[Answer]-Django modifying code under dist-packages v/s copying source to project folder

Modifying code in the dist-packages directory is never a good idea. I only do it to debug packages I use, but never for a permanent change.

If you do need to change the source code of a package, you best fork the repository and make your changes. You can add it to your project the way you want it (as Git submodules, or just import it in your existing repository).

However, the idea of a django reusable app is that it’s reusable for many purposes and you don’t have to fork it to make it usuable for you. Maybe this app isn’t configurable enough for you. You can try to contribute to this project to make it more configurable, so it’s more accessible to more people. That’s of course a little bit more work, but can be fun!