Glossary

API

API stands for "Application Programming Interface". APIs are standardized programming interfaces with which, for example, software can interact with (external) systems. With the API, information can be exchanged in a standardized way between the software and an application with which communication is to take place.

Many services provide such interfaces so that developers can easily integrate the services into their own applications.

FastAPI

FastAPI is a modern, high-performance web framework for Python based on ASGI. It enables rapid development of APIs and web applications with automatic OpenAPI documentation, asynchronous processing, and strict typing. FastAPI is very flexible and can be used for small to complex and scalable systems.

OpenAPI

OpenAPI is a standardized format for describing RESTful APIs. It enables machine-readable documentation of endpoints, parameters, return values, and authentication. With OpenAPI, developers can automatically generate clients, server stubs, and interactive API documentation.

Plugins

Plugins are additional programs that can be integrated into web applications or programs to extend their functions. By installing a plugin, an additional function can be added to a software program that it did not have before. The advantage: the entire program does not have to be rewritten, but the plugin is simply added via a programming interface - via so-called APIs.

Examples of plugins are tracking tools such as Google Analytics or Plausible Analytics to track and analyze user behavior on the website. These are connected to the website via an interface and do not change the actual code of the website.

Pydantic

Pydantic is a Python library for defining and validating data models using type annotations. It automatically converts input data to the specified types and checks their validity. Pydantic is often used in combination with frameworks such as FastAPI to develop clean, type-safe, and well-documented APIs.

REST

REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural concept for web APIs based on the principles of the HTTP protocol. RESTful APIs use standardized methods such as GET, POST, PUT, or DELETE to address resources via unique URLs. Due to its simplicity, scalability, and broad support, REST is considered one of the most common approaches for building modern web interfaces.

SQLModel

SQLModel is a Python library for working with relational databases that combines the strengths of SQLAlchemy and Pydantic. It supports the definition of data models with Python type hints, supports automatic validation, and facilitates CRUD operations. SQLModel is particularly suitable for fast, type-safe database applications and API development.

Swagger

Swagger is an open-source framework for describing, documenting, and visualizing RESTful APIs. It is based on the OpenAPI standard and offers tools such as Swagger UI, which developers can use to create interactive documentation, and Swagger Editor for defining API specifications. Swagger facilitates collaboration between developers, testers, and stakeholders by making APIs clear, understandable, and testable.