets/css/bootstrap.min.css '%}" rel="stylesheet"/>

    <link href="{% static '../static/Dashboard/assets/css/paper-dashboard.css' %}" rel="stylesheet"/>

    <link href="http://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/latest/css/font-awesome.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
    <link href='https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Muli:400,300' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'>
    <link href=" {%static '../static/Dashboard/assets/css/themify-icons.css' %}" rel="stylesheet">

```

Setting in setting.py 

```
STATICFILES_DIR=[
    os.path.join(BASE_DIR, "static"),
    'final_project/static',
  ]

STATIC_URL = '/static/'

```

Answer: 
In main folder of your project, create a folder named static. then in this folder create two other folders, named static\_root and static\_dirs

now change the settings.py file like this:

```
STATIC_URL = '/static/'

STATIC_ROOT = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'static', 'static_root')

STATICFILES_DIRS = (
    os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'static', 'static_dirs'),
)

```

then add static files in static/static\_dirs directory.

now you can use static files in your templates like this:

```
<link href="{% static 'Dashboard/assets/css/paper-dashboard.css' %}" rel="stylesheet"/>

```
your template should be like this:

```
<!DOCTYPE html>
    {% load staticfiles %}
    <head>
        <link href="{% static 'css/bootstrap.min.css' %}" rel="stylesheet">
    </head>
</html>

```

**css/bootstrap.min.css** is in *final\_project/static* directory

Do not forget add **{% load staticfiles %}**