Andrew Adhikari
Getting Started with Python Flask: A Beginner's Guide

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Getting Started with Python Flask: A Beginner's Guide

Andrew Adhikari's photo
Andrew Adhikari
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2 min read

Introduction

Python Flask is a popular microweb framework that allows developers to build web applications quickly and easily. It's known for its simplicity and flexibility, making it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced developers. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide to help you get started with Python Flask.

Setting Up Your Development Environment

Before you can start using Python Flask, you need to set up your development environment. Follow these steps to get started:

  1. Install Python: If you don't already have Python installed, download and install the latest version from the official Python website (python.org/downloads).

  2. Install Flask: Open your command prompt or terminal and run the following command to install Flask using pip, Python's package manager:

pip install Flask

Creating Your First Flask Application

Once you have Flask installed, it's time to create your first Flask application. Follow these steps:

  1. Create a new directory for your project and navigate to it in your command prompt or terminal.

  2. Create a Python file for your Flask application. You can name it app.py or any other name you prefer.

  3. Open the app.py file in a text editor or integrated development environment (IDE).

  4. Write the following code to create a simple Flask application:

from flask import Flask

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route('/')
def hello_world():
    return 'Hello, Flask!'

In this code:

  • We import the Flask class from the Flask module.

  • We create a Flask web application instance by instantiating the Flask class with __name__ as the argument.

  • We define a route using the @app.route('/') decorator. This route will respond to requests made to the root URL ('/') of the web application.

  • The hello_world function returns the text 'Hello, Flask!' when the root URL is accessed.

Running Your Flask Application

To run your Flask application, follow these steps:

  1. In your command prompt or terminal, navigate to the directory where your app.py file is located.

  2. Run the following command to start the Flask development server:

python app.py

  1. You should see output indicating that the Flask development server is running. By default, it runs on http://127.0.0.1:5000/.

  2. Open a web browser and enter http://127.0.0.1:5000/ in the address bar. You should see the text 'Hello, Flask!' displayed in your browser.