What’s So Special About The Latest Python Framework — Flask? Is It That Special?

You might be developing a web app using Python frameworks. Chances are there you might be leveraging on a particular framework. Now you need to know that a framework is nothing but a code library. This is what developers want as it makes their lives easier while creating scalable, reliable and most important maintainable web apps. So, how this is possible? Well, it is by providing reusable code or extensions which are for common operations.

Now there are a lot of frameworks for Python, and among them, you might be interested in trying out Python Flask. There is somewhat a hype around this framework, and lets’ check what it is

Flask — The Bubbly Python Framework

Flask is one of the easy-to-use and simple microframework for Python frameworks. It helps to create secure and scalable web applications. Frankly, there are certain reasons for Python Flask to be considered as the best for beginners -

• It is supported by an active community
• Also, it is easy to set up
• Well documented
• Also, very minimalistic and simple. Furthermore, it won’t have anything that you won’t use.
• It is very much flexible that you can add extensions for getting more functionality.

Using Jinja2 Template And Werkzeug WSGI

As stated above, the flask is the microframework which is written in Python. Not only it is a lightweight web application framework, but it also uses both the Jinja2 template engine and Werkzeugh WSGI. Here it does not have any database abstraction layer or any form validation layer. This is because the core is very much simple and it can extensively support extensions, adding a lot of application features.

Most importantly, there are various kinds of extensions present for Python Flask which support databases, uploads files, does authentication, form validations, etc. All these must be imported by the user and can be used.

Werkzeug WSGI (Web Server Gateway Interface)

WSGI is the normal interface among web applications and web servers for Python. Currently, the Werkzeug is considered to be one of the majorly advanced WSGI utility modules. Frankly, it consists of a robust debugger, HTTP utilities for handling entity tags, fully-featured response objects and request, cache control headers, cookie handling, HTTP dates, file uploads, robust URL routing system, etc.

Here, it won’t force you to use certain specific template engine or any other kind of extension. However, it will leave everything else to you, i.e the developer to select.

Key Features Of Python Flask

As stated above, Werkzeug is the major module for the Flask framework. Initially, it was started as a simple collection of various kinds of services for the WSGI application. But now the Werkzeug turns out to be the best and major WSGI utility modules.

Some of the major features are -

• Accessible response objects and request
• Robust HTTP header which is for dumping and parsing
• Assured WSGI 1.0 compatibility
• Bilateral javascript that is based in-browser debugger
• Universal support
• Support Python 2.6, 2.7 and 3.3
• IRI and URI service with Unicode awareness
• Inbuilt library for correcting buggy WSGI browsers and servers
• Supporting fundamental session as well as signed cookies
• Developing routing systems which match the URL to endpoints and even vice versa.

Jinja2 Template

This is a template engine commonly used for creating dynamic or static web pages filled with minimum coding. You can set up a basic layout and use a huge amount of dynamic and static pages with fewer codings.

Commonly Python Flask uses the Jinja2 template engine due to inspired by the Django framework. Now the Jinja templates will add sandboxed execution, which is for security reasons. Also, it will feature the automatic escape of the HTML from the XSS vulnerability and even the uses inheritances.

Sandbox is one of the best techniques for separating the running programs. This technique will instantly lower the system failure or even prevent the software susceptibility from getting spread. Most of the time, the sandboxing method is used for executing doubtful or untested programs or codes.

In addition, the sandbox will give a well-controlled type of resources for guest programs. This is to execute the scratch space on the memory as well as disk. Most importantly, the Jinja template engine will provide the personalization of filters, tags, globals, and tests. Also, it will even permit the designers to call functions using objects as well as arguments.

The following are some of the major features of Jinja2 Templates -

• Structural syntax
• Allowing template inheritance
• Robust automatic HTML that escapes avoiding cross-site scripting (XSS) confronts
• Elective ahead-of-time template compilation
• Compiling down to the optimal python code in a matter of time
• Simple and easy to debug. Also, the line number of exceptions will be directly indicating the correct line present in the template.

The End Result

No doubt, Flask is one of the special Python Frameworks. Of course, utilizing this new template might be a tough aspect for you initially, but as you get used to it, you will really enjoy using it.