Convert to Flask

[rufuspollock]

We are currently using a prototype "pipes" framework from James Gardner which is no longer in use (a legacy of the original genesis of this on a hackday in Autumn 2010!)

We should switch to Flask on Appengine - cf https://github.com/kamalgill/flask-appengine-template

Aside: should we also switch from app-engine to say Heroku so we can use pure Flask without faffing around?

[nigelbabu]

Switching to Flask probably makes it easier for new contributors to help out. Flask has good documentation and a nice community. I'm not so sure about Flask on Appengine, mostly because I've never used Appengine before and I've always deployed my flask apps directly on a server I own.

As someone who's not touched Google Appengine, this code is a bit hard to grokk and hard to setup an env for. Switching to pure Flask is what I'd vote for, and I might be able to find time to help if someone can help me understand the current code base.

[rossjones]

The env for appengine is a single .yaml file which does your routing ( https://developers.google.com/appengine/docs/python/config/appconfig#Python_app_yaml_About_app_yaml ) and using flask is pretty well documented - https://developers.google.com/appengine/docs/python/getting-started-with-flask

[morerunes]

I've been writing some flask applications recently, and if you want me to take a whack at migrating this codebase to flask let me know. I'd certainly be interested in trying!

-- edit --

Maybe I'll just give it a try and make a pull request. I just realized this issue has been open for two years.

[rossjones]

Thatd be cool.