sandman 0.7.7rc2

Automated REST APIs for existing database-driven systems

sandman
=======

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Homepage
--------

Visit the home of ``sandman`` on the web:
`sandman.io <http://www.sandman.io>`__

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:: bash

$ sandmanctl sqlite:////tmp/my_database.db

*That's it.* ``sandman`` will then do the following:

- connect to your database and introspect its contents
- create and launch a REST API service
- create an HTML admin interface
- *open your browser to the admin interface*

That's right. Given a legacy database, ``sandman`` not only gives you a
REST API, it gives you a beautiful admin page and *opens your browser to
the admin page*. It truly does everything for you.

Supported Databases
-------------------

``sandman``, by default, supports connections to the same set of
databases as `SQLAlchemy <http://www.sqlalchemy.org>`__. As of this
writing, that includes:

- MySQL (MariaDB)
- PostgreSQL
- SQLite
- Oracle
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Firebird
- Drizzle
- Sybase
- IBM DB2
- SAP Sybase SQL Anywhere
- MonetDB

Behind the Scenes
-----------------

``sandmanctl`` is really just a simple wrapper around the following:

.. code:: python

from sandman import app

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

from sandman.model import activate

activate()

app.run()

**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 *five* 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 want to disable the browser from opening automatically each time
``sandman`` starts, call ``activate`` with ``browser=False``)

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.model import register, Model

class Artist(Model):
__tablename__ = 'Artist'

class Album(Model):
__tablename__ = 'Album'

class Playlist(Model):
__tablename__ = 'Playlist'

register((Artist, Album, Playlist))

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``, zero boilerplate code is required. In fact, using
``sandmanctl``, **no code is required at all**. 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
environment 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``

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.

Contact Me
----------

Questions or comments about ``sandman``? Hit me up at
[e-mail].

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

- Authentication

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