Introduction

  • Responder is introduced as a modern HTTP service framework for Python, drawing inspiration from existing tools and frameworks while aiming to innovate and simplify web development.

Historical Context

  • Early Web Development in Python:

    • 1999: Zope + Plone established Python as a viable option for web development, particularly in government sectors.
    • 2003: Introduction of WSGIWSGI (Web Server Gateway Interface) standardized the interface between Python web applications and web servers, enabling interoperability and the ecosystem of middleware we see today., which became a standard for Python web frameworks.

  • Key Frameworks:

    • 2005: Django emerged as a robust framework for content-driven applications, making many architectural decisions for the developer.
    • 2006: Pylons offered a more component-oriented approach, competing with Django.
    • 2007: WebOb and Pyramid provided alternatives, with Pyramid being a more reasonable choice compared to Django.

  • Flask:

    • Initially created as an April Fool's jokeArmin Ronacher's April Fool's joke in 2010 became one of the most influential Python web frameworks, demonstrating how simplicity and good design can triumph over comprehensive feature sets., Flask grew in popularity due to its simplicity and user-friendly API, which rarely required documentation.

The Future: Responder

  • Responder's Vision:

    • 2019 and Beyond: Responder is positioned as a future-forward framework, considering modern web development needs like WebSockets, Server-Sent Events (SSE), and ASGIASGI (Asynchronous Server Gateway Interface) represents the evolution beyond WSGI, enabling support for WebSockets, HTTP/2, and other modern protocols that require asynchronous handling..

  • Design Intentions:

    • Include Requests as the standard HTTP client.
    • Model Request/Response objects closely after Requests’ objects.
    • Aim to create "the world’s best web framework," taking the project seriously and gauging community interest.

Conclusion

  • Responder seeks to build on the strengths of past frameworks while introducing new, user-friendly features. The goal is to provide a robust, modern tool for Python developers, with a focus on simplicity and practicality.