Yet another comparison of Python Web Frameworks

[Daniel Fetchinson]

> ... I almost forgot ...
>
> another difference between Gluon and Django,TG is that in Gluon if
> you write controllers without view you automatically get generic view
> that render and BEAUTIFY() the variables returned by the controllers.
> That means you can develop the logic of your application without
> writing one line of HTML and you have a working prototype.
>
> Massimo
>
> > Hi Daniel,
> >
> > in many respects Gluon is similar to Django and was greatly inspired
> > by Django. Some differences are:
> >
> > Gluon is easier to install - you never need to use the shell, there
> > are no configuration files.
> >
> > Gluon is a web app. You can do all development via a web interface.
> >
> > You can compile Gluon apps and distribute them in byte-code compiled
> > form.
> >
> > Each Gluon app comes with a ticketing system. If an error occurrs it
> > is logged and a ticket is issed. you can then search and retrieve
> > errors by date or client-ip.
> >
> > Making forms is easier than in Django. For example given a db table
> > called db.table you can do:
> >    form=SQLForm(db.table)
> >    if form.accepts(request.vars,session): pass
> > these two lines will do everything, including generating the form
> > from the table, validating input, inserting in database or modifying
> > the form with error messages. This also prevents multiple submission
> > of the same form because each form has a unique one-time key.
> >
> > The template language is pure python but without indentation
> > requirements. Django has restrictions on what can go in templates.
> >
> > The output in the views is escaped by default. In Django it is not.
> >
> > You can manage internationalization (add language and write
> > translations)  from the web interface.
> >
> > Each app has an automatically generated database administrative
> > interface. The Django one is cooler then Gluon's, but the Gluon one
> > allows complicated joins in the filter field.
> >
> > Gluon supports migrations: you just change the definition of a table
> > and it ALTERs the table accordingly (drop works in postgres only).
> > For example if you change a field from boolean to string, the
> > database is altered and the values are converted from boolean to
> > string for existing records.
> >
> > Gluon has a sql.log console to see what changes are made to the
> > database.
> >
> > In Gluon you do not need to import modules. The gluon modules you
> > need already imported for you.
> >
> > Gluon has a top-down design. This means that the Gluon APIs are not
> > under development. They are 100% stable. There may be bugs and they
> > will be fixed but the syntax and signature of functions is not
> > subject to change. This is why I started making Gluon, I am teaching
> > a class on web frameworks and the API of Django and TG are not as
> > stable as I wish they were. Moreover they have a too steep learning
> > curve when compared to Gluon.
> >
> > Please try it, it is no that time consuming, and send me you comments
> > (good or bad)!
> >
> > Massimo
> >
> >
> >>> Hello everybody,
> >>>
> >>> I just joined this mailing list. Thanks for your comments about
> >>> gluon.
> >>>
> >>> I have posted a short video about it and I am planning to make more
> >>> over the week-end.
> >>>
> >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBjja6N6IYk
> >>>
> >>> About some of your comments:
> >>> - the most complex modules (like html and sql ones) have doctests.
> >>> - the executable versions (win and mac) come with python2.5. Running
> >>> from source code does not require 2.5 but you probably want sqlite3.
> >>> - so far I support sqlite3 and postgresql, not mysql (just because I
> >>> do not use it and had no time for testing it).
> >>> - yes, there are typos in the documentation. Please point them
> >>> out to
> >>> me so that I can fix them.
> >>> - I am sure there are some minor bugs I am not aware of but as far I
> >>> tested, it work.
> >>> - If you report bugs to me I promise to fix them in 48hrs.
> >>> - please make sure you have the latest version.
> >>>
> >>> I very much appreciate comments about gluon (good and bad). Please
> >>> send me more so that I can improve it.
> >>>
> >>> There will be two talks in chicago about gluon next week: at DePaul
> >>> Linux Users Group on Thursday evening and at the Chicago Linux Users
> >>> Group on Saturday afternoon. I will try record them and post them.
> >>>
> >>> Massimo
> >>>
> >>> P.S. Michele Simionato. I have heard your name before? Is it
> >>> possible
> >>> we have met in Pisa in 1990-1996? I am also a Quantum Field Theorist
> >>> and there is not many of us.
> >>
> >>
> >> Hi Massimo,
> >>
> >> In what way is gluon different from existing frameworks most notably
> >> django and turbogears? What do you think are the advantages to using
> >> gluon over these two?
> >>
> >> Cheers,
> >> Daniel


Massimo, thanks a lot for the reply, I'll give gluon a try. I've just
started to use TG about 3 months ago and although I like it it would
be fun to have a real comparison (I didn't like django at all after a
couple of hours of playing with it).