# Concise reference ## About FastHTML ``` python from fasthtml.common import * ``` FastHTML is a python library which brings together Starlette, Uvicorn, HTMX, and fastcore’s `FT` “FastTags” into a library for creating server-rendered hypermedia applications. The [`FastHTML`](https://www.fastht.ml/docs/api/core.html#fasthtml) class itself inherits from `Starlette`, and adds decorator-based routing with many additions, Beforeware, automatic `FT` to HTML rendering, and much more. Things to remember when writing FastHTML apps: - *Not* compatible with FastAPI syntax; FastHTML is for HTML-first apps, not API services (although it can implement APIs too) - FastHTML includes support for Pico CSS and the fastlite sqlite library, although using both are optional; sqlalchemy can be used directly or via the fastsql library, and any CSS framework can be used. MonsterUI is a richer FastHTML-first component framework with similar capabilities to shadcn - FastHTML is compatible with JS-native web components and any vanilla JS library, but not with React, Vue, or Svelte - Use [`serve()`](https://www.fastht.ml/docs/api/core.html#serve) for running uvicorn (`if __name__ == "__main__"` is not needed since it’s automatic) - When a title is needed with a response, use [`Titled`](https://www.fastht.ml/docs/api/xtend.html#titled); note that that already wraps children in [`Container`](https://www.fastht.ml/docs/api/pico.html#container), and already includes both the meta title as well as the H1 element. ## Minimal App The code examples here use fast.ai style: prefer ternary op, 1-line docstring, minimize vertical space, etc. (Normally fast.ai style uses few if any comments, but they’re added here as documentation.) A minimal FastHTML app looks something like this: ``` python # Meta-package with all key symbols from FastHTML and Starlette. Import it like this at the start of every FastHTML app. from fasthtml.common import * # The FastHTML app object and shortcut to `app.route` app,rt = fast_app() # Enums constrain the values accepted for a route parameter name = str_enum('names', 'Alice', 'Bev', 'Charlie') # Passing a path to `rt` is optional. If not passed (recommended), the function name is the route ('/foo') # Both GET and POST HTTP methods are handled by default # Type-annotated params are passed as query params (recommended) unless a path param is defined (which it isn't here) @rt def foo(nm: name): # `Title` and `P` here are FastTags: direct m-expression mappings of HTML tags to Python functions with positional and named parameters. All standard HTML tags are included in the common wildcard import. # When a tuple is returned, this returns concatenated HTML partials. HTMX by default will use a title HTML partial to set the current page name. HEAD tags (e.g. Meta, Link, etc) in the returned tuple are automatically placed in HEAD; everything else is placed in BODY. # FastHTML will automatically return a complete HTML document with appropriate headers if a normal HTTP request is received. For an HTMX request, however, just the partials are returned. return Title("FastHTML"), H1("My web app"), P(f"Hello, {name}!") # By default `serve` runs uvicorn on port 5001. Never write `if __name__ == "__main__"` since `serve` checks it internally. serve() ``` To run this web app: ``` bash python main.py # access via localhost:5001 ``` ## FastTags (aka FT Components or FTs) FTs are m-expressions plus simple sugar. Positional params map to children. Named parameters map to attributes. Aliases must be used for Python reserved words. ``` python tags = Title("FastHTML"), H1("My web app"), P(f"Let's do this!", cls="myclass") tags ``` (title(('FastHTML',),{}), h1(('My web app',),{}), p(("Let's do this!",),{'class': 'myclass'})) This example shows key aspects of how FTs handle attributes: ``` python Label( "Choose an option", Select( Option("one", value="1", selected=True), # True renders just the attribute name Option("two", value=2, selected=False), # Non-string values are converted to strings. False omits the attribute entirely cls="selector", id="counter", # 'cls' becomes 'class' **{'@click':"alert('Clicked');"}, # Dict unpacking for attributes with special chars ), _for="counter", # '_for' becomes 'for' (can also use 'fr') ) ``` Classes with `__ft__` defined are rendered using that method. ``` python class FtTest: def __ft__(self): return P('test') to_xml(FtTest()) ``` '

test

\n' You can create new FTs by importing the new component from `fasthtml.components`. If the FT doesn’t exist within that module, FastHTML will create it. ``` python from fasthtml.components import Some_never_before_used_tag Some_never_before_used_tag() ``` ``` html ``` FTs can be combined by defining them as a function. ``` python def Hero(title, statement): return Div(H1(title),P(statement), cls="hero") to_xml(Hero("Hello World", "This is a hero statement")) ``` '
\n

Hello World

\n

This is a hero statement

\n
\n' When handling a response, FastHTML will automatically render FTs using the `to_xml` function. ``` python to_xml(tags) ``` 'FastHTML\n

My web app

\n

Let's do this!

