Flask Introduction: A Beginner’s Guide
Flask is a Python web framework that enables developers to build web applications quickly and easily.
Developed by Armin Ronacher, who runs an international community of Python enthusiasts known as Pocco.
The Flask template engine is designed on the Werkzeug WSGI toolkit and the Jinja2 template engine.
They are both Pocco projects. Flask is a simple and easy-to-use tool for building websites.
It’s not too complicated, so people like to use it when they’re making smaller websites. Flask can be used in lots of different ways, so it gives website makers a lot of options.
What is Flask?
When we are discussing Flask Intro, Flask is an open-source web framework that is coded in Python and is used for developing web applications.
The framework is lightweight and uncomplicated, which makes it an ideal choice for both new and experienced developers.
Flask provides a flexible platform for developers to create various web applications, and it is known for its user-friendliness, flexibility, and modular design, which makes it a popular choice among Python developers.
Before you begin following this tutorial, we are expecting that you currently have practical knowledge of working with HTML and Python. If you are not familiar with these topics, we recommend you take a look at our brief tutorials on HTML and Python.
What is Web Framework?
A Web Framework, also known as a Web Application Framework, is a set of modules and libraries that allow developers to construct web applications without worrying about low-level details such as protocols and thread management.
Essentially, a Web Framework provides developers with the necessary tools and resources to write applications quickly and efficiently.
Flask Intro – Jinja2
Jinja2 is a popular and powerful template engine for Python web applications. It is used to generate dynamic HTML pages and other text-based documents from templates.
Jinja2 provides a simple and flexible syntax that allows developers to define templates with placeholders, called variables, that can be replaced with actual values at runtime. It also supports control structures like loops and conditionals, as well as filters for formatting and transforming data.
Flask is commonly known as a micro framework because it focuses on keeping the essential elements of an application straightforward while also being flexible. Unlike other frameworks, Flask does not come with pre-built tools for managing databases or validating form input.
Instead, it allows developers to add these features through extensions that can be easily integrated into the application. In the following sections of the tutorial, we will discuss some of the popular Flask extensions.
Flask Intro – WSGI
WSGI is short for Web Server Gateway Interface. It’s like a set of rules for how web servers and web applications that use Python should talk to each other. WSGI helps them communicate in the same way, which makes it easy to use different web servers and web applications together.
This means that you can use different tools to build different parts of your website, and they’ll work together in a standard way.
Werkzeug
Werkzeug is a toolkit for building web applications that follow the Web Server Gateway Interface (WSGI) standard. It provides various features such as request handling, response handling, and other utility functions that make it easier to build web frameworks on top of it.
The Flask web framework, which is written in Python, includes Werkzeug as one of its core components.
This allows developers to take advantage of the functionality provided by Werkzeug while building web applications with Flask.
Flask Intro – Key Features
- Flask is a lightweight framework, which means it has a small code base and a minimal set of dependencies. This makes it fast and easy to get up and running with your web application.
- Flask is a flexible framework that allows developers to build applications in their own way. It provides a range of tools and extensions that can be used to add functionality to your application as needed.
- Flask uses the Jinja2 templating engine, which allows developers to create dynamic HTML templates that can be used to display data from the application.
- Flask provides a simple and intuitive routing system that allows developers to map URLs to specific functions in their application.
- Flask provides built-in support for handling RESTful requests, which makes it easy to build APIs for your application.
Flask Benefits
- Flask is a straightforward and easy-to-use framework that’s particularly suitable for beginners.
- Flask has a modular and flexible structure that allows developers to construct applications in various ways.
- Flask is flexible, which means developers can modify and expand the framework to meet their particular requirements.
- Flask’s design philosophy is minimalist, making it easy to comprehend and maintain.
- Flask has a vast community of users and developers, which ensures that there is extensive support, plugins, and add-ons to improve Flask application’s functionality.
When Should You Use Flask?
- If you’re working on smaller projects that require coding flexibility, Flask is a good option.
- If you need API support and plan to add more extensions in the future, Flask can accommodate these needs.
- If you want greater control over your database, Flask is a suitable choice.
- Flask is particularly well-suited for creating static websites, rapid prototypes, MVPs, and RESTful web services.
Companies Using Flask
Flask is a popular web development framework that has been adopted by several companies. Some of the companies that use Flask are:
- Netflix
- Airbnb
- Lyft
- Uber
- Zillow
- Twilio
- Mozilla
This list is not exhaustive, and many other companies use Flask to develop their web applications.
