Lecture 9

Welcome!

  • In previous weeks, you have learned numerous programming languages, techniques, and strategies.
  • Indeed, this class has been far less of a C class or Python class and far more of a programming class, such that you can go on to follow future trends.
  • In these past several weeks, you have learned how to learn about programming.
  • Today, we will be moving from HTML and CSS into combining HTML, CSS, SQL, Python, and JavaScript so you can create your own web applications.
  • You might consider using the skills you learn this week to create your final project.

http-server

  • Up until this point, all HTML you saw was pre-written and static.
  • In the past, when you visited a page, the browser downloaded an HTML page, and you were able to view it. These are considered static pages, in that what is programmed in the HTML is exactly what the user sees and downloads client-side to their internet browser.
  • Dynamic pages refer to the ability of Python and similar languages to create HTML on-the-fly. Accordingly, you can have web pages that are generated server-side by code based upon the input or behavior of users.
  • You have used http-server in the past to serve your web pages. Today, we are going to utilize a new server that can parse out a web address and perform actions based on the URL provided.

  • Further, last week, you saw URLs as follows:

    https://www.example.com/folder/file.html

    Notice that file.html is an HTML file inside a folder called folder at example.com.

Flask

  • This week, we introduce the ability to engage with routes such as https://www.example.com/route?key=value, where specific functionality can be generated on the server via the keys and values provided in the URL.
  • Flask is a third-party library that allows you to host web applications using the Flask framework, or a micro-framework, within Python.
  • You can run Flask by executing flask run in your terminal window in cs50.dev.
  • To do so, you will need a file called app.py and another called requirements.txt. app.py contains code the tells Flask how to run your web application. requirements.txt includes a list of the libraries that are required for your Flask application to run.

  • Here is a sample of requirements.txt:

    Flask

    Notice only Flask appears in this file. This is because Flask is required to run the Flask application.

  • Here is a very simple Flask application in app.py:

    # Says hello to world by returning a string of text

from flask import Flask, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)


@app.route("/")
def index():
    return "hello, world"

    Notice that the / route simply returns the text hello, world.

  • We can also create code that implements HTML:

    # Says hello to world by returning a string of HTML

from flask import Flask, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)


@app.route("/")
def index():
    return '<!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en"><head><title>hello</title></head><body>hello, world</body></html>'

    Notice that rather than returning simple text, this provides HTML.

  • Improving our application, we can also serve HTML based upon templates by creating a folder called templates and creating a file called index.html with the following code within that folder:

    <!DOCTYPE html>

<html lang="en">

    <head>
        <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, width=device-width">
        <title>hello</title>
    </head>

    <body>
        hello, {{ name }}
    </body>

</html>

    Notice the double {{ name }} that is a placeholder for something that will be later provided by our Flask server.

  • Then, in the same folder that the templates folder appears, create a file called app.py and add the following code:

    # Uses request.args.get

from flask import Flask, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)


@app.route("/")
def index():
    name = request.args.get("name", "world")
    return render_template("index.html", name=name)

    Notice that this code defines app as the Flask application. Then, it defines the / route of app as returning the contents of index.html with the argument of name. By default, the request.args.get function will look for the name being provided by the user. If no name is provided, it will default to world. @app.route is otherwise known as a decorator.

  • You can run this web application by typing flask run in the terminal window. If Flask does not run, ensure that your syntax is correct in each of the files above. Further, if Flask will not run, make sure your files are organized as follows:

    /templates
    index.html
app.py
requirements.txt
  • Once you get it running, you will be prompted to click a link. Once you navigate to that webpage, try adding ?name=[Your Name] to the base URL in your browser’s URL bar.

