PyConZA 2013: "Idea to launch in days. Executed Python-style." by Mike Jones

There's lots of ways to get an idea built these days with new frameworks and "best practices" every time you refresh HackerNews. This talk will detail how the Western Cape Labs team built a new service from scratch in days powered by the Flask framework paired with selected items in rest of their familiar tool kit like Bootstrap and Vumi Go to make something useful and beautifully simple.

The talk will also touch on the business challenges of building products and services in South Africa that people actually use (and pay for), not just admire.

Transcript

1. to launch idea in days Mike Jones / / @imsickofmaps
2. Western Cape Labs ~ [ ] Smart apps for dumb phones Smart sites for busy people
3. WARNING: THIS IS *MY* WAY
4. ideas service data BUILD MEASURE LEARN
5. ideas service data BUILD MEASURE LEARN LEARN focus } mention }
6. Do you have empathy? Your opinion [though interesting] is irrelevant
7. SO THAT <VALUE> AS A <PERSONA> I CAN <DO SOMETHING>
8. Configure locally $ git flow init Create a issue on github (e.g. Start blog application) linked to user story. Start the feature $ git flow feature start issue-1-start-blog-application Code like your life depends on it $ git flow feature publish issue-1-start-blog-application Convert to a pull request $ git pull-request -i 1 -b develop Send someone the pull-request link or @mention them Once its got a +1 from the reviewer(s) and tests are passing $ git flow feature finish issue-1-start-blog-application $ git push use git flow
9. starting over! STOP STOP reinventing! STOP being distracted! just for now... please!
10. we chose Flask and Bootstrap USE FRAMEWORKS PICK A DATASTORE we chose Riak, Spreedly and Xero MAKE DEPLOYMENT EASY we chose Fabric and chef-solo REUSE CODE we built on top of On The Way
11. we chose Flask and Bootstrap USE FRAMEWORKS PICK A DATASTORE we chose Riak, Spreedly and Xero MAKE DEPLOYMENT EASY we chose Fabric and chef-solo REUSE CODE we built on top of OnTheWay your choices may differ!
12. 1 file apps are nice but make a skeleton FLASK TIPS: #1 static <-- for css, js, img etc. (serve via nginx) templates <-- for jinja templates __init__.py <-- makes module (easy to serve) app.py <-- declare the Flask app in here config.py <-- use config objects for dev and prod main.py <-- include everything via this (no circular deps) shareddefs.py <-- place we put login_req decorators etc. sharedforms.py <-- central place for WTForms <route_name>.py <-- one per application function
13. Use jinja + WTForms + bootstrap templates FLASK TIPS: #2
14. Use decorators FLASK TIPS: #3
15. Less + Bootstrap + Google Fonts = Pretty compiles variables, plus your less file into a single css lessc source.less output.css ask someone with taste to pick one! google.com/fonts update font, set colour palette tweak variables.less
16. creates folders, rsync’s chef recipes, run chef, creates virtualenv, pip installs fab <env> bootstrap rsync’s code, restarts services fab <env> deploy
17. live! make it
18. Thanks. mike@westerncapelabs.com @imsickofmaps http:/ /otw.io/pyconzatalk