Executing Python Scripts in Laravel A Step-by-Step Guide

When working on a Laravel application, you may encounter scenarios where Python's robust libraries for data transformation, machine learning, or other complex tasks can complement Laravel's capabilities.

In this article, I’ll walk you through a simple and effective way to execute Python scripts directly from Laravel, providing step-by-step guidance and code snippets. This integration can be a game-changer for applications that need the best of both worlds.

Executing Python Scripts in Laravel A Step-by-Step Guide

Let’s start by creating a Python script that performs a sample task. In this example, the script will accept input, process it, and return the result.

scripts/sample_task.py

import sys
import json

def main():
    # Get data from Laravel
    input_data = sys.stdin.read()
    data = json.loads(input_data)

    # Process data (example: multiply input by 2)
    result = {"output": data["input"] * 2}

    # Return the result
    print(json.dumps(result))

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

In Laravel, we need to create a route and a controller method to execute the Python script.

routes/web.php

use App\Http\Controllers\PythonController;

Route::get('/run-python', [PythonController::class, 'runPythonScript']);

Now, let’s create the controller that handles the execution of the Python script.

app/Http/Controllers/PythonController.php

<?php

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use Symfony\Component\Process\Exception\ProcessFailedException;
use Symfony\Component\Process\Process;

class PythonController extends Controller
{
    public function runPythonScript()
    {
        // Define the Python script path
        $scriptPath = base_path('scripts/sample_task.py');

        // Prepare data to send to Python
        $inputData = json_encode(['input' => 10]);

        // Execute the Python script
        $process = new Process(['python3', $scriptPath]);
        $process->setInput($inputData);
        $process->run();

        // Check for errors
        if (!$process->isSuccessful()) {
            throw new ProcessFailedException($process);
        }

        // Parse Python output
        $output = json_decode($process->getOutput(), true);

        return response()->json([
            'status' => 'success',
            'data' => $output,
        ]);
    }
}

The Symfony Process component is used to execute the Python script. Install it using Composer:

composer require symfony/process

Start your Laravel development server:

php artisan serve

Visit the route in your browser or use a tool like Postman:

http://127.0.0.1:8000/run-python

You should receive a JSON response:

{
    "status": "success",
    "data": {
        "output": 20
    }
}

• Error Handling: Ensure detailed error handling for Python script execution.
• Validation: Validate input data to prevent injection attacks.
• Environment Setup: Use a virtual environment for Python to isolate dependencies

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