“Starfyre enables developers to build reactive front-end applications without le...

We had the pleasure of interviewing Sanskar Jethi, a highly skilled software engineer and the creator of a new and innovative Python framework called Starfyre. With years of experience in software development and a passion for creating cutting-edge solutions, our guest is at the forefront of the tech industry. It was with great excitement that we delved into the mind of this talented individual and learned more about his work and the new framework that he had created.

devmio: Could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself and what you do?

Sanskar Jethi: My name is Sanskar. I was born and raised in New Delhi, India, but I moved to London in 2021. In the mornings, I work as a Software Engineer at Bloomberg, and in the evenings, I maintain free and open-source software. I am the author and maintainer of the FOSS framework Robyn, and I recently created the Starfyre framework. When I'm not in front of my computer, I like to go to the gym and lift heavy weights.

devmio: You created Starfyre, a framework for Python. Why did you create it? What is its aim? Who is it for?

Sanskar Jethi: I created Starfyre, a Python framework, because I saw a market need for a scalable and user-friendly framework for building front-end web applications in Python. After 11 years of web development experience, I noticed that, while there are several frameworks for building front-end apps, almost all of them rely heavily on JavaScript and its associated frameworks.

The aim of Starfyre is to provide a solution for developers who want to use a single language, Python, to build both the back end and front end of their web applications. Starfyre enables developers to build reactive front-end applications without learning a new language or framework by leveraging the rich Python ecosystem.

Starfyre is intended for anyone who wants to build front-end web applications in Python, including and especially developers working in fields such as AI, data science, and back-end development. It is also suitable for developers who want to reduce their reliance on multiple tech stacks and work with a single, familiar language.

Starfyre's main focus is on bringing Python to the web by providing a syntax that is familiar to web developers.

devmio: Starfyre is based on Pyodide and WASM. What benefits arise from that?

Sanskar Jethi: Starfyre's use of Pyodide and WASM provides several benefits. By using Python and WASM, Starfyre can run directly in the browser, eliminating the need for a separate server or generating HTML templates. WASM also provides a secure sandbox for accessing browser APIs, offering an additional level of protection. Furthermore, by using Python, developers can leverage the rich Python ecosystem to build reactive web applications without having to learn a new language or framework.

devmio: What are the main features of Starfyre?

Sanskar Jethi: Starfyre is a feature-rich framework for building front-end web applications using Python. Some of its key features include:

• The ability to write reactive front-end applications using only Python without the need for JavaScript or other languages.
• A built-in global state store, eliminating the need for external libraries such as Redux or Zustand.
• The ability to easily integrate JavaScript for niche use cases while still using Python as the primary language.
• A syntax similar to JSX makes it easy for developers familiar with JavaScript to learn and use.
• Active development and frequent feature releases, ensuring that Starfyre stays up-to-date with the latest web development trends and technologies.

devmio: How does Starfyre compare to popular Python frameworks, such as Django or FastAPI? How is it different from Pynecone?

Sanskar Jethi: Starfyre is a front-end web development framework, while Django and FastAPI are back-end web development frameworks. Starfyre's code runs directly in the browser, whereas Django and FastAPI are used to create servers and serve front-end code via HTML templates or static files.

Pynecone is a full-stack web development framework. However, Starfyre allows developers to keep the front-end code in a separate repository, which can be useful for large projects where different teams are working on different parts of the application.

Starfyre's main focus is on bringing Python to the web by providing a syntax that is familiar to web developers. Starfyre uses a custom language that I like to call PyML(Python+HTML). Most Python developers are well versed in HTML, as it is also required to serve templates when using other frameworks. This way, the developers have the familiarity, a low learning curve, and the power to write code in Python.

Starfyre uses a custom language that I like to call PyML(Python+HTML).

devmio: Can you walk us through the process of setting up a new project in Starfyre?

Sanskar Jethi: Right now, the easiest way to start a starfyre project is to clone the starter repo.

devmio: How can developers contribute to Starfyre?

Sanskar Jethi: The developers can find the source code on GitHub and can just open an issue or find an open issue and start contributing.

devmio: Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and insights with us. Your passion and dedication to the tech industry is truly inspiring, and we are grateful for the opportunity to learn from someone of your caliber. Your new Python framework is sure to make waves in the software development community, and we can't wait to see what you come up with next. Thank you again for joining us today.