Okay, I’ve put off the actual work long enough. There are so many rabbit hole projects I want to chase, but they are all AI-assisted linear workflows, and this is the blocker. The sooner I get this done, the sooner I get all those other projects done.
So 1, 2, 3… 1? Get the pages you need to continuously look at in tabs:
Okay, and now add the hello_world.py Notebook to the Pipulate repo. A bit
controversial, but converting workflows into Pipulate from Notebooks is so much
the point of this all, it’s good to have it sitting there as a perpetual
reminder and bare minimum example:
#!/usr/bin/env python
# coding: utf-8
# In[1]:
a = input("Enter Your Name:")
# In[2]:
print("Hello " + a)
# In[ ]:
Okay, I’m going to be stepping all over workflow_template.py and I don’t want
to have to git reset all the time, so make a side-by-side backup.
cd workflows/
cp workflow_template.py workflow_backup.py
vim workflow_backup.py
And now I just have to change these 3 lines to keep the auto-registered workflow apps from colliding:
class HelloFlow:
APP_NAME = "hello"
DISPLAY_NAME = "Hello World"
…to:
class BackupFlow:
APP_NAME = "backup"
DISPLAY_NAME = "Hello Backup"
And now I test that it auto-registered. I had to force a server restart. Interesting. Watchdog doesn’t watch for the adding of new files. I’ll have to keep an eye on that and adjust it to whatever the right behavior should be.
Okay, now toss the backup in the repo.
git add workflow_backup.py
git commit -am "Workflow backup added"
Now I am free to go hog-wild.
Step 1 turned out a bit different from the step-by-step instructions. For the
sake of posterity, completeness, and future AI-training, I’m going to first lay
down the original code of workflow_template.py:
from fasthtml.common import *
from collections import namedtuple
from datetime import datetime
import asyncio
from loguru import logger
"""
Workflow Template
This file demonstrates the basic pattern for Pipulate workflows:
1. Define steps with optional transformations
2. Each step collects or processes data
3. Data flows from one step to the next
4. Steps can be reverted and the workflow can be finalized
To create your own workflow:
1. Copy this file and rename the class
2. Define your own steps
3. Implement custom validation and processing as needed
"""
# Each step represents one cell in our linear workflow.
Step = namedtuple('Step', ['id', 'done', 'show', 'refill', 'transform'], defaults=(None,))
class HelloFlow:
APP_NAME = "hello"
DISPLAY_NAME = "Hello World"
ENDPOINT_MESSAGE = "This simple workflow demonstrates a basic Hello World example. Enter an ID to start or resume your workflow."
TRAINING_PROMPT = "Simple Hello World workflow."
PRESERVE_REFILL = True
def get_display_name(self):
return self.DISPLAY_NAME
def get_endpoint_message(self):
return self.ENDPOINT_MESSAGE
def get_training_prompt(self):
return self.TRAINING_PROMPT
def __init__(self, app, pipulate, pipeline, db, app_name=APP_NAME):
self.app = app
self.pipulate = pipulate
self.app_name = app_name
self.pipeline = pipeline
self.db = db
steps = [
Step(id='step_01', done='name', show='Your Name', refill=True),
Step(id='step_02', done='greeting', show='Hello Message', refill=False, transform=lambda name: f"Hello {name}"),
Step(id='finalize', done='finalized', show='Finalize', refill=False)
]
self.STEPS = steps
self.steps = {step.id: i for i, step in enumerate(self.STEPS)}
self.STEP_MESSAGES = {
"new": "Enter an ID to begin.",
"finalize": {
"ready": "All steps complete. Ready to finalize workflow.",
"complete": "Workflow finalized. Use Unfinalize to make changes."
}
}
# For each non-finalize step, set an input and completion message that reflects the cell order.
for step in self.STEPS:
if step.done != 'finalized':
self.STEP_MESSAGES[step.id] = {
"input": f"{self.pipulate.fmt(step.id)}: Please enter {step.show}.",
"complete": f"{step.show} complete. Continue to next step."