\n' ## JS The [`Script`](https://www.fastht.ml/docs/api/xtend.html#script) function allows you to include JavaScript. You can use Python to generate parts of your JS or JSON like this: ``` python # In future snippets this import will not be shown, but is required from fasthtml.common import * app,rt = fast_app(hdrs=[Script(src="https://cdn.plot.ly/plotly-2.32.0.min.js")]) # `index` is a special function name which maps to the `/` route. @rt def index(): data = {'somedata':'fill me in…'} # `Titled` returns a title tag and an h1 tag with the 1st param, with remaining params as children in a `Main` parent. return Titled("Chart Demo", Div(id="myDiv"), Script(f"var data = {data}; Plotly.newPlot('myDiv', data);")) # In future snippets `serve() will not be shown, but is required serve() ``` Prefer Python whenever possible over JS. Never use React or shadcn. ## fast_app hdrs ``` python # In future snippets we'll skip showing the `fast_app` call if it has no params app, rt = fast_app( pico=False, # The Pico CSS framework is included by default, so pass `False` to disable it if needed. No other CSS frameworks are included. # These are added to the `head` part of the page for non-HTMX requests. hdrs=( Link(rel='stylesheet', href='assets/normalize.min.css', type='text/css'), Link(rel='stylesheet', href='assets/sakura.css', type='text/css'), Style("p {color: red;}"), # `MarkdownJS` and `HighlightJS` are available via concise functions MarkdownJS(), HighlightJS(langs=['python', 'javascript', 'html', 'css']), # by default, all standard static extensions are served statically from the web app dir, # which can be modified using e.g `static_path='public'` ) ) @rt def index(req): return Titled("Markdown rendering example", # This will be client-side rendered to HTML with highlight-js Div("*hi* there",cls="marked"), # This will be syntax highlighted Pre(Code("def foo(): pass"))) ``` ## Responses Routes can return various types: 1. FastTags or tuples of FastTags (automatically rendered to HTML) 2. Standard Starlette responses (used directly) 3. JSON-serializable types (returned as JSON in a plain text response) ``` python @rt("/{fname:path}.{ext:static}") async def serve_static_file(fname:str, ext:str): return FileResponse(f'public/{fname}.{ext}') app, rt = fast_app(hdrs=(MarkdownJS(), HighlightJS(langs=['python', 'javascript']))) @rt def index(): return Titled("Example", Div("*markdown* here", cls="marked"), Pre(Code("def foo(): pass"))) ``` Route functions can be used in attributes like `href` or `action` and will be converted to paths. Use `.to()` to generate paths with query parameters. ``` python @rt def profile(email:str): return fill_form(profile_form, profiles[email]) profile_form = Form(action=profile)( Label("Email", Input(name="email")), Button("Save", type="submit") ) user_profile_path = profile.to(email="user@example.com") # '/profile?email=user%40example.com' ``` ``` python from dataclasses import dataclass app,rt = fast_app() ``` When a route handler function is used as a fasttag attribute (such as `href`, `hx_get`, or `action`) it is converted to that route’s path. [`fill_form`](https://www.fastht.ml/docs/api/components.html#fill_form) is used to copy an object’s matching attrs into matching-name form fields. ``` python @dataclass class Profile: email:str; phone:str; age:int email = 'john@example.com' profiles = {email: Profile(email=email, phone='123456789', age=5)} @rt def profile(email:str): return fill_form(profile_form, profiles[email]) profile_form = Form(method="post", action=profile)( Fieldset( Label('Email', Input(name="email")), Label("Phone", Input(name="phone")), Label("Age", Input(name="age"))), Button("Save", type="submit")) ``` ## Testing We can use `TestClient` for testing. ``` python from starlette.testclient import TestClient ``` ``` python path = "/profile?email=john@example.com" client = TestClient(app) htmx_req = {'HX-Request':'1'} print(client.get(path, headers=htmx_req).text) ```
## Form Handling and Data Binding When a dataclass, namedtuple, etc. is used as a type annotation, the form body will be unpacked into matching attribute names automatically. ``` python @rt def edit_profile(profile: Profile): profiles[email]=profile return RedirectResponse(url=path) new_data = dict(email='john@example.com', phone='7654321', age=25) print(client.post("/edit_profile", data=new_data, headers=htmx_req).text) ```
## fasttag Rendering Rules The general rules for rendering children inside tuples or fasttag children are: - `__ft__` method will be called (for default components like `P`, `H2`, etc. or if you define your own components) - If you pass a string, it will be escaped - On other python objects, `str()` will be called If you want to include plain HTML tags directly into e.g. a `Div()` they will get escaped by default (as a security measure to avoid code injections). This can be avoided by using `Safe(...)`, e.g to show a data frame use `Div(NotStr(df.to_html()))`. ## Exceptions FastHTML allows customization of exception handlers. ``` python def not_found(req, exc): return Titled("404: I don't exist!") exception_handlers = {404: not_found} app, rt = fast_app(exception_handlers=exception_handlers) ``` ## Cookies We can set cookies using the [`cookie()`](https://www.fastht.ml/docs/api/core.html#cookie) function. ``` python @rt def setcook(): return P(f'Set'), cookie('mycookie', 'foobar') print(client.get('/setcook', headers=htmx_req).text) ```

