Foreword
========

Read this before you get started with Flask.  This hopefully answers some
questions about the purpose and goals of the project, and when you
should or should not be using it.

What does "micro" mean?
-----------------------

“Micro” does not mean that your whole web application has to fit into a single
Python file (although it certainly can), nor does it mean that Flask is lacking
in functionality. The "micro" in microframework means Flask aims to keep the
core simple but extensible. Flask won't make many decisions for you, such as
what database to use. Those decisions that it does make, such as what
templating engine to use, are easy to change.  Everything else is up to you, so
that Flask can be everything you need and nothing you don't.

By default, Flask does not include a database abstraction layer, form
validation or anything else where different libraries already exist that can
handle that. Instead, Flask supports extensions to add such functionality to
your application as if it was implemented in Flask itself. Numerous extensions
provide database integration, form validation, upload handling, various open
authentication technologies, and more. Flask may be "micro", but it's ready for
production use on a variety of needs.

Configuration and Conventions
-----------------------------

Flask has many configuration values, with sensible defaults, and a few
conventions when getting started.  By convention, templates and static files are
stored in subdirectories within the application's Python source tree, with the
names :file:`templates` and :file:`static` respectively. While this can be changed, you
usually don't have to, especially when getting started.

Growing with Flask
------------------

Once you have Flask up and running, you'll find a variety of extensions
available in the community to integrate your project for production. The Flask
core team reviews extensions and ensures approved extensions do not break with
future releases.

As your codebase grows, you are free to make the design decisions appropriate
for your project.  Flask will continue to provide a very simple glue layer to
the best that Python has to offer.  You can implement advanced patterns in
SQLAlchemy or another database tool, introduce non-relational data persistence
as appropriate, and take advantage of framework-agnostic tools built for WSGI,
the Python web interface.

Flask includes many hooks to customize its behavior. Should you need more
customization, the Flask class is built for subclassing. If you are interested
in that, check out the :ref:`becomingbig` chapter.  If you are curious about
the Flask design principles, head over to the section about :ref:`design`.

Continue to :ref:`installation`, the :ref:`quickstart`, or the
:ref:`advanced_foreword`.