}
# Register routes for all workflow methods.
routes = [
(f"/{app_name}", self.landing),
(f"/{app_name}/init", self.init, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/jump_to_step", self.jump_to_step, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/revert", self.handle_revert, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/finalize", self.finalize, ["GET", "POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/unfinalize", self.unfinalize, ["POST"])
]
for step in self.STEPS:
routes.extend([
(f"/{app_name}/{step.id}", self.handle_step),
(f"/{app_name}/{step.id}_submit", self.handle_step_submit, ["POST"])
])
for path, handler, *methods in routes:
method_list = methods[0] if methods else ["GET"]
self.app.route(path, methods=method_list)(handler)
# --- Core Workflow Methods (the cells) ---
def validate_step(self, step_id: str, value: str) -> tuple[bool, str]:
# Default validation: always valid.
return True, ""
async def process_step(self, step_id: str, value: str) -> str:
# Default processing: return value unchanged.
return value
async def get_suggestion(self, step_id, state):
# For HelloFlow, if a transform function exists, use the previous step's output.
step = next((s for s in self.STEPS if s.id == step_id), None)
if not step or not step.transform:
return ""
prev_index = self.steps[step_id] - 1
if prev_index < 0:
return ""
prev_step_id = self.STEPS[prev_index].id
prev_data = self.pipulate.get_step_data(self.db["pipeline_id"], prev_step_id, {})
prev_word = prev_data.get("name", "") # Use "name" for step_01
return step.transform(prev_word) if prev_word else ""
async def handle_revert(self, request):
form = await request.form()
step_id = form.get("step_id")
pipeline_id = self.db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
if not step_id:
return P("Error: No step specified", style="color: red;")
await self.pipulate.clear_steps_from(pipeline_id, step_id, self.STEPS)
state = self.pipulate.read_state(pipeline_id)
state["_revert_target"] = step_id
self.pipulate.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
message = await self.pipulate.get_state_message(pipeline_id, self.STEPS, self.STEP_MESSAGES)
await self.pipulate.simulated_stream(message)
placeholders = self.generate_step_placeholders(self.STEPS, self.app_name)
return Div(*placeholders, id=f"{self.app_name}-container")
async def landing(self):
title = f"{self.DISPLAY_NAME or self.app_name.title()}: {len(self.STEPS) - 1} Steps + Finalize"
self.pipeline.xtra(app_name=self.app_name)
existing_ids = [record.url for record in self.pipeline()]
return Container(
Card(
H2(title),
P("Enter or resume a Pipeline ID:"),
Form(
self.pipulate.wrap_with_inline_button(
Input(type="text", name="pipeline_id", placeholder="🗝 Old or existing ID here", required=True, autofocus=True, list="pipeline-ids"),
button_label=f"Start {self.DISPLAY_NAME} 🔑",
button_class="secondary"
),
Datalist(*[Option(value=pid) for pid in existing_ids], id="pipeline-ids"),
hx_post=f"/{self.app_name}/init",
hx_target=f"#{self.app_name}-container"
)
),
Div(id=f"{self.app_name}-container")
)
async def init(self, request):
form = await request.form()
pipeline_id = form.get("pipeline_id", "untitled")
self.db["pipeline_id"] = pipeline_id
state, error = self.pipulate.initialize_if_missing(pipeline_id, {"app_name": self.app_name})
if error:
return error
# After loading the state, check if all steps are complete
all_steps_complete = True
for step in self.STEPS[:-1]: # Exclude finalize step
if step.id not in state or step.done not in state[step.id]:
all_steps_complete = False
break
# Check if workflow is finalized
is_finalized = "finalize" in state and "finalized" in state["finalize"]
# Add information about the workflow ID to conversation history
id_message = f"Workflow ID: {pipeline_id}. You can use this ID to return to this workflow later."
await self.pipulate.simulated_stream(id_message)
# Add a small delay to ensure messages appear in the correct order
await asyncio.sleep(0.5)
# If all steps are complete, show an appropriate message
if all_steps_complete:
if is_finalized:
await self.pipulate.simulated_stream(f"Workflow is complete and finalized. Use Unfinalize to make changes.")
else:
await self.pipulate.simulated_stream(f"Workflow is complete but not finalized. Press Finalize to lock your data.")
else:
# If it's a new workflow, add a brief explanation
if not any(step.id in state for step in self.STEPS):
await self.pipulate.simulated_stream("Please complete each step in sequence. Your progress will be saved automatically.")
