CoreUI Flask

Open-source Flask Dashboard generated by AppSeed op top of a modern design. CoreUI is an Open Source Bootstrap Admin Template. But CoreUI is not just another Admin Template. It goes way beyond hitherto admin templates thanks to transparent code and file structure. And if that's not enough, let’s just add that CoreUI consists bunch of unique features and over 1000 high quality icons.

Features

• UI Kit: CoreUI (Free Version) v4.1.0
• Up-to-date dependencies: Flask 2.0.1
• SCSS compilation via Gulp
• DBMS: SQLite, PostgreSQL (production)
• DB Tools: SQLAlchemy ORM, Alembic (schema migrations)
• Modular design with Blueprints, simple codebase
• Session-Based authentication (via flask_login), Forms validation
• Deployment scripts: Docker, Gunicorn / Nginx, Heroku
• Support via Github and Discord.

Links

• CoreUI Flask - product page
• CoreUI Flask - LIVE deployment
• CoreUI Flask - product documentation

Quick Start in Docker

Get the code

$ git clone https://github.com/app-generator/flask-dashboard-coreui.git
$ cd flask-dashboard-coreui

Start the app in Docker

$ docker-compose pull   # download dependencies 
$ docker-compose build  # local set up
$ docker-compose up -d  # start the app 

Visit http://localhost:85 in your browser. The app should be up & running.

How to use it

$ # Get the code
$ git clone https://github.com/app-generator/flask-dashboard-coreui.git
$ cd flask-dashboard-coreui
$
$ # Virtualenv modules installation (Unix based systems)
$ virtualenv env
$ source env/bin/activate
$
$ # Virtualenv modules installation (Windows based systems)
$ # virtualenv env
$ # .\env\Scripts\activate
$
$ # Install modules - SQLite Database
$ pip3 install -r requirements.txt
$
$ # OR with PostgreSQL connector
$ # pip install -r requirements-pgsql.txt
$
$ # Set the FLASK_APP environment variable
$ (Unix/Mac) export FLASK_APP=run.py
$ (Windows) set FLASK_APP=run.py
$ (Powershell) $env:FLASK_APP = ".\run.py"
$
$ # Set up the DEBUG environment
$ # (Unix/Mac) export FLASK_ENV=development
$ # (Windows) set FLASK_ENV=development
$ # (Powershell) $env:FLASK_ENV = "development"
$
$ # Start the application (development mode)
$ # --host=0.0.0.0 - expose the app on all network interfaces (default 127.0.0.1)
$ # --port=5000    - specify the app port (default 5000)  
$ flask run --host=0.0.0.0 --port=5000
$
$ # Access the dashboard in browser: http://127.0.0.1:5000/

Note: To use the app, please access the registration page and create a new user. After authentication, the app will unlock the private pages.

Code-base structure

The project is coded using blueprints, app factory pattern, dual configuration profile (development and production) and an intuitive structure presented bellow:

< PROJECT ROOT >
   |
   |-- apps/
   |    |
   |    |-- home/                          # A simple app that serve HTML files
   |    |    |-- routes.py                 # Define app routes
   |    |
   |    |-- authentication/                # Handles auth routes (login and register)
   |    |    |-- routes.py                 # Define authentication routes  
   |    |    |-- models.py                 # Defines models  
   |    |    |-- forms.py                  # Define auth forms (login and register) 
   |    |
   |    |-- static/
   |    |    |-- <css, JS, images>         # CSS files, Javascripts files
   |    |
   |    |-- templates/                     # Templates used to render pages
   |    |    |-- includes/                 # HTML chunks and components
   |    |    |    |-- navigation.html      # Top menu component
   |    |    |    |-- sidebar.html         # Sidebar component
   |    |    |    |-- footer.html          # App Footer
   |    |    |    |-- scripts.html         # Scripts common to all pages
   |    |    |
   |    |    |-- layouts/                   # Master pages
   |    |    |    |-- base-fullscreen.html  # Used by Authentication pages
   |    |    |    |-- base.html             # Used by common pages
   |    |    |
   |    |    |-- accounts/                  # Authentication pages
   |    |    |    |-- login.html            # Login page
   |    |    |    |-- register.html         # Register page
   |    |    |
   |    |    |-- home/                      # UI Kit Pages
   |    |         |-- index.html            # Index page
   |    |         |-- 404-page.html         # 404 page
   |    |         |-- *.html                # All other pages
   |    |    
   |  config.py                             # Set up the app
   |    __init__.py                         # Initialize the app
   |
   |-- requirements.txt                     # Development modules - SQLite storage
   |-- requirements-mysql.txt               # Production modules  - Mysql DMBS
   |-- requirements-pqsql.txt               # Production modules  - PostgreSql DMBS
   |
   |-- Dockerfile                           # Deployment
   |-- docker-compose.yml                   # Deployment
   |-- gunicorn-cfg.py                      # Deployment   
   |-- nginx                                # Deployment
   |    |-- appseed-app.conf                # Deployment 
   |
   |-- .env                                 # Inject Configuration via Environment
   |-- run.py                               # Start the app - WSGI gateway
   |
   |-- ************************************************************************

The bootstrap flow

• run.py loads the .env file
• Initialize the app using the specified profile: Debug or Production
  • If env.DEBUG is set to True the SQLite storage is used
  • If env.DEBUG is set to False the specified DB driver is used (MySql, PostgreSQL)
• Call the app factory method create_app defined in app/init.py
• Redirect the guest users to Login page
• Unlock the pages served by home blueprint for authenticated users

Recompile CSS

To recompile SCSS files, follow this setup:

Step #1 - Install tools

• NodeJS 12.x or higher
• Gulp - globally
  • npm install -g gulp-cli
• Yarn (optional)

Step #2 - Change the working directory to assets folder

$ cd apps/static/assets

Step #3 - Install modules (this will create a classic node_modules directory)

$ npm install
// OR
$ yarn

Step #4 - Edit & Recompile SCSS files

$ gulp scss

The generated file is saved in static/assets/css directory.

Deployment

The app is provided with a basic configuration to be executed in Docker, Gunicorn, and Waitress.

Heroku

---

Steps to deploy on Heroku

• Create a FREE account on Heroku platform
• Install the Heroku CLI that match your OS: Mac, Unix or Windows
• Open a terminal window and authenticate via heroku login command
• Clone the sources and push the project for LIVE deployment

$ # Clone the source code:
$ git clone https://github.com/app-generator/flask-dashboard-coreui.git
$ cd flask-dashboard-coreui
$
$ # Check Heroku CLI is installed
$ heroku -v
heroku/7.25.0 win32-x64 node-v12.13.0 # <-- All good
$
$ # Check Heroku CLI is installed
$ heroku login
$ # this commaond will open a browser window - click the login button (in browser)
$
$ # Create the Heroku project
$ heroku create
$
$ # Trigger the LIVE deploy
$ git push heroku master
$
$ # Open the LIVE app in browser
$ heroku open

Gunicorn

---

Gunicorn 'Green Unicorn' is a Python WSGI HTTP Server for UNIX.

Install using pip

$ pip install gunicorn

Start the app using gunicorn binary

$ gunicorn --bind 0.0.0.0:8001 run:app
Serving on http://localhost:8001

Visit http://localhost:8001 in your browser. The app should be up & running.

Waitress

---

Waitress (Gunicorn equivalent for Windows) is meant to be a production-quality pure-Python WSGI server with very acceptable performance. It has no dependencies except ones that live in the Python standard library.

Install using pip

$ pip install waitress

Start the app using waitress-serve

$ waitress-serve --port=8001 run:app
Serving on http://localhost:8001

Visit http://localhost:8001 in your browser. The app should be up & running.

Credits & Links

• Flask Framework - The offcial website
• Boilerplate Code - Index provided by AppSeed
• Boilerplate Code - Index published on Github

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CoreUI Flask - Provided by AppSeed App Generator.