Forms

  • Improving upon our program, we know that most users will not type arguments into the address bar. Instead, programmers rely upon users to fill out forms on web pages. Accordingly, we can modify index.html as follows:

    <!DOCTYPE html>

<html lang="en">

    <head>
        <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, width=device-width">
        <title>hello</title>
    </head>

    <body>
        <form action="/greet" method="get">
            <input autocomplete="off" autofocus name="name" placeholder="Name" type="text">
            <button type="submit">Greet</button>
        </form>
    </body>

</html>

    Notice that a form is now created that takes the user’s name and then passes it off to a route called /greet. autocomplete is turned off. Further, a placeholder with the text name is included. Further, notice how the meta tag is used to make the web page mobile-responsive.

  • Further, we can change app.py as follows:

    # Adds a form, second route

from flask import Flask, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)


@app.route("/")
def index():
    return render_template("index.html")


@app.route("/greet")
def greet():
    return render_template("greet.html", name=request.args.get("name", "world"))

    Notice that the default path will display a form for the user to input their name. The /greet route will pass the name to that web page.

  • To finalize this implementation, you will need another template for greet.html in the templates folder as follows:

    <!DOCTYPE html>

<html lang="en">

    <head>
        <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, width=device-width">
        <title>hello</title>
    </head>

    <body>
        hello, {{ name }}
    </body>

</html>

    Notice that this route will now render the greeting to the user, followed by their name.

Templates

  • Both of our web pages, index.html and greet.html, have much of the same data. Wouldn’t it be nice to allow the body to be unique but copy the same layout from page to page?

  • First, create a new template called layout.html and write code as follows:

    <!DOCTYPE html>

<html lang="en">

    <head>
        <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, width=device-width">
        <title>hello</title>
    </head>

    <body>
        {% block body %}{% endblock %}
    </body>

</html>

    Notice that the {% block body %}{% endblock %} allows for the insertion of other code from other HTML files.

  • Then, modify your index.html as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}

    <form action="/greet" method="get">
        <input autocomplete="off" autofocus name="name" placeholder="Name" type="text">
        <button type="submit">Greet</button>
    </form>

{% endblock %}

    Notice that the line {% extends "layout.html" %} tells the server where to get the layout of this page. Then, the {% block body %}{% endblock %} tells what code to be inserted into layout.html.

  • Finally, change greet.html as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}
    hello, {{ name }}
{% endblock %}

    Notice how this code is shorter and more compact.

Request Methods

  • You can imagine scenarios where it is not safe to utilize get, as usernames and passwords would show up in the URL.

  • We can utilize the method post to help with this problem by modifying app.py as follows:

    # Switches to POST

from flask import Flask, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)


@app.route("/")
def index():
    return render_template("index.html")


@app.route("/greet", methods=["POST"])
def greet():
    return render_template("greet.html", name=request.form.get("name", "world"))

    Notice that POST is added to the /greet route, and that we use request.form.get rather than request.args.get.

  • This tells the server to look deeper into the virtual envelope and not reveal the items in post in the URL.

  • Still, this code can be advanced further by utilizing a single route for both get and post. To do this, modify app.py as follows:

    # Uses a single route

from flask import Flask, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)


@app.route("/", methods=["GET", "POST"])
def index():
    if request.method == "POST":
        return render_template("greet.html", name=request.form.get("name", "world"))
    return render_template("index.html")

    Notice that both get and post are done in a single routing. However, request.method is utilized to properly route based on the type of routing requested by the user.

  • Accordingly, you can modify your index.html as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}

    <form action="/" method="post">
        <input autocomplete="off" autofocus name="name" placeholder="Name" type="text">
        <button type="submit">Greet</button>
    </form>

{% endblock %}

    Notice that the form action is changed.

  • Still, there is a bug still in this code. With our new implementation, when someone types in no name into the form, Hello, is displayed without a name. We can improve our code by editing app.py as follows:

    # Moves default value to template

from flask import Flask, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)


@app.route("/", methods=["GET", "POST"])
def index():
    if request.method == "POST":
        return render_template("greet.html", name=request.form.get("name"))
    return render_template("index.html")

    Notice that name=request.form.get("name")) is changed.

