README.md

python

Just me exploring Python while learning more in my grad school course - BCIS 5390: Python Programming

IDE and Textbook information

FYI - Python offers a free IDLE that is perfect for beginners!

• https://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Download

My personal favorite is PyCharm which is offered by JetBrains!

• The community edition is free! https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/

For my graduate school course, I am renting a digital version of this textbook:

• Starting Out With Python, 4th Edition by Tony Gaddis.
• https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Out-Python-Tony-Gaddis-dp-0134444329/dp/0134444329/

How do I run these programs?

• Run these programs using your terminal or command line tool.
• Type python name_of_program.py
  • For example, python print_favorite_things.py

What about unit tests?

• I explored a simple example for the Greeting class
• Using TestCase from unittest, right click on test_greeting.py and run unit tests.

Bonus 1: files in the database directory

• I explored an elementary example of connecting to a built in database called SqLite
• database.py creates the database, tables, and inserts data
• super_hero_info.py accepts user input and returns super hero information from this database.

Bonus 2: files in the rest_api directory

• On my own, I explored creating a simple REST API that invokes a public REST API.
  • This uses the Flask framework - https://flask.palletsprojects.com/en/2.0.x/quickstart/#
• It calls one API (https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/) and returns fake user data.
• Two endpoints - one for getting a collection of users and another for retrieving specific user data.

Running the API and testing it

• Prerequisite - make sure Flask is installed

• switch to the rest_api directory

• in a terminal, run the following commands:

  • set FLASK=development
  • set FLASK_APP=app.py

• run the flask run command

• Invoke the API using your favorite API testing tool (OR, in the browser!).

  • I prefer Postman
  • GET all users - http://127.0.0.1:5000/users/
  • GET one user - http://127.0.0.1:5000/users/<id>