Discover How PyScript Makes Python Usable in Browsers
Written on
Chapter 1: Introduction to PyScript
PyScript is revolutionizing web development by allowing Python code to run directly in browsers. This innovation is set to captivate data scientists, machine learning practitioners, and web developers eager to leverage Python for web applications.
With PyScript, the dream of integrating Python with HTML has finally come true, enabling us to utilize JavaScript libraries seamlessly alongside Python code. This opens up new avenues for creating robust web applications entirely in Python.
In this guide, we will explore:
- The fundamentals of PyScript
- Key features that set it apart
- Essential PyScript tags
- Practical applications of PyScript
- Step-by-step instructions for writing and executing Python code with PyScript
- Illustrative examples of PyScript in action
What is PyScript?
PyScript is a framework that empowers developers to build Python applications within a web browser using HTML. Designed by a team from Anaconda, including Peter Wang, Fabio Pliger, and Philipp Rudiger, it combines Python's capabilities with web technologies, making it accessible to a broader audience of front-end developers.
Built on Pyodide, a port of CPython to WebAssembly, PyScript brings the power of Python to the web.
Key Features of PyScript
PyScript boasts several notable features:
- Execute Python code directly within HTML documents.
- Develop comprehensive web applications utilizing Python.
- Share machine learning models via HTML files, allowing them to run in browsers without setup hassles.
- Incorporate various UI components like buttons, containers, and text boxes.
- Utilize popular Python libraries such as NumPy, Pandas, Scikit-Learn, and Matplotlib.
- Facilitate bi-directional communication between Python and JavaScript.
- Specify which packages and files are necessary for executing the page code.
How to Use PyScript?
To get started with PyScript, you need only a web browser and an HTML file editor like VSCode or Notepad++. There’s no additional installation required.
PyScript employs three primary tags for integrating Python into HTML:
- py-env tag: Specifies the Python packages needed for your code.
- py-script tag: Indicates where your Python code will be written.
- py-repl tag: Creates a read-eval-print loop (REPL) for executing code interactively.
For instance, to define your Python environment with packages like Matplotlib, NumPy, and Pandas, you would use the following syntax:
<py-env>
<packages>
<package>matplotlib</package>
<package>numpy</package>
<package>pandas</package>
</packages>
</py-env>
The py-script tag allows you to include your Python code directly or reference an external Python file.
Writing and Executing Python Code with PyScript
Let’s dive into an example of writing Python code using PyScript. If you're already familiar with Python syntax, this will be straightforward. Below is a sample code snippet that creates a line graph:
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
a = np.array([1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11])
b = np.array([2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12])
x = np.exp(a)
y = np.exp(b)
plt.plot(a, x, color="blue", marker='*')
plt.plot(b, y, color="red", marker='o')
plt.title("Line Graph")
plt.xlabel("X")
plt.ylabel("Y")
plt.show()
To implement this with PyScript, follow these steps:
- Open a text editor to create your HTML file.
- Use the py-env tag to declare the necessary Python packages.
- Write your Python code within the py-script tag.
Once you've saved your file with an .html extension and opened it in your browser, you should see the resulting line graph displayed.
Here’s a visual representation of what the output looks like when using PyScript:
Exploring More Examples
Let’s consider additional examples to illustrate PyScript’s capabilities.
#### Example 1: A Simple Python Script
In this scenario, we’ll create a file named hello_world.html. Saving it in the same directory as your PyScript JavaScript and CSS files allows for seamless execution. When opened in a browser, you should see:
#### Example 2: Multi-line Python Script
For a more complex example, we can compute the value of π using a multi-line script. This showcases how to handle longer Python code blocks effectively.
#### Example 3: Utilizing Packages
In this final example, we’ll demonstrate how to leverage external packages like NumPy to perform calculations.
Conclusion
PyScript provides a unique opportunity to execute Python code directly in web browsers without the need for a separate installation. Whether you're considering it as a JavaScript alternative or a means to experiment with Python, PyScript opens up exciting possibilities for web development. I'm eager to see the innovative machine learning and data science applications that will emerge from this groundbreaking tool.
References
Before you go:
If you enjoy insightful Medium stories, consider supporting writers like me by becoming a member. A membership provides unlimited access for just $5 a month, and you'll be helping creators continue their work.