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name: fastapi description: Comprehensive FastAPI development skill for building Python web APIs from hello world to production-ready applications. Use when building REST APIs, implementing authentication, integrating databases, adding WebSockets, creating microservices, or any FastAPI development task. Covers project scaffolding, CRUD operations, testing, deployment, and best practices.

FastAPI Development Skill

Build professional FastAPI applications from beginner to advanced level.

Quick Start

Create New Project

Use the scaffolding script to generate a new FastAPI project:

Copypython scripts/scaffold_project.py <project-name> --template <template-type>

Template types:

• hello-world - Minimal FastAPI app (default)
• rest-api - REST API with database integration
• auth-api - API with JWT authentication
• full-stack - FastAPI backend + frontend integration
• microservice - Microservice architecture

Add Features to Existing Project

Copy# Add authentication
python scripts/add_auth.py

# Add database support
python scripts/add_database.py --db-type postgresql

# Generate CRUD endpoints for a model
python scripts/generate_crud.py --model User

Project Templates

Ready-made templates are available in assets/templates/:

• hello-world/ - Basic FastAPI application
• rest-api/ - REST API with SQLAlchemy database
• auth-api/ - Complete authentication system
• full-stack/ - Backend + frontend integration
• microservice/ - Microservice with Docker

Each template includes:

• Proper project structure
• Configuration management
• Testing setup
• Documentation
• Docker files

Reference Documentation

Comprehensive guides are available in references/:

• project-structure.md - Organizing FastAPI projects
• database.md - Database integration (SQLAlchemy, async)
• authentication.md - JWT, OAuth2 patterns
• crud-patterns.md - CRUD operation best practices
• testing.md - Testing strategies
• deployment.md - Deployment guides (Docker, cloud)
• websockets.md - WebSocket implementation
• background-tasks.md - Async job patterns
• middleware.md - Custom middleware
• best-practices.md - Performance, security, production tips
• api-design.md - RESTful API design patterns

Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Create a New API from Scratch

1. Scaffold the project:

   Copypython scripts/scaffold_project.py my-api --template rest-api
   

2. Review the generated structure in references/project-structure.md

3. Define your models and generate CRUD:

   Copypython scripts/generate_crud.py --model Product
   

4. Add authentication if needed:

   Copypython scripts/add_auth.py
   

5. Write tests following patterns in references/testing.md

6. Deploy using guides in references/deployment.md

Workflow 2: Add Database to Existing Project

1. Run the database setup script:

   Copypython scripts/add_database.py --db-type postgresql
   

2. Review database patterns in references/database.md

3. Define models using SQLAlchemy

4. Generate CRUD endpoints:

   Copypython scripts/generate_crud.py --model YourModel
   

Workflow 3: Implement Authentication

1. Add authentication scaffolding:

   Copypython scripts/add_auth.py
   

2. Review authentication patterns in references/authentication.md

3. Customize JWT settings and user model

4. Implement protected endpoints

Workflow 4: Build a Microservice

1. Create from microservice template:

   Copypython scripts/scaffold_project.py my-service --template microservice
   

2. Review the generated Docker and docker-compose files

3. Implement service-specific endpoints

4. Deploy using containerization

Development Tips

When Starting a New Feature

1. Check if a template exists in assets/templates/
2. Review relevant documentation in references/
3. Use scaffolding scripts to generate boilerplate
4. Follow patterns from the references

When Stuck

1. Project structure questions → See references/project-structure.md
2. Database issues → See references/database.md
3. Auth problems → See references/authentication.md
4. Performance concerns → See references/best-practices.md
5. Testing questions → See references/testing.md
6. Deployment issues → See references/deployment.md

Best Practices

Always refer to references/best-practices.md for:

• Performance optimization
• Security considerations
• Production deployment
• Error handling
• Logging strategies
• API versioning

Progressive Learning Path

Beginner (Hello World → Basic API)

1. Start with assets/templates/hello-world/
2. Read references/project-structure.md
3. Build simple endpoints with path/query parameters

Intermediate (Database Integration)

1. Use assets/templates/rest-api/
2. Read references/database.md
3. Implement CRUD operations
4. Add validation with Pydantic

Advanced (Authentication & Production)

1. Use assets/templates/auth-api/
2. Read references/authentication.md
3. Implement JWT auth
4. Add middleware and background tasks
5. Write comprehensive tests

Professional (Microservices & Deployment)

1. Use assets/templates/microservice/
2. Read references/deployment.md
3. Containerize with Docker
4. Set up CI/CD
5. Deploy to cloud platforms

Scripts Reference

All scripts in scripts/ are designed to be run from the project root:

• scaffold_project.py - Generate new FastAPI project from template
• add_auth.py - Add JWT authentication to existing project
• add_database.py - Set up database configuration and models
• generate_crud.py - Generate CRUD endpoints for a model
• add_tests.py - Add test files for a module

Run any script with --help for detailed usage information.