Building out our tool Creating the API

In this tutorial, we’ll import fake data from a CSV into SQLite and then wrap it in a RESTful API using FastAPI—with help from GitHub Copilot. By the end, you’ll have a working API that generates and persists fake data.

Importing Fake Data into SQLite

First, open DB Browser for SQLite and create a database called fake_data_generator.db. Then import fake-data.csv into a table named fake_data:

The image shows a code editor with a CSV file open, displaying a list of fake data entries including names, emails, ages, cities, and occupations. The file is part of a project named "FakeDataGenerator" in a directory structure.

In DB Browser, choose File > Import > Table from CSV file.
Select fake-data.csv.
Set the table name to fake_data, enable Column names in the first line, and click OK.

The image shows a screenshot of a database management application, specifically DB Browser for SQLite, with a CSV import dialog open. It displays options for importing data into a table named "fake_data" and shows a preview of the data with columns like first name, last name, age, and occupation.

Ensure your CSV headers match the column names you want in SQLite. This makes querying and persistence more straightforward.

Once imported, confirm that fake_data is populated and ready for queries.

Scaffolding the Python Project

Open your project root in VS Code:

The image shows a Visual Studio Code interface with a file explorer open on the left, displaying various files. A warning message indicates that a file is not displayed because it is either binary or uses an unsupported text encoding.

Create main.py to invoke the CLI generator:

# main.py
import sys
from fake_data_generator import FakeDataGenerator

def main():
    """
    Entry point for the FakeDataGenerator CLI.
    """
    generator = FakeDataGenerator()
    generator.run()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

Open GitHub Copilot Chat in VS Code and ask:

I would like to create a web API in Python with my existing file.

If it suggests the wrong stack (e.g., TypeScript), use the context menu to clear or restart:

The image shows a code editor with a file directory on the right, and a context menu open with options related to code suggestions or issues.

Refine prompts carefully. Copilot can veer off into other languages or frameworks if not guided.

Choosing the Right Framework

Let Copilot compare FastAPI, Flask, and Django REST Framework:

Which is the best Python framework for building a web API? List the pros and cons.

The image shows a comparison of pros and cons for FastAPI, Flask, and Django REST Framework, highlighting features like performance, documentation, and community support.

Here’s a quick comparison:

Framework	Pros	Cons
FastAPI	High performance, auto-docs, async-ready	Learning curve for async patterns
Flask	Lightweight, simple	Manual docs, slower for heavy loads
Django REST Framework	Batteries-included, admin UI	Heavier footprint, more boilerplate

We’ll proceed with FastAPI for its speed and automatic documentation.

Generating the FastAPI Project Structure

Ask Copilot:

Create a FastAPI project with best practices.

It may suggest:

fastapi-project
└── src
    ├── api
    │   └── endpoints
    ├── core
    ├── db
    └── models

Open the workspace, rename it to FakeDataGeneratorAPI, then:

Move src contents to the project root.
Remove unused files (.env, README.md, etc.).
Add a tests folder at the root.

The image shows a Visual Studio Code interface with a Python project directory structure for a REST API. The left panel displays the file explorer, and the right panel shows a proposed directory structure and a chat with GitHub Copilot.

Final layout:

FakeDataGeneratorAPI
├── api
│   └── endpoints
├── core
├── db
├── models
├── main.py
└── tests

Use Copilot iteratively until you’re happy:

The image shows a Visual Studio Code interface with a project directory structure for a FastAPI project, including various Python files and folders. The right panel displays a GitHub Copilot chat discussing the setup of the project.

Implementing the FastAPI Application

Install dependencies:

pip install fastapi uvicorn

Create main.py at the root:

# main.py
from fastapi import FastAPI
from api.endpoints.router import router

app = FastAPI(title="FakeDataGeneratorAPI")
app.include_router(router, prefix="/api")

@app.get("/")
async def read_root():
    return {"message": "Welcome to FakeDataGeneratorAPI"}

if __name__ == "__main__":
    import uvicorn
    uvicorn.run(app, host="0.0.0.0", port=8000)

Run and verify:

python main.py
# Visit http://localhost:8000

Defining the Database Dependency

In db/database.py, configure SQLAlchemy for SQLite:

# db/database.py
from sqlalchemy import create_engine
from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import declarative_base
from sqlalchemy.orm import sessionmaker

DATABASE_URL = "sqlite:///./fake_data_generator.db"

engine = create_engine(DATABASE_URL, connect_args={"check_same_thread": False})
SessionLocal = sessionmaker(autocommit=False, autoflush=False, bind=engine)
Base = declarative_base()

def get_db():
    """
    Yields a database session and ensures it closes after use.
    """
    db = SessionLocal()
    try:
        yield db
    finally:
        db.close()

Creating the Pydantic Request Model

Define models/fake_data_request.py:

# models/fake_data_request.py
from pydantic import BaseModel
from typing import Optional

class FakeDataRequest(BaseModel):
    """
    Schema for fake data generation requests.
    """
    data_type: str            # e.g., 'name', 'email'
    count: int                # number of records to generate
    locale: Optional[str] = "en_US"

Implementing the Fake Data Endpoint

Install Faker:

pip install faker

Add /getfakedata in api/endpoints/router.py:

# api/endpoints/router.py
from fastapi import APIRouter, HTTPException, Depends
from faker import Faker
from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
from models.fake_data_request import FakeDataRequest
from db.database import get_db

router = APIRouter()

@router.post("/getfakedata")
async def generate_fake_data(
    request: FakeDataRequest,
    db: Session = Depends(get_db)
) -> dict:
    """
    Generate and return fake data based on request parameters.
    """
    fake = Faker(request.locale)
    if not hasattr(fake, request.data_type):
        raise HTTPException(
            status_code=400,
            detail=f"Invalid data_type: {request.data_type}"
        )

    data = [getattr(fake, request.data_type)() for _ in range(request.count)]
    # TODO: Persist `data` to the database using `db`
    return {"data": data}

Testing the POST Endpoint

Send this request:

POST http://localhost:8000/api/getfakedata
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "data_type": "name",
  "count": 3
}

Expected response:

{
  "data": [
    "John Doe",
    "Jane Smith",
    "Michael Johnson"
  ]
}

Next Steps

Persist generated records into SQLite.
Add OpenAPI metadata and detailed endpoint docs.
Write tests in tests/ to validate both database and API layers.

Introduction

GitHub Copilot Basics

Prompt Engineering with Copilot

Advanced Features

Management of GitHub Copilot

Using Copilot Efficiently

Building out our tool Creating the API

Importing Fake Data into SQLite

Scaffolding the Python Project

Choosing the Right Framework

Generating the FastAPI Project Structure

Implementing the FastAPI Application

Defining the Database Dependency

Creating the Pydantic Request Model

Implementing the Fake Data Endpoint

Testing the POST Endpoint

Next Steps

Links and References

Watch Video

​Importing Fake Data into SQLite

​Scaffolding the Python Project

​Choosing the Right Framework

​Generating the FastAPI Project Structure

​Implementing the FastAPI Application

​Defining the Database Dependency

​Creating the Pydantic Request Model

​Implementing the Fake Data Endpoint

​Testing the POST Endpoint

​Next Steps

​Links and References

Watch Video

Importing Fake Data into SQLite

Scaffolding the Python Project

Choosing the Right Framework

Generating the FastAPI Project Structure

Implementing the FastAPI Application

Defining the Database Dependency

Creating the Pydantic Request Model

Implementing the Fake Data Endpoint

Testing the POST Endpoint

Next Steps

Links and References