book

Using Google App Engine

by Charles Severance

May 2009

Beginner to intermediate

272 pages

5h 59m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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Who Should Read This Book?What’s in This Book?Teaching with This BookConventions Used in This BookUsing Code ExamplesSafari® Books OnlineComments and QuestionsAcknowledgments
The Request/Response CycleWhat Is Google App Engine?What Is a “Cloud”?Why Did Google Build App Engine and Give It Away for Free?What Is the Google Infrastructure Cloud?Enter the Application EngineYour Application Must Be a Good Citizen in the Google CloudHow the Cloud Runs Your ApplicationWhy You Really Want to Run in the CloudThe Simplest App Engine ApplicationSummaryExercises
A Brief History of HTML and CSSHyperText Markup Language (HTML)A Well-Formed HTML DocumentValidating Your HTMLHyperText Links (Anchor Tags)Multiple FilesLists in HTMLSpecifying Styles Using CSSStyling Tags with CSSExerting More Control over MarkupValidating CSSTools to Help You Work with CSSBuilding the Navigation MenuThe CSS Box ModelAdding Navigation Hints for UsersSummaryExercises
What Is Programming?About PythonInstalling PythonThe Essence of ProgrammingInput, Processing, and OutputConditional Steps: A Number-Guessing Web ApplicationVariables and ExpressionsNaming VariablesConstantsHandling Text Data Using StringsUsing the String LibraryTypes and ConversionVariables with Many Values at the Same Time: ListsRepeated Code: LoopsPython’s Backpack: DictionariesLooping Through a DictionaryStored and Reused Code: Python FunctionsTurning Traceback to Our Advantage Using Try and ExceptObject-Oriented PythonComments in PythonThe Tao of ProgrammingSummaryExercises
Making an HTTP RequestHacking the HTTP ProtocolThe HTTP Protocol StandardsWatching HTTP in ActionHTML: Building a FormSending Form Data to the Server Using POSTHandling Form Data in the App Engine ServerSending Form Data to the Server Using GETApp Engine LogLooking at All the Data Available on an HTTP RequestAdvanced: Multipart POST Data with File UploadSummaryExercises
A Trivial App Engine ApplicationAn Equivalent Trivial webapp ApplicationThe Handler Callback PatternLooking at the Handler CodeWhat Is “self” and Why Is It There?Number Guessing Using the webapp FrameworkWeb Server LogsSummaryExercises
Template SyntaxUsing the Templates from PythonThe Number-Guessing Game Using TemplatesAbstraction and Separation of Concerns: “Model View Controller”Building a Multiscreen ApplicationStatic Files in App EngineReferencing Static FilesGeneralizing Template Lookup with Multiple TemplatesExtending Base TemplatesConditional Processing TemplatesReplacing More Than One Block in the Base TemplateExtending Our ApplicationSyntax ErrorsMore on TemplatesSummaryExercises
HTTP CookiesLogging In and Logging Out Using SessionsInstalling the Simple Session UtilityUsing the Session to Mark Login and LogoutChanging the User Interface for a Logged-In UserSummaryExercises
The Model-View-Controller PatternDefining ModelsAdding a New Account FormAdding a User AccountLooking Through the DatastoreLogging In and Checking Accounts and PasswordsRetrieving and Displaying Many ObjectsTerminology: Different Types of KeysReferences Between Data ModelsInteractions Between ModelsPutting the Primary Key into SessionAdding the Chat FeatureSummaryExercises
jQueryCreate a View of the Chat Messages in HTMLAsynchronously Updating a <div> Using AJAXSummaryExercises

Application Engine AccountsCreating an Application on App EngineUploading Your ApplicationTesting Your ApplicationLogs, Statistics, and Other FeaturesUploading New VersionsCollaboration on ApplicationsSummaryExercises
The Rules of Memory CacheUsing the Memory CacheUsing the Application Console to Examine Memory CacheUsing a Memory Cache in Your ApplicationBuilding a Session Store Using Memory CacheSessions and Memory CacheSummaryExercises
Download and InstallMaking Your First ApplicationDealing with ErrorsShutting Down the Server
Download and InstallMaking Your First ApplicationDealing with ErrorsShutting Down the Server
Download and InstallMaking Your First ApplicationDealing with ErrorsShutting Down the Server
Checking for PythonDownload and InstallMaking Your First ApplicationDealing with ErrorsShutting Down the Server

Overview

Build exciting, scalable web applications quickly and confidentlyusing Google App Engine and this book, even if you have little orno experience in programming or web development.App Engine is perhaps the most appealing web technology to appearin the last year, providing an easy-to-use application frameworkwith basic web tools. While Google's own tutorial assumessignificant experience, Using Google App Engine will helpanyone get started with this platform. By the end of this book,you'll know how to build complete, interactive applications anddeploy them to the cloud using the same servers that power Googleapplications.With this book, you will:

Get an overview of the technologies necessary to use Google AppEngine

Learn how to use Python, HTML, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS),HTTP, and DataStore, App Engine's database

Grasp the technical aspects necessary to create sophisticated,dynamic web applications

Understand what's required to deploy your applications

Using Google App Engine is also an excellent resourcefor experienced programmers who want to acquire working knowledgeof web technologies. Building web applications used to be forexperts only, but with Google App Engine-and this book-anyone cancreate a dynamic web presence.