Anybody use web2py?

[mdipierro]

Errata. I said "The dal supports transactions" where I meant "the dal
supports migrations".
Of course it also supports "transactions" as well as "distributed
transactions".


On Dec 19, 5:32 pm, mdipierro <massimodipierr... at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Dec 19, 12:42 am, AppRe Godeck <a... at godeck.com> wrote:
>
> > Just curious if anybody prefers web2py over django, and visa versa. I
> > know it's been discussed on a flame war level a lot. I am looking for a
> > more intellectual reasoning behind using one or the other.
>
> Of course I am the most biased person in the world on this topic but
> perhaps you want to hear my bias.
>
> A little bit of history... I thought a Django course at DePaul
> University and built a CMS for the United Nations in Django. I loved
> it. Then I also learned RoR. I found RoR more intuitive and better for
> rapid prototyping. I found Django much faster and more solid. I
> decided to build a proof of concept system that was somewhat in
> between Django and Rails with focus on 3 features: 1) easy to start
> with (no installation, no configuration, web based IDE, web based
> testing, debugging, and database interface); 2) enforce good practice
> (MVC, postbacks); 3) secure (escape all output, talk to database via
> DAL to present injections, server-side cookies with uuid session keys,
> role based access control with pluggable login methods, regex
> validation for all input including URLs).
>
> Originally it was a proof of concept, mostly suitable for teaching.
> Then lots of people helped to make it better and turn it into a
> production system. Now he had more than 50 contributors and a more
> than 20 companies that provide support.
>
> There are some distinctive features of web2py vs Django. Some love
> them, some hate hate them (mostly people who did not try them):
>
> - We promise backward compatibility. I do not accept patches that
> break it. It has been backward compatible for three years and I will
> enforce the copyright, if necessary, in order to ensure it for the
> future.
>
> - In web2py models and controllers are not modules. They are not
> imported. They are executed. This means you do not need to import
> basic web2py symbols. They are already defined in the environment that
> executes the models and controllers (like in Rails). This also means
> you do not need to restart the web server when you edit your app. You
> can import additional modules and you can define modules if you like.
>
> - You have a web based IDE with editor, some conflict resolution,
> Mercurial integration, ticketing system, web-based testing and
> debugging.
>
> - The Database Abstraction Layer (DAL) is closed to SQL than Dango ORM
> is. This means it does less for you (in particular about many 2 many)
> but it is more flaxible when it comes to complex joins, aggregates and
> nested selects.
>
> - The DAL supports out of the box SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MSSQL,
> Oracle, FireBird, FireBase, DB2, Informix, Ingres, and the Google App
> Engine (except for joins and multi-entity transactions). We plan
> support for Sybase and MongoDB within one month.
>
> - The DAL supports transactions. It means it will create and/or ALTER
> tables for you as your model changes. This can be disabled.
>
> - The DAL has partial support for some legacy databases that do not
> have an 'id' auto increment primary key.
>
> - It has a plugin and a component systems (here is an old video:http://www.vimeo.com/7182692the video says "experimental" but this is
> now stable in trunk, although not very well documented).
>
> - both systems have a web based database interface (Django calls it
> "admin", web2py calls it "appadmin, not to be confused with web2py
> "admin", the IDE). The Django one is more polished, customizable and
> designed to be exposed to users. The web2py one is raw and designed
> for the administrator. It is not customizable. Because it is designed
> for the administrator and requires administrator login it allows
> arbitrary DAL code to be executed. It can be disabled.
>
> Here is the last app I built with it:http://www.vimeo.com/7182692
> running on GAE here:http://www.vimeo.com/7182692
>
> Herehttp://www.vimeo.com/6507384you can see a video in which I
> rewrite the Django polls tutorial in web2py. You will get an idea of
> some of the differences.
>
> Anyway, I think both system are great. Spend 15 minutes (no more) with
> each to make up your mind, and stick with it.
>
> Massimo