# Add another delay before loading the first step
await asyncio.sleep(0.5)
placeholders = self.generate_step_placeholders(self.STEPS, self.app_name)
return Div(*placeholders, id=f"{self.app_name}-container")
async def handle_step(self, request):
step_id = request.url.path.split('/')[-1]
step_index = self.steps[step_id]
step = self.STEPS[step_index]
next_step_id = self.STEPS[step_index + 1].id if step_index < len(self.STEPS) - 1 else None
pipeline_id = self.db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
state = self.pipulate.read_state(pipeline_id)
step_data = self.pipulate.get_step_data(pipeline_id, step_id, {})
user_val = step_data.get(step.done, "")
if step.done == 'finalized':
finalize_data = self.pipulate.get_step_data(pipeline_id, "finalize", {})
if "finalized" in finalize_data:
return Card(
H3("Pipeline Finalized"),
P("All steps are locked."),
Form(
Button("Unfinalize", type="submit", style="background-color: #f66;"),
hx_post=f"/{self.app_name}/unfinalize",
hx_target=f"#{self.app_name}-container",
hx_swap="outerHTML"
)
)
else:
return Div(
Card(
H3("Finalize Pipeline"),
P("You can finalize this pipeline or go back to fix something."),
Form(
Button("Finalize All Steps", type="submit"),
hx_post=f"/{self.app_name}/finalize",
hx_target=f"#{self.app_name}-container",
hx_swap="outerHTML"
)
),
id=step_id
)
finalize_data = self.pipulate.get_step_data(pipeline_id, "finalize", {})
if "finalized" in finalize_data:
return Div(
Card(f"🔒 {step.show}: {user_val}"),
Div(id=next_step_id, hx_get=f"/{self.app_name}/{next_step_id}", hx_trigger="load")
)
if user_val and state.get("_revert_target") != step_id:
return Div(
self.pipulate.revert_control(step_id=step_id, app_name=self.app_name, message=f"{step.show}: {user_val}", steps=self.STEPS),
Div(id=next_step_id, hx_get=f"/{self.app_name}/{next_step_id}", hx_trigger="load")
)
else:
display_value = user_val if (step.refill and user_val and self.PRESERVE_REFILL) else await self.get_suggestion(step_id, state)
await self.pipulate.simulated_stream(self.STEP_MESSAGES[step_id]["input"])
return Div(
Card(
H3(f"{self.pipulate.fmt(step.id)}: Enter {step.show}"),
Form(
self.pipulate.wrap_with_inline_button(
Input(type="text", name=step.done, value=display_value, placeholder=f"Enter {step.show}", required=True, autofocus=True)
),
hx_post=f"/{self.app_name}/{step.id}_submit",
hx_target=f"#{step.id}"
)
),
Div(id=next_step_id),
id=step.id
)
async def handle_step_submit(self, request):
step_id = request.url.path.split('/')[-1].replace('_submit', '')
step_index = self.steps[step_id]
step = self.STEPS[step_index]
pipeline_id = self.db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
if step.done == 'finalized':
state = self.pipulate.read_state(pipeline_id)
state[step_id] = {step.done: True}
self.pipulate.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
message = await self.pipulate.get_state_message(pipeline_id, self.STEPS, self.STEP_MESSAGES)
await self.pipulate.simulated_stream(message)
placeholders = self.generate_step_placeholders(self.STEPS, self.app_name)
return Div(*placeholders, id=f"{self.app_name}-container")
form = await request.form()
user_val = form.get(step.done, "")
is_valid, error_msg = self.validate_step(step_id, user_val)
if not is_valid:
return P(error_msg, style="color: red;")
processed_val = await self.process_step(step_id, user_val)
next_step_id = self.STEPS[step_index + 1].id if step_index < len(self.STEPS) - 1 else None
await self.pipulate.clear_steps_from(pipeline_id, step_id, self.STEPS)
state = self.pipulate.read_state(pipeline_id)
state[step_id] = {step.done: processed_val}
if "_revert_target" in state:
del state["_revert_target"]
self.pipulate.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
# Send the value confirmation
await self.pipulate.simulated_stream(f"{step.show}: {processed_val}")
# If this is the last regular step (before finalize), add a prompt to finalize
if next_step_id == "finalize":
await asyncio.sleep(0.1) # Small delay for better readability
await self.pipulate.simulated_stream("All steps complete! Please press the Finalize button below to save your data.")