  • Finally, change greet.html as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}

    hello,
    {% if name %}
        {{ name }}
    {% else %}
        world
    {% endif %}

{% endblock %}

    Notice how hello, {{ name }} is changed to allow for a default output when no name is identified.

  • As we’ve been changing many files, you may wish to compare your final code with our final code.

Frosh IMs

  • Frosh IMs or froshims is a web application that allows students to register for intramural sports.
  • Close all your hello related windows and create a folder by typing mkdir froshims in the terminal window. Then, type cd froshims to browse to this folder. Within, create a directory called templates by typing mkdir templates.

  • Next, in the froshims folder, type code requirements.txt and code as follows:

    Flask

    As before, Flask is required to run a Flask application.

  • Finally, type code app.py and write code as follows:

    # Implements a registration form using a select menu, validating sport server-side

from flask import Flask, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)

SPORTS = [
    "Basketball",
    "Soccer",
    "Ultimate Frisbee"
]


@app.route("/")
def index():
    return render_template("index.html", sports=SPORTS)


@app.route("/register", methods=["POST"])
def register():

    # Validate submission
    if not request.form.get("name") or request.form.get("sport") not in SPORTS:
        return render_template("failure.html")

    # Confirm registration
    return render_template("success.html")

    Notice that a failure option is provided, such that a failure message will be displayed to the user if the name or sport field is not properly filled out.

  • Next, create a file in the templates folder called index.html by typing code templates/index.html and write code as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}
    <h1>Register</h1>
    <form action="/register" method="post">
        <input autocomplete="off" autofocus name="name" placeholder="Name" type="text">
        <select name="sport">
            <option disabled selected value="">Sport</option>
            {% for sport in sports %}
                <option value="{{ sport }}">{{ sport }}</option>
            {% endfor %}
        </select>
        <button type="submit">Register</button>
    </form>
{% endblock %}

  • Next, create a file called layout.html by typing code templates/layout.html and write code as follows:

    <!DOCTYPE html>

<html lang="en">

    <head>
        <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, width=device-width">
        <title>froshims</title>
    </head>

    <body>
        {% block body %}{% endblock %}
    </body>

</html>

  • Fourth, create a file in templates called success.html as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}
    You are registered!
{% endblock %}

  • Finally, create a file in templates called failure.html as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}
    You are not registered!
{% endblock %}
  • Execute flask run and check out the application at this stage.

  • You can imagine how we might want to see the various registration options using radio buttons. We can improve index.html as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}
    <h1>Register</h1>
    <form action="/register" method="post">
        <input autocomplete="off" autofocus name="name" placeholder="Name" type="text">
        {% for sport in sports %}
            <input name="sport" type="radio" value="{{ sport }}"> {{ sport }}
        {% endfor %}
        <button type="submit">Register</button>
    </form>
{% endblock %}

    Notice how type has been changed to radio.

  • Again, executing flask run you can see how the interface has now changed.

  • You can imagine how we might want to accept the registration of many different registrants. We can improve app.py as follows:

    # Implements a registration form, storing registrants in a dictionary, with error messages

from flask import Flask, redirect, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)

REGISTRANTS = {}

SPORTS = [
    "Basketball",
    "Soccer",
    "Ultimate Frisbee"
]


@app.route("/")
def index():
    return render_template("index.html", sports=SPORTS)


@app.route("/register", methods=["POST"])
def register():

    # Validate name
    name = request.form.get("name")
    if not name:
        return render_template("error.html", message="Missing name")

    # Validate sport
    sport = request.form.get("sport")
    if not sport:
        return render_template("error.html", message="Missing sport")
    if sport not in SPORTS:
        return render_template("error.html", message="Invalid sport")

    # Remember registrant
    REGISTRANTS[name] = sport

    # Confirm registration
    return redirect("/registrants")


@app.route("/registrants")
def registrants():
    return render_template("registrants.html", registrants=REGISTRANTS)

    Notice that a dictionary called REGISTRANTS is used to log the sport selected by REGISTRANTS[name]. Also, notice that registrants=REGISTRANTS passes the dictionary on to this template.

