Route decorator syntax in FastAPI - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Route decorator syntax

📖 Scenario: You are building a simple web API using FastAPI. You want to create routes that respond to HTTP requests.

🎯 Goal: Create a FastAPI app with a route that responds to GET requests at the path /hello and returns a greeting message.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a FastAPI app instance named app

Define a route using the @app.get decorator for the path /hello

Create a function named hello that returns the string 'Hello, FastAPI!'

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Web APIs use route decorators to define how the server responds to different URLs and HTTP methods.

💼 Career

Understanding route decorators is essential for backend developers working with FastAPI or similar web frameworks.

1

Create FastAPI app instance

Import FastAPI from fastapi and create an app instance called app.

FastAPI

from fastapi import FastAPI

# Create the FastAPI app instance named app
# Your code here

Hint

Use app = FastAPI() to create the app instance.

2

Add GET route decorator

Use the @app.get decorator with the path "/hello" above a function named hello.

FastAPI

from fastapi import FastAPI

app = FastAPI()

# Add @app.get decorator for path '/hello' above the hello function
# Your code here

Hint

Write @app.get("/hello") just before defining def hello():.

3

Return greeting message

Inside the hello function, return the string 'Hello, FastAPI!'.

FastAPI

from fastapi import FastAPI

app = FastAPI()

@app.get("/hello")
def hello():
    # Return greeting message
    # Your code here

Hint

Use return 'Hello, FastAPI!' inside the function.

4

Complete FastAPI route setup

Ensure the full code includes the import, app creation, route decorator, and function returning the greeting.

FastAPI

from fastapi import FastAPI

app = FastAPI()

@app.get("/hello")
def hello():
    return 'Hello, FastAPI!'

# Code complete

Hint

Review the full code to confirm all parts are present.

Practice

1. What does the @app.get("/items") decorator do in FastAPI?

easy

A. It deletes the route for '/items' from the app.

B. It creates a route that responds to POST requests at the URL path '/items'.

C. It defines a function that runs only when the server starts.

D. It creates a route that responds to GET requests at the URL path '/items'.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the decorator purpose

   The @app.get() decorator in FastAPI is used to create a route that listens for HTTP GET requests.

2. Step 2: Match the URL path

   The string inside the parentheses, here '/items', specifies the URL path this route will respond to.

3. Final Answer:

   It creates a route that responds to GET requests at the URL path '/items'. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   @app.get() = GET route [OK]

Hint: GET decorator means respond to GET requests [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing @app.get with @app.post
• Thinking it runs on server start
• Assuming it deletes routes

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to create a POST route for path '/submit' in FastAPI?

easy

A. @app.post('/submit')

B. @app.get('/submit')

C. @app.route('/submit', method='POST')

D. @app.post('/submit', method='GET')

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the correct decorator for POST

   FastAPI uses @app.post() to define routes that handle POST requests.

2. Step 2: Check the path argument

   The path '/submit' should be passed as a string inside the parentheses.

3. Final Answer:

   @app.post('/submit') -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   POST route syntax = @app.post(path) [OK]

Hint: Use @app.post() for POST routes with path string [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using @app.get for POST routes
• Trying to pass method='POST' inside @app.post
• Using @app.route which is not FastAPI syntax

3. What will be the output when accessing the URL '/hello' if the following FastAPI code is used?

from fastapi import FastAPI
app = FastAPI()

@app.get('/hello')
def say_hello():
    return {"message": "Hello, FastAPI!"}

medium

A. Hello, FastAPI!

B. 404 Not Found error

C. {"message": "Hello, FastAPI!"}

D. 500 Internal Server Error

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the route and method

   The route '/hello' is defined with @app.get('/hello'), so GET requests to '/hello' will call say_hello().

2. Step 2: Check the function return value

   The function returns a dictionary with key 'message' and value 'Hello, FastAPI!'. FastAPI automatically converts this to JSON.

3. Final Answer:

   "{\"message\": \"Hello, FastAPI!\"}" -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Route returns dict = JSON response [OK]

Hint: Return dict in route becomes JSON response [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Expecting plain string instead of JSON
• Assuming 404 error without route
• Confusing error codes with correct response

4. Identify the error in this FastAPI route definition:

from fastapi import FastAPI
app = FastAPI()

@app.get('/data')
def get_data():
print("Fetching data")
    return {"data": 123}

medium

A. Indentation error in the function body.

B. Missing parentheses in @app.get decorator.

C. Route path should not start with a slash.

D. Function name cannot be get_data.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check function body indentation

   Python requires the function body to be indented. Here, print("Fetching data") is not indented properly.

2. Step 2: Verify decorator and path syntax

   The decorator @app.get('/data') is correct, and the path starting with '/' is valid in FastAPI.

3. Final Answer:

   Indentation error in the function body. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Python functions need indented bodies [OK]

Hint: Check indentation inside function after decorator [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring Python indentation rules
• Thinking path cannot start with '/'
• Assuming decorator needs no parentheses

5. You want to create a FastAPI route that handles both GET and POST requests on the path '/process'. Which is the correct way to write the decorators?

hard

A. @app.get_post('/process')

B. @app.get('/process')
@app.post('/process')

C. @app.route('/process', methods=['GET', 'POST'])

D. @app.get('/process', methods=['GET', 'POST'])

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand FastAPI route decorators

   FastAPI does not have a combined decorator for multiple methods. Instead, you add multiple decorators for each method on the same function.

2. Step 2: Check each option's validity

   @app.get('/process') @app.post('/process') uses two decorators @app.get and @app.post on the same function, which is correct. @app.route('/process', methods=['GET', 'POST']) uses Flask-style syntax which is invalid in FastAPI. Options A and D use non-existent decorators or invalid parameters.

3. Final Answer:

   @app.get('/process') @app.post('/process') -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Multiple decorators for multiple methods [OK]

Hint: Use multiple decorators for multiple HTTP methods [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to use Flask-style @app.route
• Assuming combined decorator exists
• Passing methods param to @app.get