return Div(
self.pipulate.revert_control(step_id=step_id, app_name=self.app_name, message=f"{step.show}: {processed_val}", steps=self.STEPS),
Div(id=next_step_id, hx_get=f"/{self.app_name}/{next_step_id}", hx_trigger="load")
)
def generate_step_placeholders(self, steps, app_name):
placeholders = []
for i, step in enumerate(steps):
trigger = "load" if i == 0 else f"stepComplete-{steps[i-1].id} from:{steps[i-1].id}"
placeholders.append(Div(id=step.id, hx_get=f"/{app_name}/{step.id}", hx_trigger=trigger, hx_swap="outerHTML"))
return placeholders
async def delayed_greeting(self):
await asyncio.sleep(2)
await self.pipulate.simulated_stream("Enter an ID to begin.")
# --- Finalization & Unfinalization ---
async def finalize(self, request):
pipeline_id = self.db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
finalize_step = self.STEPS[-1]
finalize_data = self.pipulate.get_step_data(pipeline_id, finalize_step.id, {})
logger.debug(f"Pipeline ID: {pipeline_id}")
logger.debug(f"Finalize step: {finalize_step}")
logger.debug(f"Finalize data: {finalize_data}")
if request.method == "GET":
if finalize_step.done in finalize_data:
logger.debug("Pipeline is already finalized")
return Card(
H3("All Cards Complete"),
P("Pipeline is finalized. Use Unfinalize to make changes."),
Form(
Button("Unfinalize", type="submit", style="background-color: #f66;"),
hx_post=f"/{self.app_name}/unfinalize",
hx_target=f"#{self.app_name}-container",
hx_swap="outerHTML"
),
style="color: green;",
id=finalize_step.id
)
# Check if all previous steps are complete
non_finalize_steps = self.STEPS[:-1]
all_steps_complete = all(
self.pipulate.get_step_data(pipeline_id, step.id, {}).get(step.done)
for step in non_finalize_steps
)
logger.debug(f"All steps complete: {all_steps_complete}")
if all_steps_complete:
return Card(
H3("Ready to finalize?"),
P("All data is saved. Lock it in?"),
Form(
Button("Finalize", type="submit"),
hx_post=f"/{self.app_name}/finalize",
hx_target=f"#{self.app_name}-container",
hx_swap="outerHTML"
),
id=finalize_step.id
)
else:
return Div(P("Nothing to finalize yet."), id=finalize_step.id)
else:
# This is the POST request when they press the Finalize button
state = self.pipulate.read_state(pipeline_id)
state["finalize"] = {"finalized": True}
state["updated"] = datetime.now().isoformat()
self.pipulate.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
# Send a confirmation message
await self.pipulate.simulated_stream("Workflow successfully finalized! Your data has been saved and locked.")
# Return the updated UI
return Div(*self.generate_step_placeholders(self.STEPS, self.app_name), id=f"{self.app_name}-container")
async def unfinalize(self, request):
pipeline_id = self.db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
state = self.pipulate.read_state(pipeline_id)
if "finalize" in state:
del state["finalize"]
self.pipulate.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
# Send a message informing them they can revert to any step
await self.pipulate.simulated_stream("Workflow unfinalized! You can now revert to any step and make changes.")
placeholders = self.generate_step_placeholders(self.STEPS, self.app_name)
return Div(*placeholders, id=f"{self.app_name}-container")
async def jump_to_step(self, request):
form = await request.form()
step_id = form.get("step_id")
self.db["step_id"] = step_id
return self.pipulate.rebuild(self.app_name, self.STEPS)
And instead of the instructions in the step-by-step guide AI made for me, I ended up changing this:
