
APIs are a great tool for businesses to improve their business connections by allowing your business’s software to connect and communicate with third-party software. Python is one of the most used and trusted programming languages in the world for building APIs. However, in 2024, there are several Python-based frameworks available in the market for building APIs and choosing the right one for your project is crucial.
In this blog, we will discuss 14 trending Python frameworks that can offer unique and useful resources to developers. We urge you to read about all these Python frameworks and choose the one that suits your project’s requirements and your team’s expertise.
Python Frameworks List For Building API
1. Django
Django is one of the best frameworks in the market for building apps, software, and APIs. Developers who have experience working with Django can build quality APIs in a short period of time. It works on the “Don’t Repeat Yourself” (DRY) Principle, which reduces the redundancy of code.
It has several built-in features and a large number of libraries that make the development process even easier and faster. It can also use third-party drivers to support external databases.
Key Features Of Django:
- Automatic URL routing.
- Is most secure compared to other Python Frameworks.
- A large number of libraries.
- Easy caching, testing, and throttling.
2. FastAPI
FastAPI is one of the best Python web frameworks for building APIs at a fast pace. It has asynchronous features that allow the developer to continue running other code while waiting for a long-running task to complete. This allows developers to build APIs twice as fast. Its automatic documentation production based on the OpenAPI standard and Swagger UI is also a key ingredient for its speedy development.
Currently, it is one of the most popular Python development frameworks, with over 28k users. FastAPI may not be the best framework for those unfamiliar with it. However, if you can find experienced developers, FastAPI can help you save a lot of time.
Key Features Of FastAPI:
- asynchronous framework design for handling heavy traffic loads.
- Minimises the duplication of code.
- Can be integrated with Plugins.
- Faster response times.
- Built-in support for OAuth2 and JWT security protocols.
3. CherryPy
CherryPy is a minimalistic/micro python web application development framework used to create fast-paced stable APIs. It is not a full-stack framework, hence, most developers do not prefer it over other frameworks. However, for projects that only need an easy-to-use framework for rapid development, CherryPy is one of the best choices.
CherryPy is also one of the oldest frameworks, giving it enough time to address any challenges and get rid of its bugs. It is mostly used to create object-oriented Python programs that are stand-alone Python applications.
Key Features Of CherryPy:
- No need for external plugins for encoding, sessions, caching, authentication, static content, etc.
- It can run on Android.
- HTTP WSGI web server.
4. Flask Restful
Flask Restful is used to create high-quality APIs quickly. It runs on the Flask Python framework. It is a lightweight framework which is used for making micro web services. If you are working on a microservice project that also requires Python REST API, Flask Restful is a brilliant choice.
It also provides tools for testing and debugging REST APIs. It can also handle HTML templating and rendering. By incorporating Flask, developers get a full-stack framework for building APIs and other software.
Key Features Of Flask RestFul:
- It is compatible with Google App Engine.
- Efficient in-built unit testing and debugging.
- HTML Request handling is supported.
- Lightweight design aids in scalability.
5. Pyramid
Pyramid is a widely used Python web application framework for developing complex software and APIs with less complexity. Pyramid can be used for working with full-stack or small-scale applications. It is used by Mozilla, Yelp, Dropbox, and SurveyMonkey as a Python web development framework for developing flexible and minimalist APIs.
It is used to create tailored APIs, all while maintaining transparency and quality. The testing framework also allows it to write tests for your API, ensuring that it is working as intended.
Key Features Of Pyramid:
- It can run on both small and large projects.
- It can be integrated with various templating engines and can validate HTML structures.
- Built-in support for authentication and authorization schemes.
6. Bottle
Bottle is a small-scale Python framework initially designed to create APIs. It uses a single source document to execute all commands. It is the most used Python micro framework, which says a lot as it is only dependent on standard libraries. It is similar to Flask, with a few notable differences.
You need experienced developers to work with Bottle as it does not have many features and tools. However, it also allows experienced developers to customise the API as they like.
Key Features Of Bottle:
- Quick and Pythonic built-in HTTP template engine and backing.
- Plugin support for various databases.
- Provides access to metadata such as cookies, file uploads, etc.
7. Grok
Grok works on two basic principles: Convention over Configuration and Don’t Repeat Yourself. This allows the developer to create software and API using the Agile development method.