  • Additionally, we can implement error.html:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}
    <h1>Error</h1>
    <p>{{ message }}</p>
    <img alt="Grumpy Cat" src="/static/cat.jpg">
{% endblock %}

  • Further, create a new template called registrants.html as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}
    <h1>Registrants</h1>
    <table>
        <thead>
            <tr>
                <th>Name</th>
                <th>Sport</th>
            </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
            {% for name in registrants %}
                <tr>
                    <td>{{ name }}</td>
                    <td>{{ registrants[name] }}</td>
                </tr>
            {% endfor %}
        </tbody>
    </table>
{% endblock %}

    Notice that {% for name in registrants %}...{% endfor %} will iterate through each of the registrants. Very powerful to be able to iterate on a dynamic web page!

  • Finally, create a folder called static in the same folder as app.py. There, upload the following file of a cat.
  • Execute flask run and play with the application.
  • You now have a web application! However, there are some security flaws! Because everything is client-side, an adversary could change the HTML and hack a website. Further, this data will not persist if the server is shut down. Could there be some way we could have our data persist even when the server restarts?

Flask and SQL

  • Just as we have seen how Python can interface with a SQL database, we can combine the power of Flask, Python, and SQL to create a web application where data will persist!
  • To implement this, you will need to take a number of steps.
  • First, download the following SQL database into your froshims folder.
  • Execute in the terminal sqlite3 froshims.db and type .schema to see the contents of the database file. Further type SELECT * FROM registrants; to learn about the contents. You’ll notice that there are currently no registrations in the file.

  • Next, modify requirements.txt as follows:

    cs50
Flask

  • Modify index.html as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}
    <h1>Register</h1>
    <form action="/register" method="post">
        <input autocomplete="off" autofocus name="name" placeholder="Name" type="text">
        {% for sport in sports %}
            <input name="sport" type="checkbox" value="{{ sport }}"> {{ sport }}
        {% endfor %}
        <button type="submit">Register</button>
    </form>
{% endblock %}

  • Modify layout.html as follows:

    <!DOCTYPE html>

<html lang="en">

    <head>
        <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, width=device-width">
        <title>froshims</title>
    </head>

    <body>
        {% block body %}{% endblock %}
    </body>

</html>

  • Ensure error.html appears as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}
    <h1>Error</h1>
    <p>{{ message }}</p>
    <img alt="Grumpy Cat" src="/static/cat.jpg">
{% endblock %}

  • Modify registrants.html to appear as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}
    <h1>Registrants</h1>
    <table>
        <thead>
            <tr>
                <th>Name</th>
                <th>Sport</th>
                <th></th>
            </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
            {% for registrant in registrants %}
                <tr>
                    <td>{{ registrant.name }}</td>
                    <td>{{ registrant.sport }}</td>
                    <td>
                        <form action="/deregister" method="post">
                            <input name="id" type="hidden" value="{{ registrant.id }}">
                            <button type="submit">Deregister</button>
                        </form>
                    </td>
                </tr>
            {% endfor %}
        </tbody>
    </table>
{% endblock %}

    Notice that a hidden value registrant.id is included such that it’s possible to use this id later in app.py

  • Finally, modify app.py as follows:

    # Implements a registration form, storing registrants in a SQLite database, with support for deregistration

from cs50 import SQL
from flask import Flask, redirect, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)

db = SQL("sqlite:///froshims.db")

SPORTS = [
    "Basketball",
    "Soccer",
    "Ultimate Frisbee"
]


@app.route("/")
def index():
    return render_template("index.html", sports=SPORTS)


@app.route("/deregister", methods=["POST"])
def deregister():

    # Forget registrant
    id = request.form.get("id")
    if id:
        db.execute("DELETE FROM registrants WHERE id = ?", id)
    return redirect("/registrants")


