Raspberry based Web Server using Python 9

[otw_is sidebar=otw-sidebar-1]In this post I will discuss the web server based on the Raspberry Pi using the Python IDLE, that is the Raspberry Pi will acts as the web server and give the content saved on it to the client which requests for the data. The Raspberry Pi will serve as the host and the device requesting for the data will act as the client. I will be using the Python IDLE to write the code and text editor in the Raspberry Pi for the template writing of the web using HTML.

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Raspberry based Web Server using Python:

After reading this post you will be able to create your own web server and will be able to design it as you desire. This post can be thought as the first part for the Home Automation System based on the Raspberry Pi via Wi Fi. In the next post I will use the web server designed in this post to build the wireless control of the home appliances. That is by connecting to the same network by your phone or laptop to the network to which your Raspberry Pi is connected you can access the web server and manipulate the GPIO pins of the Raspberry Pi. You can either read the state of the GPIO pins or can on off these pins. So in the first part I will discuss about how to create the web server based on the Raspberry Pi using Python and in the next part I will discuss about how to use this web server to build the Home Automation System via Wi Fi.

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Raspberry Pi Web Server:

Before diving into the process let us first understand what is the web server and how the Raspberry Pi will act as the web server. A web server is any software or hardware that stores, manage and provide the content to the client on demand. That is when a client demands the information form any website the web server on which this website along with its content is saved gives this information to the client. In this post the raspberry Pi will act as the web server that is we will program the Raspberry Pi in such a way that the web page and the content of the web page is saved on it and can be accessed through the network from the Raspberry Pi. Here it is important to note that you will not need to have the internet connection for this tutorial that is the network is completely local. The Raspberry Pi will be connected to the home network that is to the router using Wi Fi this router will assign a particular IP address to the Raspberry Pi. So in order to access the web server based on this Raspberry Pi connected to your home network you need to connect to this network as there is no internet connection and the web server cannot be accessed over internet but can be accessed through this local network. The idea can be understand with the help of the following block diagram:

I have already discussed about how to connect the Raspberry Pi to local network via Wi Fi in my previous post.

Installing Flask for web server using Python:

In order to create the web server based on the Raspberry Pi using the Python we need to install the micro frame work which is called the Flask. For the simplicity sake the discussion on what the flask is avoided in the post. All we need to know that Flask is important to install if we want to create the web server based on the Raspberry Pi using the Python IDLE. Follow the following simple steps to install the Flask in the Raspberry Pi.

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Step1:

First of all open the terminal window in the Raspberry Pi.

Step2:

Now type the following command in the terminal window and then press enter.

                                                sudo apt-get install python3-flask

The installation of flask is this simple. After successfully installing the Flask micro framework proceed to the following steps.

Create the folder:

The next step is to create the folder in the Raspberry Pi. keep in mind as you will see later that there will be more than one file involved in the making of the Raspberry PI based web server, so it is good approach that we create the folder inside the Raspberry Pi and place all the files of our current project in that folder, although it is not necessary but it is a good approach and I recommend you to create the folder.

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Step1:

In the terminal window type the following command.
mkdir rpiWebServer
This command will create the folder named WebServer.

Step2:

Make the sub folders in this folder by typing the following command in the terminal window. You will understand its importance when you write the code for HTML template.
cd rpiWebServer
mkdir template
This folder is to keep the HTML file. Now type the following command to make another sub folder.
mkdir static

Python code for Web server:

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After you installed the Flask micro framework and made the folders it is now time to create your first very own web server. Follow the following steps to be able to create your Raspberry PI based web server.

Step1:

Open the Python IDLE in the Raspberry Pi.

Step2:

You can copy and paste the following code in your Python IDLE.
from flask import flask

app = Flask(__name__)
@app.route(‘/’)
def index():
deturn ‘Hello World’
df __name__==’’__main__’:
dpp.run(debug=True, port = 80,host = ‘0.0.0.0’)

Notice the Flask micro framework we have imported in the above code.

Step3:

Now save the above file with any name you want. Let us save it as “firstpart.py”. You can run this file from the command window by typing its name in the window. You will see the “Hello World” written in the terminal window.
You can run this file in another way which is more relevant to our task. For this you will need a smart phone or laptop with built in Wi Fi. Connect your mobile phone or your laptop with same network to which your Raspberry Pi is connected. Open any web browser and enter the IP address of your Raspberry Pi in the URL, and you will see the web page with the “hello world” written on it. I hope the working of the Raspberry Pi based web server is self-explanatory now.
That is all for now, in the next post I will discuss about how to use this web server based on the Raspberry Pi to create our own Home Automation System.

Setting up Raspberry Pi 3 to Wifi AND Ethernet