A simple Web service that can be queried by other parties by using curl.

Requirements for RESTful web service:

• python 2.5+
• sqlite3

pip install sqlite3

• pysqlite

pip install pysqlite

• flask

pip install Flask

Procedure to set up the environment:

1. Create a database to work with (the NationalNames.csv file has to be in the root folder):

• Open the terminal, go in the root folder then execute the following:

$ sqlite3 names.db < schema.sql
$ sqlite3 names.db
sqlite>.mode csv
sqlite>.separator ','
sqlite>.import NationalNames.csv names
sqlite>.quit

2. Call the web service:

• In the root folder execute the following to start the web server:

$ python run.py

3. Retrieve information with curl:

• Total number of entries:

$ curl http://<Server_address>/entries

• Total entries from specific name:

$ curl --request GET http://<Server_address>/entry_name/<name>

• Insert a new baby:

$ curl --request POST http://<Server_address>/insert/<name>,<year>,<gender>,<count>

• First and last year where a specific name appeared:

$ curl http://<Server_address>/max_min/<name>

3.1) In version 2 of the web service, you can retrieve all the information by typing directly in the Web browser.

http://<Server_address>/<instruction>

4. Issues DB realted:

If you get the error OperationalError: unable to open database file when you run a curl command as client, you have to make sure the directory containing the database file also has write access allowed to the process. So, in the terminal, type:

$ sudo chmod 775 <root>/
$ sudo chmod 664 <root>/<name_db>.db
$ sudo chown -R <username> <root>/

This should solve that issue.