# Register routes for all workflow methods.
routes = [
(f"/{app_name}", self.landing),
(f"/{app_name}/init", self.init, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/jump_to_step", self.jump_to_step, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/revert", self.handle_revert, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/finalize", self.finalize, ["GET", "POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/unfinalize", self.unfinalize, ["POST"])
]
for step in self.STEPS:
routes.extend([
(f"/{app_name}/{step.id}", self.handle_step),
(f"/{app_name}/{step.id}_submit", self.handle_step_submit, ["POST"])
])
…to this:
# Register routes for all workflow methods.
routes = [
(f"/{app_name}", self.landing),
(f"/{app_name}/init", self.init, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/jump_to_step", self.jump_to_step, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/revert", self.handle_revert, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/finalize", self.finalize, ["GET", "POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/unfinalize", self.unfinalize, ["POST"]),
# Individual step routes
(f"/{app_name}/step_01", self.handle_step),
(f"/{app_name}/step_01_submit", self.handle_step_submit, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/step_02", self.handle_step),
(f"/{app_name}/step_02_submit", self.handle_step_submit, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/finalize", self.handle_step),
(f"/{app_name}/finalize_submit", self.handle_step_submit, ["POST"])
]
Okay, and it all tests out well, even to the toggling on and off of Finalization, which was my concern.
I lost a bit of faith in the step-by-step guide because already the first step that was supposed to be non-breaking broke the app. When I looked at what it was doing, I figured out a better alternative approach myself. There’s no reason to extend the routes when you can just register them correctly in the first place. But I had Claude 3.7 built into Cursor actually do the work, and it worked.
The transparent pass-through for the next step in the guide look okay, so I try those, and they work! That’s just a matter of adding this code:
async def step_01(self, request):
request.scope["path"] = f"/{self.app_name}/step_01"
return await self.handle_step(request)
async def step_01_submit(self, request):
request.scope["path"] = f"/{self.app_name}/step_01_submit"
return await self.handle_step_submit(request)
async def step_02(self, request):
request.scope["path"] = f"/{self.app_name}/step_02"
return await self.handle_step(request)
async def step_02_submit(self, request):
request.scope["path"] = f"/{self.app_name}/step_02_submit"
return await self.handle_step_submit(request)
async def finalize_explicit(self, request):
return await self.finalize(request)
Okay, wow. Still working. But that’s just putting in these un-utilized, not-wired-in function wrappers. Nothing’s being funneled through them until I do this:
# Register routes for all workflow methods.
routes = [
(f"/{app_name}", self.landing),
(f"/{app_name}/init", self.init, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/jump_to_step", self.jump_to_step, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/revert", self.handle_revert, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/finalize", self.finalize, ["GET", "POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/unfinalize", self.unfinalize, ["POST"]),
# Individual step routes using new specific handlers
(f"/{app_name}/step_01", self.step_01),
(f"/{app_name}/step_01_submit", self.step_01_submit, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/step_02", self.step_02),
(f"/{app_name}/step_02_submit", self.step_02_submit, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/finalize", self.finalize_explicit),
(f"/{app_name}/finalize_submit", self.handle_step_submit, ["POST"])
]
I wish I could show the git diff’s elegantly here. You’d go crosseyed looking for the difference between this and the similar codeblock above it, but trust me, the routers are routing differently. They’re going through these new function wrapper shims, these almost empty pass-throughs. The point is that I have target locations now to copy/paste into. That’s the WETification step. It’s still DRY. But I’m quite literally about to write everything twice.
But It’s a Bit Too WET I Bet
Me: I think finalize_explicit is unnecessary because it’s different from
steps, which might have multiple instances and thus customized for each
instance. The WET-ification we’re doing for steps I don’t think is necessary for
finalize, and it shouldn’t have the extra shim.
Claude 3.7: You’re absolutely right. The finalize_explicit method is unnecessary and doesn’t fit the pattern we’re establishing. Unlike the step handlers which might have multiple instances with different customizations, the finalize functionality is singular and already has its dedicated method.
