## HTTPX

Even if your **FastAPI** application uses normal `def` functions instead of `async def`, it is still an `async` application underneath.

In the chapters about security, there are utility functions that are implemented in this same way.

If you understood all this, you already know how those utility tools for security work underneath.

And of course, it supports the same:

* data validation
* data serialization
* data documentation, etc.

This works the same way as with Pydantic models. And it is actually achieved in the same way underneath, using Pydantic.

/// info

Keep in mind that dataclasses can't do everything Pydantic models can do.

So, you might still need to use Pydantic models.

Because of that, it's now recommended to instead use the `lifespan` as explained above.

## Technical Details

Just a technical detail for the curious nerds. 🤓

Underneath, in the ASGI technical specification, this is part of the <a href="https://asgi.readthedocs.io/en/latest/specs/lifespan.html" class="external-link" target="_blank">Lifespan Protocol</a>, and it defines events called `startup` and `shutdown`.

Many packages that simplify it a lot have to make many compromises with the data model, database, and available features. And some of these packages that simplify things too much actually have security flaws underneath.

---

**FastAPI** doesn't make any compromise with any database, data model or tool.

It gives you all the flexibility to choose the ones that fit your project the best.

If you are using a Python version below 3.10, here's a tip from my very **subjective** point of view:

* 🚨 Avoid using `Optional[SomeType]`
* Instead ✨ **use `Union[SomeType, None]`** ✨.

Both are equivalent and underneath they are the same, but I would recommend `Union` instead of `Optional` because the word "**optional**" would seem to imply that the value is optional, and it actually means "it can be `None`", even if it's not optional and is still required.