Lecture 35

HTTP and Flask

MCS 275 Spring 2021
David Dumas

Lecture 35: HTTP and Flask

Course bulletins:

  • Please install Flask, e.g. with 
    python3 -m pip install Flask
    in preparation for using it in upcoming assignments.
  • If you already saw Flask, HTTP, CSS in MCS 260: Great, but don't get complacent! Project 4 will focus on database and web stuff.

Mockups

First, let's check in on front page mockups for our two apps (chat and vote) with updated CSS.

Reminder: You can always get the code from the sample code repository.

File protocol

So far, I've been opening files in the web browser, using URLs with the file protocol.

There's no network communication here. The browser just opens the file using the OS interface.

To make an actual web site or application, we need an HTTP server.

Python's built-in HTTP server

python3 -m http.server

Opens a web server that serves files in the current directory and its subdirectories.

Visit http://localhost:8000/ in a browser (or substitute other port number shown in startup message) to see index.html.

Firewall rules typically prevent incoming connections from the internet (and maybe the local network too). That's good! Or

python3 -m http.server --bind 127.0.0.1

will make sure it only listens for connections from the same machine.

index.html

Most HTTP servers that deliver resources from a filesystem will look for a file called index.html and send it in response to a request that ends in a /.

(i.e. if no filename is given, index.html is used.)

HTTP verbs

  • GET — Ask the server for a resource.
  • POST — Submit data to a resource.

e.g. GET /teaching/2020/fall/mcs260/ is sent to dumas.io when you load the home page of my Fall 2020 MCS 260 course.

More detailed look at an HTTP GET request: MCS 260 Fall 2020 Lecture 33.

HTTP response codes

The answer to any HTTP request includes a numeric code indicating success or error.

There are lots of codes; the first digit is often all you need to know:

  • 2xx — success
  • 3xx — redirection; more action required (e.g. moved)
  • 4xx — client error; problem, your fault
  • 5xx — server error; problem, not your fault

Flask

Flask is a Python web framework. It makes it easy to write Python programs that respond to HTTP requests (e.g. web applications, APIs).

Competitors include:

  • Bottle — minimalist like Flask
  • Django — huge and full-featured

Minimal flask


        from flask import Flask

        app = Flask(__name__)

        @app.route("/positivity/")
        def name_of_function_does_not_matter():
            return """<!doctype html>
            <html>
                <body>
                    You can do it!
                </body>
            </html>
            """

        app.run()

References

Revision history

  • 2021-04-09 Initial publication