Book excerpt: Take full creative control of your web applications with Flask, the Python-based microframework. With the second edition of this hands-on book, youâ??ll learn Flask from the ground up by developing a complete, real-world application created by author Miguel Grinberg. This refreshed edition accounts for important technology changes that have occurred in the past three years. Explore the frameworkâ??s core functionality, and learn how to extend applications with advanced web techniques such as database migrations and an application programming interface. The first part of each chapter provides you with reference and background for the topic in question, while the second part guides you through a hands-on implementation. If you have Python experience, youâ??re ready to take advantage of the creative freedom Flask provides. Three sections include: A thorough introduction to Flask: explore web application development basics with Flask and an application structure appropriate for medium and large applications Building Flasky: learn how to build an open source blogging application step-by-step by reusing templates, paginating item lists, and working with rich text Going the last mile: dive into unit testing strategies, performance analysis techniques, and deployment options for your Flask application