flask-commands 0.1.0

A set of command line tools that help you scaffold out your flask application quickly.

flask-commands

Local-first CLI that scaffolds a Flask project (venv, dotenv, Tailwind build scripts, blueprints, optional SQLite) and can keep generating views, routes, controllers, and models for you.

Install

• Python 3.10+
• Optional: npm if you want Tailwind auto-installed; the tool will skip Tailwind if npm is missing.
• pip install Flask-Commands

The published console script is currently flask. If you have a clash with Flask’s own CLI, run with python -m flask_commands.cli ... or rename the script to flask-commands in pyproject.toml.

Commands at a glance

• flask new <project_name> [--db/--no-db] — bootstrap a new project in a sibling folder, create a venv, install deps, copy the template, wire Tailwind, and optionally initialize SQLite + migrations.
• flask make:view <dotted_path_with_name> [options] — create a view under app/templates/ and optionally add a controller method, route/blueprint, and model.

Creating a project: flask new

What happens:

• Creates <project_name>/ and a virtual environment under venv/.
• Installs Python deps: always Flask + python-dotenv; adds Flask-Login, Flask-Migrate, and Flask-SQLAlchemy when --db (or when you accept the prompt).
• Freezes requirements.txt from the venv.
• Copies the starter app from flask_commands/project (blueprint-based app with configs, sample controller/route, Tailwind input.css, .env files, run.py, and run.sh), and marks run.sh executable.
• Installs Tailwind via npm and adds watch:css / build:css scripts (skipped with a warning if npm is absent).
• If --db is enabled, runs flask db init/migrate/upgrade using the new venv to seed SQLite.

Quickstart:

flask new myproject        # use --no-db to skip SQLite setup
cd myproject
source venv/bin/activate
flask run --debug          # or ./run.sh on macOS to open terminals + Safari and tailwind watchers

run.sh uses osascript/fswatch, so it is macOS-only.

Generating views/routes/controllers/models: flask make:view

Usage:

flask make:view <dotted_path_with_name> [--controller NAME|-c] [--route PATH|-r] [--model NAME|-m]

• dotted_path_with_name maps folders + filename under app/templates/: posts.index → app/templates/posts/index.html. Nest as needed: admin.users.show → app/templates/admin/users/show.html.
• Without flags you get just the view file (a small HTML snippet with a random Python quote).
• -c/--generate-controller infers a controller class from the path (e.g., PostController from posts.index) and adds the action method; --controller lets you set it explicitly.
• -r/--generate-route infers a RESTful route path (CRUD actions get GET/POST as appropriate, nested resources pick up parent IDs if a matching model import exists in app/models/__init__.py); --route lets you set a path yourself. If the route folder exists, it appends a function; otherwise it creates a blueprint folder and registers it in app/__init__.py.
• -m/--generate-model infers a singular class name and creates a basic SQLAlchemy model file and import stub; --model lets you name it explicitly.

Examples:

• Minimal view component: flask make:view button
• CRUD start with inferred pieces: flask make:view posts.index -crm
• Nested resource with route params: flask make:view admin.posts.comments.show -cr
• Explicit wiring: flask make:view posts.show --controller PostController --route /posts/<int:post_id> --model Post

Project template (copied by flask new)

• Application entrypoints: run.py, run.sh
• App package: app/__init__.py with blueprint registration + extensions (LoginManager, SQLAlchemy, Migrate)
• Default blueprint: app/routes/mains → app/controllers/main_controller.py → app/templates/mains/index.html
• Configs: config/{base,development,production}_config.py
• Static/Tailwind: app/static/src/input.css (Tailwind CLI builds tailwind.css / tailwind.min.css)
• Environment files: .env, .env.example

Contributing

PRs and issues welcome. License: MIT.