Astonishing: Running Python Code in WordPress!

Python is an insanely popular programming language that’s widely used for creating all kinds of websites, including scientific computing, web development, data science, and machine learning, among others. The ease of use, flexibility, and readability of Python have all contributed to its meteoric rise in recent years. But did you know that it’s possible to run Python code in WordPress, one of the world’s most beloved content management systems (CMS)?!

What You Need to Get Started

To dive into the wild world of Python in WordPress, you’re going to need a few things:

• A WordPress site that’s up and running (obviously, right?)
• A hosting account that comes with PHP and SSH access
• The Python programming language installed on your server
• The Flask Python web framework installed on your server

These requirements may vary somewhat from host to host, so be sure to check with your provider to confirm that they meet these requirements.

The Six Steps to Python-WordPress Integration

Step 1: Verify Your Server’s Python Installation

Before diving into the exciting world of Python-enabled WordPress development, you’ll first need to confirm that Python is installed on your server. If it’s not, then you’ll need to install it using the following command:

All set? Fantastic!

Step 2: Install Flask

Flask is a fantastic Python web framework that will make web application development a dream. To install Flask, you need to first install pip, a Python package manager. Use the following command to install pip:

Now that you’ve got pip installed, you can use the following command to install Flask:

Step 3: Develop a Flask Application

Now that you’ve got Flask installed on your server, it’s time to create a simple “Hello, World!” application using Python code. Let’s name it hello.py. Here’s the code you’ll need:

    
        from flask import Flask
        
        app = Flask(__name__)
        
        @app.route('/')
        def hello_world():
            return 'Hello, World!'
    

This code creates a Flask application with a homepage route that displays the text “Hello, World!” when it’s visited.

Step 4: Run Your Flask Application

With the basic Flask application in place, it’s time to run it using the following command:

The Flask server will now be up and running and listening on port 5000. If you visit http://localhost:5000 using a web browser, you should see the “Hello, World!” text.

Step 5: WordPress Shortcode Integration

Now that your Flask application is running, you can integrate it with WordPress using a shortcode. First, create a new WordPress page and add the following shortcode to it:

This shortcode will tell WordPress to insert your Flask application on the page. Next, add the following code to your functions.php file:

    
        // Add Flask shortcode
        function flask_shortcode() {
            // Run Flask server and capture output
            $output = shell_exec('curl -s http://127.0.0.1:5000');
            // Return output as string
            return '
' . $output . '
';
        }
        add_shortcode('flask', 'flask_shortcode');
    

This code creates a shortcode called [flask], which runs Flask server using shell_exec() and captures its output. The resulting output is then displayed on the WordPress page as a string.

Step 6: Customize Your Flask Application

To really make your Python-WordPress integration shine, you can customize your Flask application to fit your site’s content and design needs. For example, you could add a form that collects user data or connect your application to a database. Here’s some sample code that adds a form:

    
        @app.route('/contact', methods=['GET', 'POST'])
        def contact_form():
            if request.method == 'POST':
                name = request.form.get('name')
                email = request.form.get('email')
                message = request.form.get('message')
                # Process form data
                return 'Thanks for submitting the form, {}!'.format(name)
            return '''
                

                Name:

                Email:

                Message:

                
                
            '''
    

And that’s it! Python and WordPress, working together in perfect harmony! Who knew it was so simple?