@app.route("/register", methods=["POST"])
def register():

    # Validate name
    name = request.form.get("name")
    if not name:
        return render_template("error.html", message="Missing name")

    # Validate sports
    sports = request.form.getlist("sport")
    if not sports:
        return render_template("error.html", message="Missing sport")
    for sport in sports:
        if sport not in SPORTS:
            return render_template("error.html", message="Invalid sport")

    # Remember registrant
    for sport in sports:
        db.execute("INSERT INTO registrants (name, sport) VALUES(?, ?)", name, sport)

    # Confirm registration
    return redirect("/registrants")


@app.route("/registrants")
def registrants():
    registrants = db.execute("SELECT * FROM registrants")
    return render_template("registrants.html", registrants=registrants)

    Notice that the cs50 library is utilized. A route is included for register for the post method. This route will take the name and sport taken from the registration form and execute a SQL query to add the name and the sport to the registrants table. The deregister routes to a SQL query that will grab the user’s id and utilize that information to deregister this individual.

  • You can execute flash run and examine the result.
  • If you want to download our implementation of froshims you can do so here.
  • You can read more about Flask in the Flask documentation.

Cookies and Session

  • app.py is considered a controller. A view is considered what the users see. A model is how data is stored and manipulated. Together, this is referred to as MVC (model, view, controller).
  • While the prior implementation of froshims is useful from an administrative standpoint, where a back-office administrator could add and remove individuals from the database, one can imagine how this code is not safe to implement on a public server.
  • For one, bad actors could make decisions on behalf of other users by hitting the deregister button – effectively deleting their recorded answer from the server.
  • Web services like Google use login credentials to ensure users only have access to the right data.
  • We can actually implement this itself using cookies. Cookies are small files that are stored on your computer such that your computer can communicate with the server and effectively say, “I’m an authorized user that has already logged in.” This authorization through this cookie is called a session.

  • Cookies may be stored as follows:

    GET / HTTP/2
Host: accounts.google.com
Cookie: session=value

    Here, a session id is stored with a particular value representing that session.

  • In the simplest form, we can implement this by creating a folder called login and then adding the following files.

  • First, create a file called requirements.txt that reads as follows:

    Flask
Flask-Session

    Notice that in addition to Flask, we also include Flask-Session, which is required to support login sessions.

  • Second, in a templates folder, create a file called layout.html that appears as follows:

    <!DOCTYPE html>

<html lang="en">

    <head>
        <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, width=device-width">
        <title>login</title>
    </head>

    <body>
        {% block body %}{% endblock %}
    </body>

</html>

    Notice this provides a very simple layout with a title and a body.

  • Third, create a file in the templates folder called index.html that appears as follows:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}

    {% if name %}
        You are logged in as {{ name }}. <a href="/logout">Log out</a>.
    {% else %}
        You are not logged in. <a href="/login">Log in</a>.
    {% endif %}

{% endblock %}

    Notice that this file looks to see if session["name"] exists (elaborated further in app.py below). If it does, it will display a welcome message. If not, it will recommend you browse to a page to log in.

  • Fourth, create a file called login.html and add the following code:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}

    <form action="/login" method="post">
        <input autocomplete="off" autofocus name="name" placeholder="Name" type="text">
        <button type="submit">Log In</button>
    </form>

{% endblock %}

    Notice this is the layout of a basic login page.

  • Finally, create a file called app.py and write code as follows:

    from flask import Flask, redirect, render_template, request, session
from flask_session import Session

# Configure app
app = Flask(__name__)

# Configure session
app.config["SESSION_PERMANENT"] = False
app.config["SESSION_TYPE"] = "filesystem"
Session(app)


@app.route("/")
def index():
    return render_template("index.html", name=session.get("name"))


@app.route("/login", methods=["GET", "POST"])
def login():
    if request.method == "POST":
        session["name"] = request.form.get("name")
        return redirect("/")
    return render_template("login.html")


@app.route("/logout")
def logout():
    session.clear()
    return redirect("/")

    Notice the modified imports at the top of the file, including session, which will allow you to support sessions. Most importantly, notice how session["name"] is used in the login and logout routes. The login route will assign the login name provided and assign it to session["name"]. However, in the logout route, the logging out is implemented by clearing the value of session.

