Programming Google App Engine

Chapter 2. Creating an Application

The App Engine development model is as simple as it gets:

1. Create the application.

2. Test the application on your own computer using the web server software included with the App Engine development kit.

3. Upload the finished application to App Engine.

In this chapter, we will walk through the process of creating a new application, testing it with the development server, registering a new application ID and setting up a domain name, and uploading the app to App Engine. We will look at some of the features of the Python and Java software development kits (SDKs) and the App Engine Administration Console. We’ll also discuss the workflow for developing and deploying an app.

We will take this opportunity to demonstrate a common pattern in web applications: managing user preferences data. This pattern uses several App Engine services and features.

Setting Up the SDK

All the tools and libraries you need to develop an application are included in the App Engine SDK. There are separate SDKs for Python and Java, each with features useful for developing with each language. The SDKs work on any platform, including Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

The Python and Java SDKs each include a web server that runs your app in a simulated runtime environment on your computer. The development server enforces the sandbox restrictions of the full runtime environment and simulates each of the App Engine services. You can start the development server and leave it running while you build ...