API

Python applications can integrate pycsw into their custom workflows. This allows for seamless integate within frameworks such as Flask and Django.

Below are examples of where using the API (as opposed to the default WSGI/CGI services could be used:

  • configuration based on a Python dict, or stored in a database

  • downstream request environment / framework (Flask, Django)

  • authentication or authorization logic

  • forcing CSW version 2.0.2 as default

OARec Flask Example

See https://github.com/geopython/pycsw/blob/master/pycsw/wsgi_flask.py for how to implement a Flask wrapper atop all pycsw supported APIs. Note the use of Flask blueprints to enable integration with downstream Flask applications.

Simple Flask blueprint example

from flask import Flask, redirect

from pycsw.wsgi_flask import BLUEPRINT as pycsw_blueprint

app = Flask(__name__, static_url_path='/static')

app.url_map.strict_slashes = False
app.register_blueprint(pycsw_blueprint, url_prefix='/oapi')

@app.route('/')
def hello_world():
    return "Hello, World!"

In the above example, all pycsw endpoints are made available under http://localhost:8000/oapi.

Simple CSW Flask Example

import logging

from flask import Flask, request

from pycsw import __version__ as pycsw_version
from pycsw.server import Csw

LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
APP = Flask(__name__)

@APP.route('/csw')
def csw_wrapper():
    """CSW wrapper"""

    LOGGER.info('Running pycsw %s', pycsw_version)

    pycsw_config = some_dict  # really comes from somewhere

    # initialize pycsw
    # pycsw_config: either a ConfigParser object or a dict of
    # the pycsw configuration
    #
    # env: dict of (HTTP) environment (defaults to os.environ)
    #
    # version: defaults to '3.0.0'
    my_csw = Csw(pycsw_config, request.environ, version='2.0.2')

    # dispatch the request
    http_status_code, response = my_csw.dispatch_wsgi()

    return response, http_status_code, {'Content-type': csw.contenttype}