Programming Google App Engine with Python

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 by using the web server software included with the App Engine development kit.

3. Deploy the finished application to App Engine.

In this chapter, we’ll walk through the process of creating a new application, testing it with the development server, registering a new project ID with Google Cloud Platform, setting up a domain name, and uploading the app to App Engine. We’ll look at some of the features of the Python software development kit (SDK) and the Cloud 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 Cloud SDK

To develop an App Engine app in Python, you need several unsurprising things on your local computer:

• Python, version 2.7.x

• Your favorite programming text editor or IDE for Python

• The Google Cloud SDK

The Google Cloud SDK is a collection of tools and libraries for developing, testing, and deploying software for the Cloud Platform, including App Engine. The centerpiece of the suite is the gcloud command, a multifunction tool which you use to install and update components, perform deployment and maintenance tasks, and otherwise interact with Cloud Platform as an administrator. The ...