# Reference - Code API

Here's the reference or code API, the classes, functions, parameters, attributes, and
all the FastAPI parts you can use in your applications.

If you want to **learn FastAPI** you are much better off reading the

It is designed to have functions that receive two parameters, one "request" and one "response". Then you "read" parts from the request, and "write" parts to the response. Because of this design, it is not possible to declare request parameters and bodies with standard Python type hints as function parameters.

# Using the Request Directly

Up to now, you have been declaring the parts of the request that you need with their types.

Taking data from:

* The path as parameters.
* Headers.
* Cookies.
* etc.

And by doing so, **FastAPI** is validating that data, converting it and generating documentation for your API automatically.

But there are situations where you might need to access the `Request` object directly.

    * The contents are **encrypted**, even though they are being sent with the **HTTP protocol**.

By creating a function that is only dedicated to getting your user from a `username` (or any other parameter) independent of your *path operation function*, you can more easily re-use it in multiple parts and also add <abbr title="Automated test, written in code, that checks if another piece of code is working correctly.">unit tests</abbr> for it:

```Python hl_lines="36-42"
{!../../../docs_src/nosql_databases/tutorial001.py!}

First you need to install `SQLAlchemy`:

<div class="termy">

```console
$ pip install sqlalchemy

---> 100%
```

</div>

## Create the SQLAlchemy parts

Let's refer to the file `sql_app/database.py`.

### Import the SQLAlchemy parts

```Python hl_lines="1-3"
{!../../../docs_src/sql_databases/sql_app/database.py!}
```

### Create a database URL for SQLAlchemy

```Python hl_lines="5-6"

    ```

    Note that for OAuth2 the scope `items:read` is a single scope in an opaque string.
    You could have custom internal logic to separate it by colon caracters (`:`) or
    similar, and get the two parts `items` and `read`. Many applications do that to
    group and organize permissions, you could do it as well in your application, just
    know that that it is application specific, it's not part of the specification.
    """

* Do not change the paths in links to images, code files, Markdown documents.

* However, when a Markdown document is translated, the `#hash-parts` in links to its headings may change. Update these links if possible.
    * Search for such links in the translated document using the regex `#[^# ]`.

{!../../../docs_src/app_testing/test_main.py!}
```

...and have the code for the tests just like before.

## Testing: extended example

Now let's extend this example and add more details to see how to test different parts.

### Extended **FastAPI** app file

Let's continue with the same file structure as before:

```
.
├── app
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── main.py
│   └── test_main.py
```

Python 3.8+

FastAPI stands on the shoulders of giants:

* <a href="https://www.starlette.io/" class="external-link" target="_blank">Starlette</a> for the web parts.
* <a href="https://docs.pydantic.dev/" class="external-link" target="_blank">Pydantic</a> for the data parts.

## Installation

<div class="termy">

```console
$ pip install fastapi

---> 100%
```

</div>