Set

``` python @rt def getcook(mycookie:str): return f'Got {mycookie}' # If handlers return text instead of FTs, then a plaintext response is automatically created print(client.get('/getcook').text) ``` Got foobar FastHTML provide access to Starlette’s request object automatically using special `request` parameter name (or any prefix of that name). ``` python @rt def headers(req): return req.headers['host'] ``` ## Request and Session Objects FastHTML provides access to Starlette’s session middleware automatically using the special `session` parameter name (or any prefix of that name). ``` python @rt def profile(req, sess, user_id: int=None): ip = req.client.host sess['last_visit'] = datetime.now().isoformat() visits = sess.setdefault('visit_count', 0) + 1 sess['visit_count'] = visits user = get_user(user_id or sess.get('user_id')) return Titled(f"Profile: {user.name}", P(f"Visits: {visits}"), P(f"IP: {ip}"), Button("Logout", hx_post=logout)) ``` Handler functions can return the [`HtmxResponseHeaders`](https://www.fastht.ml/docs/api/core.html#htmxresponseheaders) object to set HTMX-specific response headers. ``` python @rt def htmlredirect(app): return HtmxResponseHeaders(location="http://example.org") ``` ## APIRouter [`APIRouter`](https://www.fastht.ml/docs/api/core.html#apirouter) lets you organize routes across multiple files in a FastHTML app. ``` python # products.py ar = APIRouter() @ar def details(pid: int): return f"Here are the product details for ID: {pid}" @ar def all_products(req): return Div( Div( Button("Details",hx_get=details.to(pid=42),hx_target="#products_list",hx_swap="outerHTML",), ), id="products_list") ``` ``` python # main.py from products import ar,all_products app, rt = fast_app() ar.to_app(app) @rt def index(): return Div( "Products", hx_get=all_products, hx_swap="outerHTML") ``` ## Toasts Toasts can be of four types: - info - success - warning - error Toasts require the use of the `setup_toasts()` function, plus every handler needs: - The session argument - Must return FT components ``` python setup_toasts(app) @rt def toasting(session): add_toast(session, f"cooked", "info") add_toast(session, f"ready", "success") return Titled("toaster") ``` `setup_toasts(duration)` allows you to specify how long a toast will be visible before disappearing.10 seconds. Authentication and authorization are handled with Beforeware, which functions that run before the route handler is called. ## Auth ``` python def user_auth_before(req, sess): # `auth` key in the request scope is automatically provided to any handler which requests it and can not be injected auth = req.scope['auth'] = sess.get('auth', None) if not auth: return RedirectResponse('/login', status_code=303) beforeware = Beforeware( user_auth_before, skip=[r'/favicon\.ico', r'/static/.*', r'.*\.css', r'.*\.js', '/login', '/'] ) app, rt = fast_app(before=beforeware) ``` ## Server-Side Events (SSE) FastHTML supports the HTMX SSE extension. ``` python import random hdrs=(Script(src="https://unpkg.com/htmx-ext-sse@2.2.3/sse.js"),) app,rt = fast_app(hdrs=hdrs) @rt def index(): return Div(hx_ext="sse", sse_connect="/numstream", hx_swap="beforeend show:bottom", sse_swap="message") # `signal_shutdown()` gets an event that is set on shutdown shutdown_event = signal_shutdown() async def number_generator(): while not shutdown_event.is_set(): data = Article(random.randint(1, 100)) yield sse_message(data) @rt async def numstream(): return EventStream(number_generator()) ``` ## Websockets FastHTML provides useful tools for HTMX’s websockets extension. ``` python # These HTMX extensions are available through `exts`: # head-support preload class-tools loading-states multi-swap path-deps remove-me ws chunked-transfer app, rt = fast_app(exts='ws') def mk_inp(): return Input(id='msg', autofocus=True) @rt async def index(request): # `ws_send` tells HTMX to send a message to the nearest websocket based on the trigger for the form element cts = Div( Div(id='notifications'), Form(mk_inp(), id='form', ws_send=True), hx_ext='ws', ws_connect='/ws') return Titled('Websocket Test', cts) async def on_connect(send): await send(Div('Hello, you have connected', id="notifications")) async def on_disconnect(ws): print('Disconnected!') @app.ws('/ws', conn=on_connect, disconn=on_disconnect) async def ws(msg:str, send): # websocket hander returns/sends are treated as OOB swaps await send(Div('Hello ' + msg, id="notifications")) return Div('Goodbye ' + msg, id="notifications"), mk_inp() ``` Sample chatbot that uses FastHTML’s [`setup_ws`](https://www.fastht.ml/docs/api/core.html#setup_ws) function: ``` py app = FastHTML(exts='ws') rt = app.route msgs = [] @rt('/') def home(): return Div(hx_ext='ws', ws_connect='/ws')( Div(Ul(*[Li(m) for m in msgs], id='msg-list')), Form(Input(id='msg'), id='form', ws_send=True) ) async def ws(msg:str): msgs.append(msg) await send(Ul(*[Li(m) for m in msgs], id='msg-list')) send = setup_ws(app, ws) ``` ### Single File Uploads [`Form`](https://www.fastht.ml/docs/api/xtend.html#form) defaults to “multipart/form-data”. A Starlette UploadFile is passed to the handler. ``` python upload_dir = Path("filez") @rt def index(): return ( Form(hx_post=upload, hx_target="#result")( Input(type="file", name="file"), Button("Upload", type="submit")), Div(id="result") ) # Use `async` handlers where IO is used to avoid blocking other clients @rt async def upload(file: UploadFile): filebuffer = await file.read() (upload_dir / file.filename).write_bytes(filebuffer) return P('Size: ', file.size) ``` For multi-file, use `Input(..., multiple=True)`, and a type annotation of `list[UploadFile]` in the handler. ## Fastlite Fastlite and the MiniDataAPI specification it’s built on are a CRUD-oriented API for working with SQLite. APSW and apswutils is used to connect to SQLite, optimized for speed and clean error handling. ``` python from fastlite import * ``` ``` python db = database(':memory:') # or database('data/app.db') ``` Tables are normally constructed with classes, field types are specified as type hints. ``` python class Book: isbn: str; title: str; pages: int; userid: int # The transform arg instructs fastlite to change the db schema when fields change. # Create only creates a table if the table doesn't exist. books = db.create(Book, pk='isbn', transform=True) class User: id: int; name: str; active: bool = True # If no pk is provided, id is used as the primary key. users = db.create(User, transform=True) users ``` ### Fastlite CRUD operations Every operation in fastlite returns a full superset of dataclass functionality. ``` python user = users.insert(name='Alex',active=False) user ``` User(id=1, name='Alex', active=0) ``` python # List all records users() ``` [User(id=1, name='Alex', active=0)] ``` python # Limit, offset, and order results: users(order_by='name', limit=2, offset=1) # Filter on the results users(where="name='Alex'") # Placeholder for avoiding injection attacks users("name=?", ('Alex',)) # A single record by pk users[user.id] ``` User(id=1, name='Alex', active=0) Test if a record exists by using `in` keyword on primary key: ``` python 1 in users ``` True Updates (which take a dict or a typed object) return the updated record. ``` python user.name='Lauren' user.active=True users.update(user) ``` User(id=1, name='Lauren', active=1) `.xtra()` to automatically constrain queries, updates, and inserts from there on: ``` python users.xtra(active=True) users() ``` [User(id=1, name='Lauren', active=1)] Deleting by pk: ``` python users.delete(user.id) ```
