Build a Realtime Chat App in Python!

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Building the Front-End
   • Setting up the Project
   • Installing Dependencies
   • Running the Front-End
3. Building the Back-End
   • Creating the Backend Folder
   • Spinning up a Fast API Server
   • Installing Dependencies
   • Running the Python Server
4. Connecting the Front-End and Back-End
   • Integrating ChatEngine.io
   • Authenticating Users
   • Linking Environment Variables
5. Conclusion

Building a Full Stack Chat Application Using Python and JavaScript

In this article, we will guide You through the process of building a full stack chat application using Python and JavaScript. Specifically, we will use FastAPI for the back-end and React.js for the front-end. This chat application stands out as one of the most visually appealing chat apps developed in Python on YouTube.

Building the Front-End

Before we dive into the details of building the chat application, let's first set up the front-end project and run it on our local machine.

Setting up the Project

To set up the project, follow these steps:

1. Create a directory for the project (e.g., "python-JavaScript-chat") on your desktop.
2. Open the project directory in your preferred code editor (e.g., VS Code).

Installing Dependencies

Next, we need to install the necessary dependencies for the front-end. Perform the following steps:

1. Open a new terminal within the project.
2. Run the command npm install to install all the required dependencies using Node Package Manager (npm).

Running the Front-End

Once the dependencies are installed, we can run the front-end of our chat application. Follow these steps:

1. In the terminal, run the command npm run Dev to start the React App.
2. Access the application by opening a browser and navigating to http://localhost:5173.

Building the Back-End

Now that our front-end is up and running, let's move on to building the back-end of our chat application using FastAPI.

Creating the Backend Folder

To create the backend folder, execute the following steps:

1. Open a new terminal within the project.
2. Run the command mkdir backend to create a new folder for the back-end code.
3. Enter the newly created folder by running cd backend.

Spinning up a Fast API Server

In the backend folder, we will set up a FastAPI server. Perform the following steps:

1. Ensure you are still in the backend folder.
2. Create a virtual environment by running python3 -m venv venv.
3. Activate the virtual environment with the command source venv/bin/activate.
4. Install the required dependencies using the command pip install fastapi uvicorn requests.
5. Run the command pip freeze > requirements.txt to save the dependencies in a requirements.txt file.
6. Create a file named main.py and open it in your code editor.

Installing Dependencies

Now that our server is set up, let's install the required dependencies for our back-end. Execute the following steps:

1. Import the necessary packages at the beginning of the main.py file:

from fastapi import FastAPI
from fastapi.middleware.cors import CORSMiddleware
import requests

2. Add the CORS Middleware to allow communication with the front-end:

app = FastAPI()

origins = [
    "http://localhost:5173",
]

app.add_middleware(
    CORSMiddleware,
    allow_origins=origins,
    allow_credentials=True,
    allow_methods=["*"],
    allow_headers=["*"],
)

Running the Python Server

With the dependencies installed and the server code in place, let's run the Python server. Perform the following steps:

1. Open a new terminal within the backend folder.
2. Run the command uvicorn main:app --reload --port 3001 to start the server on port 3001.

Connecting the Front-End and Back-End

In this section, we will connect the front-end and back-end of our chat application and integrate ChatEngine.io for enhanced chat functionality.

Integrating ChatEngine.io

First, sign up for a ChatEngine.io account and create a free project. You will receive a project ID and a private key.

Authenticating Users

To authenticate users using the fastAPI server and ChatEngine.io, follow these steps:

1. Open the main.py file in your code editor.
2. Declare the project ID and private key as variables:

project_id = "YOUR_PROJECT_ID"
private_key = "YOUR_PRIVATE_KEY"

3. Implement the authentication method:

@app.post("/authenticate")
async def authenticate(user: str):
    payload = {
        "username": user,
        "secret": user,
        "first_name": user,
    }
    headers = {
        "Private-Key": private_key,
    }

    response = requests.put(
        f"https://api.chatengine.io/users/{project_id}/",
        json=payload,
        headers=headers,
    )

    return response.json()

Linking Environment Variables

To link the environment variable with the front-end, perform the following steps:

1. Copy the ChatEngine project ID from the ChatEngine.io settings.
2. Create a new file called .env.local in the front-end folder.
3. Add the environment variable with the following syntax:

REACT_APP_CHAT_ENGINE_PROJECT_ID=YOUR_PROJECT_ID

4. Save the file and update the front-end by running the command npm run Dev.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully built a full stack chat application using Python and JavaScript. With features like real-time chat, Read receipts, and file attachments, your application is both visually appealing and scalable. By following this tutorial, you have learned how to set up the front-end and back-end, integrate ChatEngine.io for enhanced functionality, and authenticate users. Feel free to explore and customize the application further. Happy coding!

Highlights

• Building a full stack chat application using Python and JavaScript.
• Utilizing FastAPI for the back-end and React.js for the front-end.
• Enhancing functionality with ChatEngine.io integration.
• Authenticating users and linking environment variables.
• Creating a visually appealing and scalable chat application.

FAQ

Q: How long does it take to complete this chat application?

A: The estimated completion time for building this chat application is around 10-20 minutes, depending on your familiarity with the technologies involved.

Q: Can I customize the chat application's appearance and features?

A: Yes, you can further customize the chat application according to your requirements. The provided code serves as a foundation, and you can enhance it Based on your preferences.

Q: Is it possible to deploy this chat application to a production environment?

A: Absolutely! This chat application can be deployed to a production environment with the necessary configurations and adjustments. Consider utilizing cloud platforms and containerization to achieve scalability and reliability.

Q: How can I handle potential security concerns in this chat application?

A: Security in chat applications is crucial. Make sure to implement authentication mechanisms, handle user input validation, and sanitize user-generated content to prevent vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks and SQL injections.

Q: Are there any limitations on the number of users this chat application can support?

A: The scalability of this application depends on how you build it. With the Current architecture, the application can support up to several thousand users simultaneously and can Scale to accommodate hundreds of thousands of users with the appropriate optimizations and infrastructure in place.