@kwilliamm posted:@cdswindell great idea to separate the API implementation from the main package.
I recommend using the FastAPI framework. And also using pydantic to validate requests.Separately you might consider using UV as the package manager and as the recommended installation method for users of pytrain.
Using uv can help make sure python version and other dependencies are consistent across installs and upgrades over time.
@kwilliamm, I really want to thank you for pointing me towards FastAPI. I finished implementing the functional endpoints I wanted to build around 6:00 this evening. After dinner, I decided I'd see what was involved with adding some kind of password security to what I did. Two hours later, I have OAuth password protection with real JWT tokens! I didn't even know what some of that meant 2 hours ago 😂. Their online documentation/tutorials are some of the best I've seen, and I've been in the business since the 1970s...
PyCharm just added support for uv. For now, I'm going to stick to what I have (GitHub workflow pushing new versions to pypi) but I will have a look once I've further down the road with the Alexa integration.
Oh, and as I use Netgear routers and have a DynamicDNS entry already defined pointing to where I live in Boston, I've even used the API remotely to trigger actions on my little switcher engine in my office (a Chesapeake & Ohio NW2). It was very cool to see it move down the tracks and blow its horn via a remote web session!
Thanks again!!
-- Dave
P.S. for others that may read this post, this framework let me develop a complete REST API to my app with about 3 days of effort, and this includes the time to learn the tool and rework PyTrain to support the API.