NotFoundError is raised by pk `[]`, updates, and deletes. ``` python try: users['Amy'] except NotFoundError: print('User not found') ``` User not found ## MonsterUI MonsterUI is a shadcn-like component library for FastHTML. It adds the Tailwind-based libraries FrankenUI and DaisyUI to FastHTML, as well as Python’s mistletoe for Markdown, HighlightJS for code highlighting, and Katex for latex support, following semantic HTML patterns when possible. It is recommended for when you wish to go beyond the basics provided by FastHTML’s built-in pico support. A minimal app: ``` python from fasthtml.common import * from monsterui.all import * app, rt = fast_app(hdrs=Theme.blue.headers(highlightjs=True)) # Use MonsterUI blue theme and highlight code in markdown @rt def index(): socials = (('github','https://github.com/AnswerDotAI/MonsterUI'),) return Titled("App", Card( P("App", cls=TextPresets.muted_sm), # LabelInput, DivLAigned, and UkIconLink are non-semantic MonsterUI FT Components, LabelInput('Email', type='email', required=True), footer=DivLAligned(*[UkIconLink(icon,href=url) for icon,url in socials]))) ``` MonsterUI recommendations: - Use defaults as much as possible, for example [`Container`](https://www.fastht.ml/docs/api/pico.html#container) in monsterui already has defaults for margins - Use `*T` for button styling consistency, for example `cls=ButtonT.destructive` for a red delete button or `cls=ButtonT.primary` for a CTA button - Use `Label*` functions for forms as much as possible (e.g. `LabelInput`, `LabelRange`) which creates and links both the `FormLabel` and user input appropriately to avoid boiler plate. Flex Layout Elements (such as `DivLAligned` and `DivFullySpaced`) can be used to create layouts concisely ``` python def TeamCard(name, role, location="Remote"): icons = ("mail", "linkedin", "github") return Card( DivLAligned( DiceBearAvatar(name, h=24, w=24), Div(H3(name), P(role))), footer=DivFullySpaced( DivHStacked(UkIcon("map-pin", height=16), P(location)), DivHStacked(*(UkIconLink(icon, height=16) for icon in icons)))) ``` Forms are styled and spaced for you without significant additional classes. ``` python def MonsterForm(): relationship = ["Parent",'Sibling', "Friend", "Spouse", "Significant Other", "Relative", "Child", "Other"] return Div( DivCentered( H3("Emergency Contact Form"), P("Please fill out the form completely", cls=TextPresets.muted_sm)), Form( Grid(LabelInput("Name",id='name'),LabelInput("Email", id='email')), H3("Relationship to patient"), Grid(*[LabelCheckboxX(o) for o in relationship], cols=4, cls='space-y-3'), DivCentered(Button("Submit Form", cls=ButtonT.primary))), cls='space-y-4') ``` Text can be styled with markdown automatically with MonsterUI ```` python render_md(""" # My Document > Important note here + List item with **bold** + Another with `code` ```python def hello(): print("world") ``` """) ```` '

My Document

\n
\n

Important note here

\n
\n\n
def hello():\n    print("world")\n
\n
' Or using semantic HTML: ``` python def SemanticText(): return Card( H1("MonsterUI's Semantic Text"), P( Strong("MonsterUI"), " brings the power of semantic HTML to life with ", Em("beautiful styling"), " and ", Mark("zero configuration"), "."), Blockquote( P("Write semantic HTML in pure Python, get modern styling for free."), Cite("MonsterUI Team")), footer=Small("Released February 2025"),) ```