Implementing User Authentication in Flask Applications

In this video, we expand on our dynamic survey application by incorporating user authentication using Flask. We begin by copying our previous project to a new directory and setting up a virtual environment. After ensuring the old database is cleared, we modify the app to introduce user authentication features.

We start by updating the app to import necessary modules for password hashing and checking. We then create a User class in our database model to store user details, including username, password hash, and admin status. Methods for setting and checking passwords are added to the User class.

Next, we update the Response model to include a reference to the user who submitted each response. We also add new routes for user login, registration, and logout, ensuring that session management is handled correctly. These routes include functionality to check user credentials and store session data.

We enhance the survey route to require user authentication and to associate responses with the logged-in user. We also update the results route to display either all responses (for admins) or only the user's responses (for regular users).

We then create templates for login and registration forms, modifying our base template to display the logged-in user's information and provide a logout link. Our results template is updated to display a table of responses, with adjustments for whether the user is an admin.

Finally, we test our application to ensure all functionalities work as expected, including user login, registration, and viewing survey results. By the end of this video, viewers will have a comprehensive understanding of implementing user authentication in Flask applications, enhancing the security and functionality of their web projects.

This video aims to provide middle school students with practical skills in web development, focusing on user authentication and session management in a real-world application context.

0:00 Introduction
00:26 Set Up New App
01:22 app.py revisions and additions
02:51 DB Model Updates
06:11 Route Additions
11:51 Survey route updates
15:00 Results route update
19:14 Template Updates
22:56 Add New Templates
26:48 Update Styles
28:04 Run & Debug