Build a CRUD Rest API in Python using Flask, Postgres, Docker and Docker compose

In this article, we will guide you through the process of building a CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) Rest API using Python, Flask, Postgres, Docker, and Docker compose. This will allow you to create a scalable and efficient API for your applications.

Prerequisites

Before we start, you need to have the following installed on your system:

• Python
• Flask
• Postgres
• Docker
• Docker compose

Step 1: Set up the environment

First, create a new directory for your project and navigate into it. Then, create a new file called app.py for the Flask application code, and a requirements.txt file for the Python dependencies.

Step 2: Install Flask and Postgres

Next, install Flask and Postgres using pip, and create a new virtual environment for your project. You can do this by running the following commands:


$ pip install flask
$ pip install psycopg2-binary
$ pip freeze > requirements.txt


Step 3: Set up the database

Create a new file called db.py and add the code to connect to the Postgres database using the psycopg2 library. You will also need to create a new database and table for your API data. Don’t forget to populate the table with some sample data using SQL queries.

Step 4: Create the API endpoints

In the app.py file, write the Python code for the CRUD operations using Flask. This will involve defining routes for each operation (Create, Read, Update, Delete) and writing the corresponding functions to handle the requests.

Step 5: Dockerize the application

Create a new file called Dockerfile and add the necessary commands to build a Docker image for your Flask application. Then, create a new file called docker-compose.yml to define the services for your application, including the Flask app, the Postgres database, and any other dependencies.

Step 6: Run the application

Finally, you can run your API using Docker compose. Simply run the following command in the terminal:


$ docker-compose up


Conclusion

With these steps, you have successfully built a CRUD Rest API in Python using Flask, Postgres, Docker, and Docker compose. This will allow you to create a scalable and efficient API for your applications. Happy coding!