= How the web works, an introduction with Python Flask

gistfile1.txt

= How the web works, an introduction with Python Flask

= Objective

Introduce the audience to web programming, with a clean focus on fundamentals.
Rather than deal with the nuances of a library or a framework, the workshop will
focus on fundamentals like HTTP, simple tools like curl, quick sneak peek into
REST etc

= Description

The workshop will build a bare minimum web application like a blog, doing things
step by step, introducing concepts as its built. No client side code - no
JavaScript. Minimal CSS, just simple python.

Exact components are yet to be fixed, but its going to be almost SQLite DB, no
ORM, pure/bootstrap CSS framework. CURL, ipython, chrome inspector.

= FAQ

1. Why not ruby/rails?

   Yes, its a great framework for rapid application development, but its too
   much magic under the hood for newbies. Scaffolding makes it hard to
   understand fundamentals. And, Ershad is talking about it anyway ;)

2. Why Flask?

   Its the simplest framework to explain principles I can think of. Alternatives
   would be express.js on node, or sinatra and ruby.

3. Why no JavaScript, a super responsive client side single page app?

   Introducing 2 languages makes it complicated.

4. What do I need to run the code?

   A *LINUX* machine with Python 2.7, pip and virtualenvwraper installed. Mac
   should be OK. Strictly no Windows machines. Its not worth the effort
   debugging problems on that platform.

5. Preparations and prerequisites?

   It would be great to have python experience, but its not required. CLI
   experience will help a lot. Please have a quick look st the tools, before
   coming.

= Speaker bio

Hello, I'm Jaseem Abid. Free software advocate hacking on web stuff most of the
time and programming mainly in JavaScript for last 4 years. Played a key role in
running last 2 editions of FOSSMeet. Loves teaching speaking and all things
social. Working as a consultant, hacking UI at ideadevice.com

    * github.com/jaseemabid/
    * twitter.com/jaseemabid/

This document is version controlled as a
[gist](https://gist.github.com/jaseemabid/8819059). Keep an eye for changes.