A Python (Flask) web app with PostgreSQL in Azure

Workshop for the BU Data Science Association, Spring 2025, Adapted from Pamela Fox

This is a Python web app using the Flask framework and a Postgres database

• It can be used as a playground for testing SQL queries

How to Use

• Launch in Codespaces (Create Codespace on Main)

• Wait for SQLTools extension to load on the left navbar of VS Code

• Connect to the postgres database in the SQLTools menu (the cylinder) - if this does not work by default, the connection info is in the .env file

• run python3 data_utils.py to populate the postgres tables with BU dining hall information

• There should be a container database tab from SQLTools, you can type in a query and press Run on Active Connection to see the result

• Run python3 -m flask run to start the flask server

• Go to the ports tab in the VS Code console, and right click on port 5000. Change port visibility to public

• Open the link to port 5000 and try out the flask app

• Note that Github Copilot is automatically installed and offers terrible suggestions, if this is a problem you can disable it in extensions