sandman 0.6

Automated REST APIs for existing database-driven systems

sandman
=======

|Build Status| |Coverage Status| |Stories in Ready|

Documentation
-------------

`Sandman documentation <https://sandman.readthedocs.org/en/latest/>`__

``sandman`` "makes things REST". Have an existing database you'd like to
expose via a REST API? Normally, you'd have to write a ton of
boilerplate code for the ORM you're using, then integrate that into some
web framework.

I don't want to write boilerplate.

Here's what's required to create a RESTful API service from an existing
database using ``sandman``:

.. code:: python

from `sandman` import app

app.config['SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI'] = 'sqlite:///chinook'

from sandman.model import activate

activate()

app.run()

That's it! **You don't even need to tell ``sandman`` what tables your
database contains.** Just point sandman at your database and let it do
all the heavy lifting

Let's start our new service and make a request. While we're at it, lets
make use of Sandman's awesome filtering capability by specifying a
filter term:

.. code:: zsh

> python runserver.py &
* Running on http://127.0.0.1:5000/

> curl GET "http://localhost:5000/artists?Name=AC/DC"

.. code:: json

...
{
"resources": [
{
"ArtistId": 1,
"Name": "AC/DC",
"links": [
{
"rel": "self",
"uri": "/artists/1"
}
]
}
]
}

All of that, including filtering/searching, is automagically available
from those 10 measly lines of code.

Oh, that's not enough? You also want a Django-style admin interface
built automatically? Fine. You may have noticed that when you ran
``runserver.py`` that a browser window popped up. Now's the time to go
check that out. You'll find it's that Django-style admin interface
you've been bugging me about, looking something like this:

.. figure:: /docs/images/admin_tracks_improved.jpg
:alt: admin interface awesomesauce screenshot

admin interface awesomesauce screenshot
If you wanted to specify specific tables that ``sandman`` should make
available, how do you do that? With this little ditty:

.. code:: python

from sandman import app, db

app.config['SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI'] = 'sqlite:///chinook'

from sandman.model import register, Model

class Artist(Model):
__tablename__ = 'Artist'

class Album(Model):
__tablename__ = 'Album'

class Playlist(Model):
__tablename__ = 'Playlist'

register((Artist, Album, Playlist))

app.run()

And if you wanted to add custom logic for an endpoint? Or change the
endpoint name? Or add validation? All supported. Here's a "fancy" class
definition:

.. code:: python

class Style(Model):
"""Model mapped to the "Genre" table

Has a custom endpoint ("styles" rather than the default, "genres").
Only supports HTTP methods specified.
Has a custom validator for the GET method.

"""

__tablename__ = 'Genre'
__endpoint__ = 'styles'
__methods__ = ('GET', 'DELETE')

@staticmethod
def validate_GET(resource=None):
"""Return False if the request should not be processed.

:param resource: resource related to current request
:type resource: :class:`sandman.model.Model` or None

"""

if isinstance(resource, list):
return True
elif resource and resource.GenreId == 1:
return False
return True

With ``sandman``, (almost) zero boilerplate code is required. Your
existing database structure and schema is introspected and your database
tables magically get a RESTful API and admin interface. For each table,
``sandman`` creates:

- proper endpoints
- support for a configurable set of HTTP verbs

- GET
- POST
- PATCH
- PUT
- DELETE

- responses with appropriate ``rel`` links automatically
- foreign keys in your tables are represented by link
- custom validation by simply defining ``validate_<METHOD>`` methods on
your Model
- explicitly list supported methods for a Model by setting the
``__methods__`` attribute
- customize a Models endpoint by setting the ``__endpoint__`` method
- essentially a HATEOAS-based service sitting in front of your database

Sandman is under active development but should be usable in any
envrionment due to one simple fact:

**Sandman never alters your database unless you add or change a record
yourself. It adds no extra tables to your existing database and requires
no changes to any of your existing tables. If you start sandman, use it
to browse your database via cURL, then stop sandman, your database will
be in exactly the same state as it was before you began.**

Installation
~~~~~~~~~~~~

``pip install sandman``

Quickstart
~~~~~~~~~~

You'll need to create one file with the following contents (which I call
``runserver.py``):

.. code:: python

from sandman.model import register, activate, Model

# Insert Models here
# Register models here
# register((Model1, Model2, Model3))
# or
# register(Model1)
# register(Model2)
# register(Model3)

# activate(admin=True)

from sandman import app, db
app.config['SQLALCHEMY_DATABASE_URI'] = '<your database connection string (using SQLAlchemy)>'
app.run()

Then simply run

.. code:: bash

python runserver.py

and try curling your new RESTful API!

Example Application
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Take a look in the ``sandman/test`` directory. The application found
there makes use of the `Chinook <http://chinookdatabase.codeplex.com>`__
sample SQL database.

Coming Soon
~~~~~~~~~~~

- Authentication

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:target: https://travis-ci.org/jeffknupp/sandman
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:target: https://coveralls.io/r/jeffknupp/sandman?branch=develop
.. |Stories in Ready| image:: https://badge.waffle.io/jeffknupp/sandman.png
:target: http://waffle.io/jeffknupp/sandman