BackAnt CLI

BackAnt CLI is a powerful command-line interface designed to streamline the development of Flask-based REST APIs. It automates the generation of a complete and scalable project structure, allowing developers to focus on business logic rather than boilerplate code.

Key Features

• Automated Project Scaffolding: Generate a new Flask API with a single command, including a well-organized directory structure.
• Layered Architecture: The generated project follows a clean, layered architecture (Models, Repositories, Services, Routes) to promote separation of concerns and maintainability.
• Database-Ready: Includes SQLAlchemy for database modeling and interaction, with a pre-configured DBSession for easy database access.
• Dockerized Environment: Comes with Dockerfile and docker-compose.yml files for a consistent development and production environment.
• Extensible by Design: Easily add new routes, services, and models using the provided CLI commands.
• Pre-configured for Deployment: Includes a GitHub Actions workflow for building and pushing Docker images to Amazon ECR.

Installation

Ubuntu/Debian (Recommended)

Install the Backant CLI using the .deb package for Ubuntu/Debian systems:

# Download and install the .deb package
sudo dpkg -i backant-cli.deb

Alternative: Python Package

You can also install using pip:

pip install backant-cli

Getting Started

Generating a New API

To create a new Flask API project, use the generate api command:

ant generate api <your_project_name>

This will create a new directory named <your_project_name> with the complete project structure.

Generating API from JSON Specification

You can generate a complete API with routes and subroutes from a JSON specification using the --json option:

Using JSON String:

ant generate api my-project --json '{"routes": {"products": {"type": "GET", "subroutes": {"create": {"type": "POST"}}}}}'

Using JSON File:

ant generate api ecommerce --json api-spec.json

Additional Options:

• --verbose or -v: Show detailed generation progress
• --dry-run: Validate JSON specification without generating files

Examples:

# Generate API with verbose output
ant generate api shop --json api-spec.json --verbose

# Validate JSON specification without creating files
ant generate api test --json api.json --dry-run

JSON Specification Format:

The JSON specification should follow this structure:

{
  "routes": {
    "route_name": {
      "type": "GET|POST|PUT|DELETE",
      "mock": {},
      "subroutes": {
        "subroute_name": {
          "type": "GET|POST|PUT|DELETE",
          "mock": {}
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Generating a New Route

Once you have a project, you can easily add new routes and their corresponding components (service, repository, model) with the generate route command:

ant generate route <your_route_name>

This command will automatically create:

• A new route in api/routes/
• A new service in api/services/
• A new repository in api/repositories/
• A new model in api/models/

Generating a Mock Route

You can also generate a route with mock data for testing and development purposes. Use the --mock option with a JSON string or a path to a JSON file.

Using a JSON String:

ant generate route <your_route_name> --mock '{"key": "value", "another_key": "another_value"}'

Using a JSON File:

ant generate route <your_route_name> --mock /path/to/your/mock_data.json

This will generate the same files as the standard generate route command, but the service will return the provided JSON data.

Project Structure

The generated project follows a structured and scalable architecture:

<your_project_name>/
├── api/
│   ├── apis/             # For third-party API integrations
│   ├── decorators/       # Custom decorators (e.g., for authentication)
│   ├── helper/           # Helper functions and utilities
│   ├── models/           # SQLAlchemy database models
│   ├── repositories/     # Data access layer
│   ├── routes/           # API endpoints (controllers)
│   ├── schemas/          # Data validation schemas
│   ├── services/         # Business logic layer
│   └── startup/          # Application startup and configuration
├── .github/
│   └── workflows/        # CI/CD workflows
├── .gitignore
├── docker-compose.yml
├── Dockerfile
└── requirements.txt

Telemetry

BackAnt CLI includes opt-in anonymous telemetry to help us improve the tool. On first run, you'll be asked if you want to participate.

Quick Disable

# Environment variable (permanent)
export DO_NOT_TRACK=1

# Per-command flag
ant --no-telemetry generate api my-project

# View telemetry settings
ant --privacy

We never collect file paths, project names, usernames, or any personally identifiable information. See docs/telemetry.md for full details.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you have any ideas, suggestions, or bug reports, please open an issue or submit a pull request.

Development Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/backant-io/backant-cli.git
   

2. Create a virtual environment:

   python3 -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate
   

3. Install the dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

4. Install the CLI in editable mode:

   pip install -e .
   

Now you can run the CLI locally using the ant command.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.