# Static Files

You can serve static files automatically from a directory using `StaticFiles`.

## Use `StaticFiles`

* Import `StaticFiles`.
* "Mount" a `StaticFiles()` instance in a specific path.

```Python hl_lines="2  6"
{!../../../docs_src/static_files/tutorial001.py!}
```

!!! note "Technical Details"
    You could also use `from starlette.staticfiles import StaticFiles`.

        Optional[Dict[str, Example]],
        Doc(
            """
            OpenAPI-specific examples.

            It will be added to the generated OpenAPI (e.g. visible at `/docs`).

            Swagger UI (that provides the `/docs` interface) has better support for the
            OpenAPI-specific examples than the JSON Schema `examples`, that's the main
            use case for this.

* `HEAD`
* `PATCH`
* `TRACE`

In the HTTP protocol, you can communicate to each path using one (or more) of these "methods".

---

When building APIs, you normally use these specific HTTP methods to perform a specific action.

Normally you use:

* `POST`: to create data.
* `GET`: to read data.
* `PUT`: to update data.
* `DELETE`: to delete data.

# Middleware

You can add middleware to **FastAPI** applications.

A "middleware" is a function that works with every **request** before it is processed by any specific *path operation*. And also with every **response** before returning it.

* It takes each **request** that comes to your application.
* It can then do something to that **request** or run any needed code.

    Remember that when you import `Query`, `Path`, and others from `fastapi`, those are actually functions that return special classes.

!!! tip
    Notice how each model's attribute with a type, default value and `Field` has the same structure as a *path operation function's* parameter, with `Field` instead of `Path`, `Query` and `Body`.

You can combine `dataclasses` with other type annotations in many different combinations to form complex data structures.

Check the in-code annotation tips above to see more specific details.

## Learn More

You can also combine `dataclasses` with other Pydantic models, inherit from them, include them in your own models, etc.

```

!!! tip
    You could reduce duplication in that code by putting it in a function and using it from both `database.py` and `tests/test_sql_app.py`.

    For simplicity and to focus on the specific testing code, we are just copying it.

## Create the database

Because now we are going to use a new database in a new file, we need to make sure we create the database with:

```Python

You can combine normal FastAPI *path operations* with GraphQL on the same application.

!!! tip
    **GraphQL** solves some very specific use cases.

    It has **advantages** and **disadvantages** when compared to common **web APIs**.

    Make sure you evaluate if the **benefits** for your use case compensate the **drawbacks**. 🤓

## GraphQL Libraries

And you can use any model or data for the security requirements (in this case, a Pydantic model `User`).

But you are not restricted to using some specific data model, class or type.

Do you want to have an `id` and `email` and not have any `username` in your model? Sure. You can use these same tools.

Like `/users/me`, let's say that it's to get data about the current user.

And then you can also have a path `/users/{user_id}` to get data about a specific user by some user ID.

Because *path operations* are evaluated in order, you need to make sure that the path for `/users/me` is declared before the one for `/users/{user_id}`:

```Python hl_lines="6  11"