Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
To explain the data store features and the available APIs for data modeling, I fi rst cover all that
relates to the Python SDK for the app engine. Subsequently, I extend the discussion to include the
features that are above and beyond the common concepts and relate specifi cally to the Java SDK for
the same underlying facility.
GAE Python SDK: Installation, Setup, and Getting Started
To get started you need to install Python and the GAE Python SDK. You can download Python
from
python.org
and the GAE Python SDK is available online at
http://code.google.com/
appengine/downloads.html#Google_App_Engine_SDK_for_Python
. Detailed installation
instructions are beyond the scope of this chapter but installation of both Python and GAE Python
SDK on all supported environments is fairly easy and straightforward. If you still run into trouble
while setting up your environment, just Google for a solution to your problem and like most
developers you won't be disappointed.
Although this chapter exclusively focuses on the GAE data store, you will benefi t from understanding
the essentials of application development on the app engine. For the Python SDK, spend a little while
reading through the tutorial titled “Getting Started: Python,” which is available online at
http://
code.google.com/appengine/docs/python/gettingstarted/
. Applications built on GAE are web
applications. The getting started tutorial explains the following:
The essentials of how Python web applications are built on the GAE.
➤
How requests are handled and responses served.
How URL(s) are mapped to handlers.
➤
➤
How dynamic and static content are included.
How data is modeled and persisted in the underlying data store.
➤
➤
How templates can be used to decouple view and logic elements.
How services, like authentication, mail, task queues, and Memcache can be leveraged.
➤
➤
How applications, once built, can be locally run in a development web server.
How applications can be deployed to the production environment.
➤
➤
The tutorial is terse and to the point and you can quickly get up to speed with the basics by reading
it. If you have limited or no experience with developing web applications using Python, you should
go through some basic Python web development lessons before you continue with this chapter. If
you are conversant with Python web development, you may still consider quickly reading through
the getting started tutorial to make sure you understand which of your familiar tools and methods
are available and where is it that you may need to use an alternative strategy.
If you are a complete newcomer who has no experience of programming in
Python, consider learning the language basics by reading Mark Pilgrim's
wonderful book,
Dive into Python
, available online at
diveintopython.org
.