  • The session abstraction allows you to ensure only a specific user has access to specific data and features in our application. It allows you to ensure that no one acts on behalf of another user, for good or bad!
  • If you wish, you can download our implementation of login.
  • You can read more about sessions in the Flask documentation.

Shopping Cart

  • Moving on to a final example of utilizing Flask’s ability to enable a session.

  • We examined the following code for store in app.py. The following code was shown:

    from cs50 import SQL
from flask import Flask, redirect, render_template, request, session
from flask_session import Session

# Configure app
app = Flask(__name__)

# Connect to database
db = SQL("sqlite:///store.db")

# Configure session
app.config["SESSION_PERMANENT"] = False
app.config["SESSION_TYPE"] = "filesystem"
Session(app)


@app.route("/")
def index():
    books = db.execute("SELECT * FROM books")
    return render_template("books.html", books=books)


@app.route("/cart", methods=["GET", "POST"])
def cart():

    # Ensure cart exists
    if "cart" not in session:
        session["cart"] = []

    # POST
    if request.method == "POST":
        book_id = request.form.get("id")
        if book_id:
            session["cart"].append(book_id)
        return redirect("/cart")

    # GET
    books = db.execute("SELECT * FROM books WHERE id IN (?)", session["cart"])
    return render_template("cart.html", books=books)

    Notice that cart is implemented using a list. Items can be added to this list using the Add to Cart buttons in books.html. When clicking such a button, the post method is invoked, where the id of the item is appended to the cart. When viewing the cart, invoking the get method, SQL is executed to display a list of the books in the cart.

  • We also saw the contents of books.html:

    {% extends "layout.html" %}

{% block body %}

    <h1>Books</h1>
    {% for book in books %}
        <h2>{{ book["title"] }}</h2>
        <form action="/cart" method="post">
            <input name="id" type="hidden" value="{{ book['id'] }}">
            <button type="submit">Add to Cart</button>
        </form>
    {% endfor %}

{% endblock %}

    Notice how this creates the ability to Add to Cart for each book using for book in books.

  • You can see the rest of the files that power this flask implementation in the source code.

Shows

  • We looked at a pre-designed program called shows, in app.py:

    # Searches for shows using LIKE

from cs50 import SQL
from flask import Flask, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)

db = SQL("sqlite:///shows.db")


@app.route("/")
def index():
    return render_template("index.html")


@app.route("/search")
def search():
    shows = db.execute("SELECT * FROM shows WHERE title LIKE ?", "%" + request.args.get("q") + "%")
    return render_template("search.html", shows=shows)

    Notice how the search route allows for a way by which to search for a show. This search looks for titles LIKE the one provided by the user.

  • We also examined index.html:

    <!DOCTYPE html>

<html lang="en">

    <head>
        <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, width=device-width">
        <title>shows</title>
    </head>

    <body>

        <input autocomplete="off" autofocus placeholder="Query" type="text">

        <ul></ul>

        <script>
            let input = document.querySelector('input');
            input.addEventListener('input', async function() {
                let response = await fetch('/search?q=' + input.value);
                let shows = await response.json();
                let html = '';
                for (let id in shows) {
                    let title = shows[id].title.replace('<', '&lt;').replace('&', '&amp;');
                    html += '<li>' + title + '</li>';
                }
                document.querySelector('ul').innerHTML = html;
            });
        </script>

    </body>

</html>

    Notice that the JavaScript script creates an implementation of autocomplete, where titles that match the input are displayed.

  • You can see the rest of the files of this implementation in the source code.