Grok runs on Zope toolkit technology, which is an open-source library for reusing elements for the development of new projects. The aim of Grok is to improve the development speed and quality of APIs.
Key Features Of Grok:
- Access the Zope 3 Library.
- Integrated data security to make secure APIs.
- Provides the foundation for creating custom web applications.
8. TurboGears
TurboGears is a data-driven full-stack Python Framework. It is specifically designed to provide features and tools that most highly used Python libraries do not offer. It removes the barriers to developing data-driven applications for the development.
With easy AJAX and user-friendly templates, it has become the go-to Python Framework for new developers. Developers get access to tools like SQLAlchemy, Repoze, WebOb, and Genshi, which are very useful for developing high-tech applications in a short time.
Key Features Of TurboGears:
- Flexible Object Relational Mapper.
- WSGI components such as WebOb, SQLAlchemy, Kajiki template language and Repoze.
- Features executed as function decorators.
- MochiKit JavaScript library integration and multi-database support.
9. Web2Py
Web2Py is a full-stack open-source Python backend Framework. It is a highly scalable cross-platform framework, that can run on all popular operating systems, including Linux, Mac, and Google App Engine. It simplifies the development process with the help of an SQL database, web server, and online interface.
Using Web2Py can reduce bugs while developing as it uses a ticketing framework. This means that whenever an issue occurs, a ticket is raised which the developer needs to follow through and resolve.
Key Features Of Web2Py:
- Cross-platform operating capability.
- Simplify the development process with MVC architecture.
- Improve development speed with settlement over configuration, temp files cleaning and editing app files.
10. Tornado
Tornado is an open-source asynchronous Python framework and offbeat framework library. Tornado can be used for creating simpler websites and APIs using HTML, CSS, and Python. Tornado is often recommended for bigger and more complex projects with shorter deadlines.
Without Tornado, such projects can be extremely difficult to manage and even exceed the given time and budget. It is best used for applications that require superior and a vast number of simultaneous clients. The asynchronous Python library helps to provide a cleaner approach to web server programming.
Key Features Of Tornado:
- Localisation and translation support.
- Real-time services and web templating features.
- Asynchronous HTTP customers.
11. Dash
Dash is one of the most popular Python frameworks in recent years. It is an open-source micro-framework. It is mainly used for developing high-quality analytical web applications. web development companies use it for creating web applications and APIs for Data Scientists who do know about the development process.
Dash applications are similar to Flask which communicates with JSON packets through HTTP requests. Hence, it is widely used along with Flask plugins. It is also a cross-platform framework.
Key Features Of Dash:
- High-quality output.
- Third-party security authentication and authorization.
- Plugins supported and URL routing.
12. Pylons Framework
Pylons facilitates open-source rapid web application development. It is a full-stack framework, that combines the best features of Python, Ruby, and Perl. Its best feature is that it offers a highly flexible structure for web development.
Pylons don’t need experienced developers to create highly scalable APIs. It is a minimalistic framework, and you only need to know basic HTML and Python to create complex web applications and APIs.
Key Features Of Pylons:
- Text-based templating.
- HTML form generation and validation.
- It makes the dispatch of URLs possible.
13. Falcon
Falcon is a highly flexible Python development framework. It is a microframework that can be used to create large-scale as well as lightweight web applications and APIs. Falcon is used by LinkedIn, OpenStack, and RackSpace.
The designs made using Falcon are efficient for HTTP and REST architectures. It can create robust backend and microservices at optimal development speeds.
Key Features Of Falcon:
- 100% code coverage.
- Exception handling.
- Minimalist framework.
- Processes DRY requests.
14. Cornice
Cornice is a REST framework that helps developers create web services using Pyramid. It automates the HTTP speculation process, improving development efficiency and speed. It is a great tool if you want scalability and flexibility in your API.
It can be used as a simple framework for simple projects and also be used as a complex framework for large-scale applications.
Key Features Of Cornice:
- Cross-Origin Resource Sharing support for services.
- One path is one service.
- Returns 406 Not Acceptable for invalid media type with an error message containing all the supported content types.
- URL prefixing.
Selecting the right framework for your project is crucial to maximise the return on investment and minimise the development time. In this blog, we have explained 14 Python API frameworks each with their unique features. Choosing the right framework for your project is your decision.
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