# AssertionError: SessionMiddleware must be installed to access request.session

- **ID:** `python/starlette-session-middleware-missing`
- **Domain:** python
- **Category:** config_error
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 80%

## Root Cause

Accessing request.session in a Starlette/FastAPI route without adding SessionMiddleware to the app.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| 3.x | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **** (94% success)
   ```
   from starlette.middleware.sessions import SessionMiddleware; app.add_middleware(SessionMiddleware, secret_key=SECRET)
   ```
2. **** (85% success)
   ```
   Use signed cookies via itsdangerous if you only need one value
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **** — request.state has no session semantics or signing. (70% fail)
- **** — Import alone does not install middleware. (85% fail)