Скачать или смотреть How to Integrate a Standalone Python App into Your Flask Application

Learn how to run a standalone Python application from a subdirectory in your Flask project without changing relative paths. This guide provides clear steps and solutions for smooth integration.
---
This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/65264357/ asked by the user 'gnu_drew' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/14812551/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/65271941/ provided by the user 'Brady' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/12576273/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: In Flask how can I run another python app from subdirectory with relative path references?

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l...
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
Integrate a Standalone Python App into Your Flask Application

Running a Flask web application often requires integrating other Python applications or modules. However, if you have a standalone app located in a subdirectory, you may encounter some challenges with relative path references. In this guide, we’ll explore an elegant solution to incorporate a standalone app into your Flask project without the hassle of modifying paths manually.

Problem Overview

Let’s consider a scenario in which you have a Flask application that needs to include a standalone module, referred to as app1. The file structure for your project looks like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

When trying to run app1 from your Flask route using relative paths, you run into the following issues:

Using os.chdir() does not effectively change the working directory for Python module imports.

Changing to absolute imports (like import apps.app1.main) leads to errors when the standalone app attempts to reference its own relative resource files.

A question that arises is: Is there a better way to execute app1 while maintaining its independence and all relative paths intact?

The Solution

Fortunately, there’s a way to solve this by wrapping the functionality of app1 in a callable function. Let’s break down the steps to achieve this.

Step 1: Modify the Standalone App

Open main.py in your app1 directory and wrap the existing code within a function. For example, create a function named function_that_runs_the_app():

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This function now encapsulates all the functionality of app1 and returns a success message when it runs.

Step 2: Import and Call the Function in Flask App

Next, in your Flask application (for instance, in server.py), import the newly created function from app1:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This way, you can call app1 from your route without modifying the paths. When the /app1/run route is accessed, the Flask app will trigger the function, running app1 seamlessly.

Benefits of This Approach

Portability: Your standalone app remains unchanged and can run independently without manual path alterations.

Simplicity: Integrating app1 becomes straightforward with a single function call.

Maintainability: Any future changes to the logic of app1 can be updated within the function, keeping your Flask application clean.

Conclusion

Integrating a standalone Python app into your Flask project doesn’t have to be complicated. By wrapping the existing code in a function, you can preserve the standalone app’s functionality and directory structure. This solution ensures that you maintain clean and manageable code without the need for cumbersome path adjustments.

Implementing this approach allows you to keep your Flask application modular and easier to manage. Happy coding!