I recently finished the educational Python web app Pythonchecker.com for Python code analysis:
Before starting the app, I wondered: what’s the fastest way to set up a Python-based web application?
My previous Django-based application was self-hosted on a bare metal machine. This was highly complex, error-prone, and tedious. I had to learn Apache web server configuration, Django and Django configurations, shell scripting, encryption, databases, and so on. While it’s worthwhile to learn those technologies, it’s also a slow process. It can take months for a senior software engineer to prototype the first version of the app.
So this configuration is NOT rapid prototyping of Python apps:
- Django app
- Virtual machine
- Git & shell scripting
- Apache web server with ModWSGI
- MySQL database server
I understand that this is a very scalable setting (it’s good enough to scale to huge applications such as Reddit).
How to Rapid Prototype Python Apps?
When searching for the holy grail of rapid prototyping, I found this configuration:
That’s it! With this configuration, I managed to write the first prototype of the Pythonchecker within a single day! I’m not an affiliate of Pythonanyhwere but I really love their service. Setting up a running Flask application is super simple:
Create an account:
Your Dashboard:
Now, you can simply create new web apps with Flask. It’s really simple and works like a charm!
Where to go from here?
Want to start your own online coding business? Invest in your education, earn more money from day 1, and learn my crystal clear strategy to build your thriving online business, funded by your Python freelancer activity.
Join the Python Coding Business Course now!
While working as a researcher in distributed systems, Dr. Christian Mayer found his love for teaching computer science students.
To help students reach higher levels of Python success, he founded the programming education website Finxter.com that has taught exponential skills to millions of coders worldwide. He’s the author of the best-selling programming books Python One-Liners (NoStarch 2020), The Art of Clean Code (NoStarch 2022), and The Book of Dash (NoStarch 2022). Chris also coauthored the Coffee Break Python series of self-published books. He’s a computer science enthusiast, freelancer, and owner of one of the top 10 largest Python blogs worldwide.
His passions are writing, reading, and coding. But his greatest passion is to serve aspiring coders through Finxter and help them to boost their skills. You can join his free email academy here.