Flask REST API

Overview

This project demonstrates building a fully functional RESTful API using Flask, incorporating additional improvements and error handling. It now includes template rendering, enhanced search functionality, and extended CRUD operations with robust validation.

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Prerequisites

• Python 3.7+
• Flask (pip install flask)
• API testing tool like Postman or cURL
• run the flask server with (python3.11 server.py)

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Project Files

• server.py: Main Flask application containing all routes and logic.
• templates/: Folder containing home.html, about.html, contact.html, and profile.html.
• images/: Screenshots (if any).

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Implemented Features

1. Homepage and Templates

• GET / renders home.html and injects a name variable.
• Added /about, /contact, and /users/<username> routes rendering their respective templates.

@app.route("/")
def index():
    name = "Ayoub CHAIEB"
    return render_template("home.html", name=name)

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2. HTTP Responses and Custom Status Codes

• /no_content: Returns a 204 No Content message.
• /exp: Uses make_response for explicit JSON responses.

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3. Data Handling and Validation

• In-memory dataset of sample persons.
• /data: Confirms dataset availability.
• /count: Returns the number of items.
• Robust exception handling for missing data.

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4. Search and Query Parameters

• /name_search: Searches case-insensitively by first name.

• /name_search0: Deprecated version kept for reference.

• Handles:

  • Missing q → 400
  • Invalid q → 422
  • Not found → 404

Example:

curl "localhost:5000/name_search?q=Tanya"

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5. Dynamic Routes and CRUD

• GET /person/<uuid>: Retrieve person by ID.
• DELETE /person/<uuid>: Delete a record.
• POST /person: Create a new person with strict validation of all fields and types.

Validation logic ensures:

• All keys are present.
• Values match expected types (string, int, etc.).

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6. Error Management

• Global 404 and 500 error handlers return JSON responses.
• Generic Exception handler captures and returns detailed messages during development.

@app.errorhandler(404)
def api_not_found(error):
    return {"message": "API not found"}, 404

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7. Additional Enhancements

• Custom exception handling with werkzeug.exceptions.NotFound.
• Example placeholders for future testing routes (e.g., /test500).
• Code now uses render_template for better UI support.

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Testing

Use Postman or cURL to test endpoints:

• GET /
• GET /about
• GET /contact
• GET /users/<username>
• GET /no_content
• GET /exp
• GET /data
• GET /name_search?q=Name
• GET /count
• GET /person/<uuid>
• DELETE /person/<uuid>
• POST /person

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Future Work

• Replace the dataset with a persistent database.
• Add authentication and authorization.
• Containerize with Docker and add CI/CD pipeline.
• Replace in-memory data with a database (e.g., MongoDB, SQLite).
• Add JWT authentication.
• Implement input validation and schemas (e.g., Marshmallow).
• Containerize the app using Docker.

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Author

Developed and documented by Ayoub CHAIEB, extended with additional functionality for better usability and production readiness.