[lang_en]Evaluating the Google App Engine service platform to deploy Web applications[/lang_en]

[lang_en]A few days ago I’ve decided to give a try to the new Google App Engine (GAE) platform from Google. It’s basically a place where deploy your web application with the main feature of support scalability from moment zero. (like Amazon WS, etc…)

My first impressions of GAE are:

[/lang_en][lang_en]

  • NEUTRAL: It only supports Python (a subset of Python really).
    • BAD: It would be great be able to deploy already existing applications in other languages, such as PHP or Java.
    • GOOD: Python is an excellent language, easy to learn and love.
  • BAD: There is no out-of-the-box support for HTTP sessions and a poor support for cookies.
  • BAD: Exists a ridiculous limitation of no more of 1MB per file. (that means that your users can’t upload an image or whatever bigger than that)
  • GOOD: Easy to use API to send emails, manipulate images, retrieve feeds from remote files.
  • GOOD: A kind of ORM which abstract you from relational BBDD and makes you think in objects.
  • GOOD: Smoothly authentication with Google user accounts.
  • GOOD: Absolutely free to start. (you can check the quotas for free accounts here)
  • GOOD: It comes with a small web framework with support for URL rewriting, templates, MVC, etc…

Finally, because it’s easy to test a platform working with it, I’ve created a simple application of the like of hotornot, that allows you to pick the best of three photos to find the best look for a guy or girl.

You can view the live demo at http://www.votelook.com (http://votelook.appspot.com). I can also send you the source code if you request it.[/lang_en]

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