pythonweb-servicesfile-organizationflask

Split Python Flask app into multiple files


I'm having trouble understanding how to split a flask app into multiple files.

I'm creating a web service and I want to split the api's into different files (AccountAPI.py, UploadAPI.py, ...), just so I don't have one huge python file.

I've read that you can do this with Blueprints, but I'm not entirely sure that route is the right one for me.

Ultimately I want to run one Main python file and include other files so that when it runs, they are considered one big file.

For example if I have Main.py and AccountAPI.py I want to be able to do this:

Main.py:

from flask import Flask
import AccountAPI

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route("/")
def hello():
    return "Hello World!"

if __name__ == "__main__":
    app.run()

AccountAPI.py:

@app.route("/account")
def accountList():
    return "list of accounts"

I know with this example it obviously won't work, but is it possible to do something like that?

Thanks


Solution

  • Yes, Blueprints are the right way to do it. What you are trying to do can be achieved like this:

    Main.py

    from flask import Flask
    from AccountAPI import account_api
    
    app = Flask(__name__)
    
    app.register_blueprint(account_api)
    
    @app.route("/")
    def hello():
        return "Hello World!"
    
    if __name__ == "__main__":
        app.run()
    

    AccountAPI.py

    from flask import Blueprint
    
    account_api = Blueprint('account_api', __name__)
    
    @account_api.route("/account")
    def accountList():
        return "list of accounts"
    

    If this is an option, you might consider using different URL prefixes for the different APIs/Blueprints in order to cleanly separate them. This can be done with a slight modification to the above register_blueprint call:

    app.register_blueprint(account_api, url_prefix='/accounts')
    

    For further documentation, you may also have a look at the official docs.