10 Useful Flask Plugins For Your Python Project
Maximize Your Python Project Efficiency with These Essential Flask Tools
When it comes to creating a new Python project, almost all of the plugins listed below end up in my requirements.txt file. They are awesome, currently well maintained, and active.
1. Flask-SQLAlchemy
Flask-SQLAlchemy is an extension for Flask that adds support for SQLAlchemy to your application. It aims to simplify using SQLAlchemy with Flask by providing useful defaults and extra helpers that make it easier to accomplish common tasks.
SQLAlchemy is the Python SQL toolkit and Object Relational Mapper that gives application developers the full power and flexibility of SQL.
It provides a full suite of well-known enterprise-level persistence patterns, designed for efficient and high-performing database access, adapted into a simple and Pythonic domain language.
2. Flask-WTF
Flask-WTF provides your Flask application integration with WTForms.
WTForms is a flexible forms validation and rendering library for Python web development. It can work with whatever web framework and template engine you choose. It supports data validation, CSRF protection, internationalization (I18N), and more. Various community libraries provide closer integration with popular frameworks.
3. Flask-Mail
One of the most basic functions of a web application is the ability to send emails to your users.
The Flask-Mail extension provides a simple interface to set up SMTP with your Flask application and to send messages from your views and scripts.
Flask-Mail is configured through the standard Flask config API.
4. Flask-RESTFul
Flask-RESTful is a Flask addon that allows you to quickly create REST APIs. It’s a simple abstraction that integrates with your existing ORM and or libraries.
Flask-RESTful promotes best practices while requiring less setup.
Flask-RESTful should be simple to learn if you’re already familiar with Flask.
5. Flask-Uploads
Flask-Uploads allows your Flask application to flexibly and efficiently handle file uploading and serving the uploaded files when requested for.
You can create different sets of uploads — maybe one for document attachments, another for photos, etc. — and the application can be configured to save them all in different places and to generate different URLs for them.
6. Flask-Debugtoolbar
All you have to do with this plugin is include it in your Flask project, and it will display HTTP headers, request variables, config settings, a breakdown of template renderings, SQLAlchemy queries, and more.
You can even add your own custom output too. Having these insights about your application can really help you optimize performance, and as the name suggests debug your code.
7. Flask-Login
Most of the apps I develop include a user system of some kind, and Flask-Login is one of my favorites. It is the perfect balance between doing one thing very well and being flexible.
With Flask-Login, You have complete control over the user flow that best suits your application, but it handles the frightening bits of authentication like session management and cookie management.
I prefer this over Flask-Security since the user registration and login flow in most real-world apps does not fit into a pre-defined mold, and customizing its functionality is typically more work than implementing a few lines of your own code.
8. Flask-Admin
Flask-Admin is a batteries-included, simple-to-use plugin that lets you add admin interfaces to Flask applications. It is inspired by the django-admin package but implemented in such a way that the developer has total control of the look, feel, and functionality of the resulting application.
Flask-Admin solves the tedious problem of creating an admin interface on top of an existing data model in a world of microservices and APIs. It allows you to manage your online service’s data through a user-friendly interface with little effort.
9. Flask-Cors
A Flask plugin for handling Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS), making cross-origin AJAX possible.
This package follows a simple philosophy: when you enable CORS on a domain, you want it to work for all use cases. This means you won’t have to mess around with different authorized headers, methods, and so on.
10. Flask-Migrate
Flask-Migrate is a Flask addon that manages SQLAlchemy database migrations for Alembic-based Flask apps. The Flask command-line interface is used to perform database operations.
Flask-Migrate sets up Alembic to function with your Flask and Flask-SQLAlchemy applications properly. Everything is handled by Alembic in terms of actual database migrations, so you receive the same capabilities.
And that’s it for this topic. To learn more about Python programming, check out the books listed below.
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Happy Coding!!!
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