helixml / run-python-helix-app

Helix App Development

This outline describes how to develop and deploy applications using the Helix framework.

Building Helix Applications

Helix applications are built using Python and the Helix SDK. The SDK provides a set of tools and libraries for creating and deploying Helix applications.

Creating a Helix Application

  1. Install the Helix SDK

    pip install helix-sdk

  2. Create a New Project Directory

    mkdir my-helix-app
          cd my-helix-app

  3. Initialize the Project

    helix init

    This command will create a new Helix project with the following files:

    • helix.yaml: This file defines the configuration for your application, including the application name, dependencies, and deployment settings.
    • main.py: This file contains the main code for your application.

  4. Write Your Application Code

    In the main.py file, you can write your application logic using the Helix SDK. For example, the following code defines a simple Helix application that prints a message to the console:

    from helix.app import App
          
          def main():
              app = App()
              app.log("Hello, world!")
              app.exit(0)
          
          if __name__ == "__main__":
              main()

    This example demonstrates a simple application. You can explore other examples provided in the Helix SDK documentation.

Deploying Helix Applications

Once you have built your Helix application, you can deploy it to the Helix platform.

Deploying to a Helix Server

  1. Build the Application Package

    helix build

    This command will create a compressed package of your application, including all dependencies.

  2. Deploy the Package to the Server

    helix deploy --server <server_url> --package <package_path>

    Replace <server_url> with the URL of the Helix server you want to deploy to. Replace <package_path> with the path to the built package.

    For example:

    helix deploy --server https://my-helix-server.example.com --package my-helix-app/dist/my-helix-app.tar.gz

Running Helix Applications Locally

You can run Helix applications locally for testing and development.

  1. Run the application

    helix run

    This command will start your application in a local development environment.

Helix Application Structure

Helix applications typically follow a specific structure, including a main application file, configuration file, and potential additional files for dependencies.

Main Application File (main.py)

The main.py file contains the core logic for your Helix application. It’s responsible for setting up the application, handling events, and interacting with the Helix platform. You can define your application’s functions and classes within this file, using the Helix SDK’s libraries.

Configuration File (helix.yaml)

The helix.yaml file defines the configuration for your Helix application. This includes settings for:

  • Application name: This identifies your application on the Helix platform.
  • Dependencies: This specifies the libraries and packages your application depends on.
  • Deployment settings: This defines how your application is deployed to the Helix platform.

Dependencies

You can include dependencies in your Helix application by adding them to your requirements.txt file. The helix.yaml file should also include a dependencies section that references the packages in your requirements.txt file.

Example Helix Application

The following example demonstrates a simple Helix application that prints a message to the console. This example demonstrates the core elements of a Helix application, including configuration, dependencies, and a main application file.

# my-helix-app/helix.yaml
          name: my-helix-app
          dependencies:
            - requests
            - helix-sdk
          
# my-helix-app/main.py
          from helix.app import App
          import requests
          
          def main():
              app = App()
              app.log("Hello, world!")
              response = requests.get("https://example.com")
              app.log(f"Response status code: {response.status_code}")
              app.exit(0)
          
          if __name__ == "__main__":
              main()

Next Steps