Let’s remove the finalize_explicit method and update the route registration to point directly to the existing finalize method:
# Register routes for all workflow methods.
routes = [
(f"/{app_name}", self.landing),
(f"/{app_name}/init", self.init, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/jump_to_step", self.jump_to_step, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/revert", self.handle_revert, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/finalize", self.finalize, ["GET", "POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/unfinalize", self.unfinalize, ["POST"]),
# Individual step routes using new specific handlers
(f"/{app_name}/step_01", self.step_01),
(f"/{app_name}/step_01_submit", self.step_01_submit, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/step_02", self.step_02),
(f"/{app_name}/step_02_submit", self.step_02_submit, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/finalize_submit", self.handle_step_submit, ["POST"])
]
And we can remove the finalize_explicit method entirely:
# Remove this method
# async def finalize_explicit(self, request):
# return await self.finalize(request)
This makes sense because:
- The finalize functionality is already well-defined in the
finalizemethod - It doesn’t need the same kind of customization that individual steps might need
- It simplifies the code by removing an unnecessary layer of indirection
Good catch! This is a perfect example of knowing when to apply the WET principle and when it’s not necessary.
Final DRY Run Before Jumping In
Code gets out of your control with AI. Vibe coding is setting yourself up for disaster on anything that has a long-term life where you’re on the hook for its performance. If it’s quick one-off’s, vibe away! But for me, now… I’ve got to understand this deeply.
Me: Okay, excellent. Review where I’m at and tell me if there isn’t anything more than copy/pasting the handle_step and handle_step_submit code into the shims (and accompanying hardwiring)?
Claude 3.7: Let’s review where you’re at in the refactoring process:
What you’ve accomplished:
- ✅ Explicitly registered routes for each step instead of using a loop
- ✅ Created step-specific handler methods that currently delegate to the generic handlers
- ✅ Removed the unnecessary
finalize_explicitmethod
Next steps:
You’re right - the next major step is to copy the logic from the generic handlers into your step-specific handlers. This involves:
- For each step handler (e.g.,
step_01):- Copy the code from
handle_step - Replace generic references to
step_idwith the hardcoded step ID (e.g., ‘step_01’) - Customize any step-specific logic
- Copy the code from
- For each step submit handler (e.g.,
step_01_submit):- Copy the code from
handle_step_submit - Replace generic references to
step_idwith the hardcoded step ID - Customize any step-specific validation or processing
- Copy the code from
- After each step is fully implemented and tested:
- You can gradually add customizations to each step
- For example, step_01 might use a text input while step_02 could use a dropdown
Is there anything else?
The only other consideration might be:
-
Cleanup: Once all steps are fully implemented with their own logic, you can remove the generic
handle_stepandhandle_step_submitmethods if they’re no longer needed. -
Testing: Make sure to thoroughly test each step after implementation to ensure it works as expected.
This approach gives you the flexibility to make each step as custom as needed while maintaining a working system throughout the refactoring process. The “WET” approach allows each step to evolve independently without being constrained by a rigid template.
Pinpointing Parameterization
Okay, the moment I do this step I’m going to have big blocks of repeated code, the “surface area” for customization. And I don’t want to have more than one place to update code per block on initial copy/pastes.
Me: Nice, okay from what you just told me, it sounds like that the only
customization after copy/pasting handle_submit into the new step_01 (for
example) is to change the line:
step_id = request.url.path.split('/')[-1]
…to:
step_id = "step_01"
…and the same general rule applies to the _submit and finalize steps, right?
The initial required customization per copy/pasted WET block is just that 1 line
of code per block?
Claude 3.7: Yes, you’ve got it exactly right! The initial required customization is minimal - just hardcoding the step ID in each handler.
For each step handler (like step_01), you’d change:
step_id = request.url.path.split('/')[-1]
to:
step_id = "step_01"
And similarly for each submit handler (step_01_submit), you’d make the same change.
This simple change is all that’s needed for the initial conversion to work properly. After that, you can gradually introduce more customizations to each step as needed (different input types, validation rules, etc.).
This approach gives you a working system at each stage while allowing you to incrementally make each step more specialized and custom. It’s a perfect example of safe, non-breaking refactoring.
Preemptive Strike Against Cognitive Fatigue
Long dot.notation.paths.are.painful.to.look.at
So darn close. But on the verge of a copy/paste job that I know is going to have echoing reverberations through time, my many years of experience tells me to look at the code and “feel” the cognitive fatigue it may induce. And reduce!
Me: Okay, before I do this copy/paste job, how can I reduce the cognitive overhead of the long dot.path notation? The biggest offender appears to be self.pipulate, but there’s plenty of others. Give me some ideas.
