Orientation

Lab-Focused Training

A recommended approach for learning GenAI-Logic is:

Basic Orientation - use the list below, in conjunction with your AI Assistant
Key Samples - list provided on the Manager Readme, and docs
Logic - drill down on learning logic - click here

Orientation Checklist

Before running the key samples, make sure you understand:

Python

[ ] Virtual environment (venv) — required for running the server and CLI commands. Default shared from Manager; see also venv docs.
[ ] Python path — libs not in the venv
[ ] App Settings — see the app config directory (security, db location etc)
[ ] VS Code — see .vscode -- .settings, `.launch'
[ ] Python for Java Developers — see this short guide.

Architecture - click What Is ApiLogicServer

IDE Instances - Manager vs Project

[ ] Manager Context/Prompt Engineering for creating projects, organizes projects
[ ] Project Standard project (folder of your code and rules), and PE for AI Assistant

AI Assistant

[ ] The 3-Legged Stool — ask your assistant
[ ] Prompt Engineering (pe) — used by genai-logic genai* CLI commands, and WebGenAI
[ ] Context Engineering (ce) — ask CoPilot: how can you help me?
[ ] App — Behavior is determinstic, unless you use AI Rules
- so, govern these with other rules

Initial Background

Review the GenAI Architecture, and take a quick scan of Python for Java programmers.

Concepts and Facilities

Command Line Basics

The command line (cli) is the key to use all of the features of ApiLogicServer. Note that each command may have a set of additional arguments: use --help to see the additional features (e.g. als genai --help).

als --help
Welcome to API Logic Server {version}

Usage: als [OPTIONS] COMMAND [ARGS]...

      Creates [and runs] logic-enabled Python database API Logic Projects.

          Creation is from your database (--db-url identifies a SQLAlchemy database)

          Doc: https://apilogicserver.github.io/Docs
          And: https://apilogicserver.github.io/Docs/Database-Connectivity/

      Suggestions:

          ApiLogicServer start                                # create and manage projects
          ApiLogicServer create --db-url= --project-name=     # defaults to Northwind sample


Options:
  --help  Show this message and exit.

Commands:
  about                  Recent Changes, system information.
  add-auth               Adds authorization/authentication to curr project.
  add-cust               Adds customizations to northwind, genai,...
  add-db                 Adds db (model, binds, api, app) to curr project.
  app-build              Builds runnable app from: ui/<app>/app-model.yaml
  app-create             Creates Ontomize app model: ui/<app>/app-model.yaml
  create                 Creates new customizable project (overwrites).
  create-and-run         Creates new project and runs it (overwrites).
  create-ui              Creates models.yaml from models.py (internal).
  curl                   Execute cURL command, providing auth headers...
  curl-test              Test curl commands (nw only; must be r)
  examples               Example commands, including SQLAlchemy URIs.
  genai                  Creates new customizable project (overwrites).
  genai-create           Create new project from --using prompt text.
  genai-iterate          Iterate current project from --using prompt text.
  genai-logic            Adds (or suggests) logic to current project.
  genai-utils            Utilities for GenAI.
  login                  Login and save token for curl command.
  rebuild-from-database  Updates database, api, and ui from changed db.
  rebuild-from-model     Updates database, api, and ui from changed models.
  run                    Runs existing project.
  start                  Create and Manage API Logic Projects.
  tutorial               Creates (updates) Tutorial.
  welcome                Just print version and exit.

Explore cli create, add-auth, app-build, app-create, rebuild-from-database
GenAI cli

Connect to SQL

If the project has an existing SQL DBMS (MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle) - ApiLogicServer can connect to SQL and build a detailed API. Review the documentation of Data-Model design, examples, keys, quoted identifiers, etc. In this lab - we will connect to the northwind database.

als create --project-name=myproject --db-url=nw+
cd myproject
code .

Open database/models.py

Data-Model-Design
Primary Keys on each table
Relationships (foreign keys) many-to-one (parent), one-to-many (children) (or many-to-many)
Accented characters (als create --db-url=... --quote) quoted identifiers
SQLAlchemy ORM model.py
Run Server (F5) with or without security
Start React Application (http://localhost:5656)
Review OpenAI (Swagger) (http://localhost:5656/api) JSON API

Integration

Some applications may require integration with other services (e.g. email, payment, workflow, etc) In this lab - explore how to use the existing services to integration with Kafka or Workflow.

Integration and Configuration Kafka
Send a message to Kafka (event driven) by topic
Listen for incoming Kafka message by topic
Integration with Workflow (n8n) - Using WebHooks
Configuration of Kafka or n8n (config.py)

Ontimize Angular Application

OntimizeWeb from Imatia is an Angular application that is automatically created from the command line. In this lab - review the Ontimize process here

Start ApiLogicServer first (note: must enable security: als add-auth --provider-type=sql)

als app-create --app=app
als app-build --help
 example:

      ApiLogicServer app-build —app=name=app1

      ApiLogicServer app-build —app=name=app1 —api-endpoint=Orders 
      # only build Orders          This creates app1/app-model.yml. 

Options:
  --project-name TEXT  Project containing App
  --app TEXT           App directory name
  --api-endpoint TEXT  API endpoint name
  --template-dir TEXT  Directory of user defined Ontimize templates
  --help               Show this message and exit.


als app-build --app=app
cd ui/app
npm install && npm start  # http://localhost:4299

Create an Ontimize application
Build (rebuild) Ontimize Application or Page
Yaml File Basics
Working with Templates
Application Model Editor
Advanced Filters (enable)

Note: This version uses the Ontimize API Bridge - work is being done to use JSON API

Configure Security

The ability to secure your application is an important part of the creation of any API Microservice application. In this lab - review and try:

Who Can Access - Authentication
What can they Do - Authorization (role-based access control)
Use KeyCloak local docker image
Use SQL login

Deployment (devops)

ApiLogicServer has a suite of tools for devops to build and deploy Docker containers.

Build a Docker Image

Adv Project

Adding attributes if they are not added automatically
SQLIte to PostgreSQL migration (sqlite3 db.sqlite .dump > postgres.sql)
Rebuild test data (?)

Be Aware Of

Behave Testing (optional)
Alembic Schema Migration

Appendices

Start the Manager

The Manager is a pre-configured VSCode with samples used to help new developers learn about ApiLogicServer. See the Manager documentation.

Recall you installed the manager when you installed API Logic Server. In a terminal window or powershell:

mkdir ApiLogicServer
cd ApiLogicServer
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate      # windows: venv\Scripts\activate
pip install ApiLogicServer
ApiLogicServer start

Explore the NorthWind (nw) example to learn about ApiLogicServer. Each folder represents a key concepts (e.g. config, api, database, logic, security, devops, test, ui)

Later, when you exit VSCode, you can restart the Manager:

cd ApiLogicServer
code .

Explore the folders

Config/config.py - runtime settings
Database/models.py - SQLAlchemy ORM
Api/custom_api.py - Custom API endpoints
logic/declare_logic.py
security declare_security.py and security/system/authentication.py
devops containers - various docker scripts
ui/admin admin.yaml - React back office
test - behave testing