python web framework -- dynamic routes to extension modules

Question

I'm exploring the use of python's bottle web framework. The web application must be extensible. That is, I will have a folder like "some/path/extensions/" into which future developers should be able to place extensions to this application. So for example: if the extension is called "treelayout" (with its own set of html files, js files etc, these files would be placed in .../.../extensions/treelayout/ folder. My goal is to have a url router that looks something like:

@GET("/some/path/extensions/:module/:func/:params")
def callmodule(module, func, params):
    #D = dictionary made out of variable number of params.
    #Then call module.func(D)  <== How can I do this given that module and func are strings?

Example, someone could call "h++p: //.../treelayout/create/maxnodes/100/fanout/10/depth/3" and this would call the new extension treelayout.create( {maxnodes:100, fanout:10, depth:3} ).

Any idea if this is possible to do with bottle or any other python framework?

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:11

The Python language can map string variables to loaded modules & methods.

import sys 

@GET("/some/path/extensions/:module/:func/:params")
def callmodule(module, func, params):
    D = dict(params)
    # Pull module instance from systems stack
    moduleInstance = sys.modules[module]
    # Grab method from module
    functionInstance = getattr(moduleInstance,func)
    # Pass "D" variable to function instance
    functionInstance(D)

Other great examples can be found in the answers to the following questions

Thanks a lot emcconville. I think this will definitely fit my needs. — G.A., Jun 02 '13 at 17:33

python web framework -- dynamic routes to extension modules

1 Answers1