How to serve a web page using Python

Key takeaways:
There are multiple methods to serve web pages in Python:
Using Flask for dynamic web applications.
Utilizing Python’s built-in HTTP server module for simple static pages.
Using Flask:
Install Flask using the command pip install flask.
Create a templates directory to hold HTML files.
Create an app.py file to manage the application, specifying the host and port.
Start the Flask application with the command python3 app.py.
The setup typically includes:
index.html: The HTML file that serves as the web page.
script.sh: A script file with commands to run the application.

To serve a web application using Python, you can use a web framework like Flask or Django. Flask is a lightweight framework, while Django is more comprehensive and suitable for larger projects. There are multiple ways to serve a web page using Python, which includes the following:

Serve the web page using Flask.
Serve the web page using Python's built-in HTTP server module.

We will explore both of these options in detail with code examples.

Serve web page with Flask

This section will serve as a web page for a Flask application. To complete this, perform the following steps:

Install Flask using the following command:
```
pip install flask
```
Note: Flask has been installed for you.
Create a directory named templates to store the HTML files.
Create another new app.py file that will be used to render the HTML file. This file will contain the information regarding the host and port number of the application.
Use the following command to run the application:
```
python3 app.py
```

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<style>
* {box-sizing: border-box;}

body { 
  margin: 0;
  font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}

.header {
  overflow: hidden;
  background-color: #f1f1f1;
  padding: 20px 10px;
}

.header a {
  float: left;
  color: black;
  text-align: center;
  padding: 12px;
  text-decoration: none;
  font-size: 18px; 
  line-height: 25px;
  border-radius: 4px;
}

.header a.logo {
  font-size: 25px;
  font-weight: bold;
}

.header a:hover {
  background-color: #ddd;
  color: black;
}

.header a.active {
  background-color: dodgerblue;
  color: white;
}

.header-right {
  float: right;
}

@media screen and (max-width: 500px) {
  .header a {
    float: none;
    display: block;
    text-align: left;
  }
  
  .header-right {
    float: none;
  }
}
</style>
</head>
<body>

<div class="header">
  <a href="#default" class="logo">Welcome to Educative</a>
</div>

<div style="padding-left:20px">
  <h1>Application is served </h1>
</div>

</body>
</html>

Serve web page using Flask

Navigate to the directory where you have the index.html file.
Use the following command to serve the web page:
```
python3 -m http.server <port>
```
Note: This command will start a server and serve the web page on localhost:8080.

Following is the code example where we have the following files:

index.html: The web page we wanted to serve.
script.sh: The script file contains the command to start the server.

Frequently asked questions

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Is Python used for web servers?

Yes, Python is commonly used for web servers through frameworks like Flask and Django.

Is Python easier than PHP?

Many find Python easier to learn due to its clear syntax, but ease of use can vary based on individual experience.

What is HTTP in Python?

HTTP in Python refers to the protocol used for transferring data over the web, which can be handled using libraries like http.client, requests, or web frameworks.