APIs

  • An application program interface or API is a series of specifications that allow you to interface with another service. For example, we could utilize IMDB’s API to interface with their database. We might even integrate APIs for handling specific types of data downloadable from a server.

  • Improving upon shows, looking at an improvement of app.py, we saw the following:

    # Searches for shows using Ajax

from cs50 import SQL
from flask import Flask, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)

db = SQL("sqlite:///shows.db")


@app.route("/")
def index():
    return render_template("index.html")


@app.route("/search")
def search():
    q = request.args.get("q")
    if q:
        shows = db.execute("SELECT * FROM shows WHERE title LIKE ? LIMIT 50", "%" + q + "%")
    else:
        shows = []
    return render_template("search.html", shows=shows)

    Notice that the search route executes a SQL query.

  • Looking at search.html, you’ll notice that it is very simple:

    {% for show in shows %}
    <li>{{ show["title"] }}</li>
{% endfor %}

    Notice that it provides a bulleted list.

  • Finally, looking at index.html, notice that AJAX code is utilized to power the search:

    <!DOCTYPE html>

<html lang="en">

    <head>
        <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, width=device-width">
        <title>shows</title>
    </head>

    <body>

        <input autocomplete="off" autofocus placeholder="Query" type="search">

        <ul></ul>

        <script>
            let input = document.querySelector('input');
            input.addEventListener('input', async function() {
                let response = await fetch('/search?q=' + input.value);
                let shows = await response.text();
                document.querySelector('ul').innerHTML = shows;
            });
        </script>

    </body>

</html>

    Notice an event listener is utilized to dynamically query the server to provide a list that matches the title provided. This will locate the ul tag in the HTML and modify the web page accordingly to include the list of the matches.

  • You can read more in the AJAX documentation.

JSON

  • JavaScript Object Notation or JSON is a text file of dictionaries with keys and values. This is a raw, computer-friendly way to get lots of data.
  • JSON is a very useful way of getting back data from the server.

  • You can see this in action in the index.html we examined together:

    <!DOCTYPE html>

<html lang="en">

    <head>
        <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1, width=device-width">
        <title>shows</title>
    </head>

    <body>

        <input autocomplete="off" autofocus placeholder="Query" type="text">

        <ul></ul>

        <script>
            let input = document.querySelector('input');
            input.addEventListener('input', async function() {
                let response = await fetch('/search?q=' + input.value);
                let shows = await response.json();
                let html = '';
                for (let id in shows) {
                    let title = shows[id].title.replace('<', '&lt;').replace('&', '&amp;');
                    html += '<li>' + title + '</li>';
                }
                document.querySelector('ul').innerHTML = html;
            });
        </script>

    </body>

</html>

    While the above may be somewhat cryptic, it provides a starting point for you to research JSON on your own to see how it can be implemented in your own web applications.

  • Further, we examined app.py to see how the JSON response is obtained:

    # Searches for shows using Ajax with JSON

from cs50 import SQL
from flask import Flask, jsonify, render_template, request

app = Flask(__name__)

db = SQL("sqlite:///shows.db")


@app.route("/")
def index():
    return render_template("index.html")


@app.route("/search")
def search():
    q = request.args.get("q")
    if q:
        shows = db.execute("SELECT * FROM shows WHERE title LIKE ? LIMIT 50", "%" + q + "%")
    else:
        shows = []
    return jsonify(shows)

    Notice how jsonify is used to convert the result into a readable format acceptable by contemporary web applications.

  • You can read more in the JSON documentation.
  • In summary, you now have the ability to complete your own web applications using Python, Flask, HTML, and SQL.

Summing Up

In this lesson, you learned how to utilize Python, SQL, and Flask to create web applications. Specifically, we discussed…

  • Flask
  • Forms
  • Templates
  • Request Methods
  • Flask and SQL
  • Cookies and Session
  • APIs
  • JSON

See you next time for our final lecture for this term at Sanders Theatre!