A lightweight, robust Flask-based REST API designed for a DIY personal weather station. It bridges the gap between the Arduino-based hardware sensors and the web frontend.
Part of my full-stack DIY Personal Weather Station project:
- Frontend - The web interface to visualize the data.
- Backend - The REST API to store and retrieve data from a SQL server (you are here).
- Arduino - The sensor hardware logic.
- PostgreSQL Integration: Relational storage for long-term climate data analysis.
- Caching Layer: GET requests are cached to reduce database load and improve latency.
- Rate Limiting: Protects the server from accidental loops or malicious traffic.
- Wunderground API Integration: Sends data to Wunderground PWS network for data crowdsourcing.
- Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/rtdtwo/pws-backend.git
cd pws-backend- Set up a Virtual Environment:
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate # Windows: venv\Scripts\activate- Install Dependencies:
pip install -r requirements.txt- Environment Variables:
Create a
.envfile in the root directory:
PWS_DB_HOST=db.host.name # Postgres DB hostname
PWS_DB_PORT=5432 # Postgres DB port
PWS_DB_NAME=database_name # Postgres DB name
PWS_DB_USER=database_user # Postgres DB user
PWS_DB_PASSWORD=database_password # Postgres DB password
DEBUG=true # Controls Flask debug logs when running locally
WU_PWS_ID=KMAABCDE123 # Wunderground PWS ID
WU_PWS_PASSWORD=abc1234 # Wunderground PWS Password
SENTRY_DSN=https://[email protected]/123456 # Sentry DSN for monitoring- Run the Application:
python app.py
- API Keys: Write requests are protected by API key authentication. The hashed API key is stored in the database.
- Rate Limiting: Default limits are applied to prevent the Arduino or Frontend from spamming the server. Adjust these in
app.pybased on your sensor frequency. - Database Efficiency: By utilizing Flask-Caching, identical GET requests within the cache window (e.g., 5 minutes) return instantly without hitting the PostgreSQL instance.
This project is currently a personal showcase and is not open for public feature contributions at this time. However, feedback is always welcome!
If you encounter a bug or have a suggestion on how to improve the code:
- Check the Issues tab to see if it has already been reported.
- If not, please open a new issue with a clear description of the problem and steps to reproduce it.
Rishabh Tatiraju
Portfolio: rishabh.blog