Flask Introduction: Mastering Routes and View Functions from Scratch

This article is an introductory guide to Flask routes and view functions. First, install Flask using `pip install flask`. A basic example (code in `app.py`) demonstrates the first application: create a `Flask` instance, define the root route with `@app.route('/')`, and have the view function `index()` return "Hello, Flask!". After running, access `http://127.0.0.1:5000/` to view the result. Routes map URLs to view functions, categorized into two types: static routes (e.g., `/about` bound to the `about()` function) and dynamic routes (using `<parameter_name>`, e.g., `/user/<username>`, supporting type constraints like `int:post_id`). View functions process requests: they can return strings, HTML, and support HTTP methods (e.g., GET/POST) via the `methods` parameter. To return JSON, use `jsonify`. Start the development server with `app.run(debug=True)` for easier debugging. Key points: Route definition mapping, dynamic parameter handling for variable paths, view functions processing requests and returning responses (text, HTML, JSON, etc.), and specifying HTTP methods through `methods`. Mastering these enables building simple web applications, with subsequent topics to explore templates and static files.