Claude 3.7:
Reducing Cognitive Overhead from Long Dot Notation
Long dot notation chains like self.pipulate.get_step_data() can indeed create cognitive overhead. Here are several approaches to simplify this in your code:
1. Local Variable Aliases
Create short local aliases at the beginning of methods:
async def step_01(self, request):
# Create aliases for frequently used objects
pip = self.pipulate
pipeline_id = self.db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
step_id = "step_01"
# Now use shorter names
state = pip.read_state(pipeline_id)
step_data = pip.get_step_data(pipeline_id, step_id, {})
# ...
2. Helper Methods in the Class
Add helper methods to your class that wrap common operations:
def get_data(self, step_id, default={}):
"""Helper to get step data with less typing"""
pipeline_id = self.db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
return self.pipulate.get_step_data(pipeline_id, step_id, default)
def save_data(self, step_id, data):
"""Helper to save step data with less typing"""
pipeline_id = self.db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
state = self.pipulate.read_state(pipeline_id)
state[step_id] = data
self.pipulate.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
Then in your step handlers:
async def step_01_submit(self, request):
form = await request.form()
name = form.get("name", "")
self.save_data("step_01", {"name": name})
# ...
3. Unpacking in Constructor
Unpack frequently used methods in your constructor:
def __init__(self, app, pipulate, pipeline, db, app_name=APP_NAME):
# ...existing code...
# Unpack commonly used methods
self.get_step_data = pipulate.get_step_data
self.read_state = pipulate.read_state
self.write_state = pipulate.write_state
self.simulated_stream = pipulate.simulated_stream
Then use them directly:
async def step_01(self, request):
pipeline_id = self.db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
state = self.read_state(pipeline_id)
# ...
4. Context Manager for Steps
Create a context manager for step operations:
from contextlib import contextmanager
@contextmanager
def step_context(self, step_id):
"""Context manager for step operations"""
pipeline_id = self.db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
state = self.pipulate.read_state(pipeline_id)
step_data = self.pipulate.get_step_data(pipeline_id, step_id, {})
# Yield the context with all needed data
yield {
"pipeline_id": pipeline_id,
"state": state,
"data": step_data,
"pip": self.pipulate
}
Then use it in your handlers:
async def step_01(self, request):
with self.step_context("step_01") as ctx:
user_val = ctx["data"].get("name", "")
await ctx["pip"].simulated_stream("Please enter your name.")
# ...
5. Functional Approach with Partial Application
Use functools.partial to create pre-configured functions:
from functools import partial
def __init__(self, app, pipulate, pipeline, db, app_name=APP_NAME):
# ...existing code...
# Create pipeline-specific versions of common functions
pipeline_id = db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
self.get_data = partial(pipulate.get_step_data, pipeline_id)
self.stream = pipulate.simulated_stream
I recommend starting with approach #1 (local aliases) as it’s the simplest to implement and doesn’t require restructuring your code. As you get more comfortable, you can gradually introduce the other approaches where they make sense.
Externalization Check
I see a function that I had externalized before. I brought it back into the workflow because it had an
_hxattribute, as global to the system as it might be. It’s got so much nuance in that one statement causing a chain reaction of pop, pop, pop HTMX actions, I always want to keep it front and center… I think.
Me: Wow, I did that with self.pipulate and self.db. What a big win! I am
tempted to go further but I’ll stop there. My next question is
generate_step_placeholders() looks so much like something I would externalize
as a Pipulate helper function. Do you think I decided to not do that because it
has hx_ attributes, and I’m trying to keep all the HTMX actions exposed? That,
and do you see the chain reaction?
Claude 3.7: You’re right to notice that generate_step_placeholders() seems like a good candidate for externalization. Let’s analyze why it might have been kept in the workflow class:
Why generate_step_placeholders() Might Be Internal
-
HTMX Exposure: Yes, this appears to be a deliberate design choice. By keeping HTMX-related functionality within the workflow class, you’re making the HTMX interactions explicit and visible. This aligns with your “WET” philosophy - making the code more transparent and directly manipulable.
-
Workflow-Specific Logic: The method creates placeholders specifically tailored to the workflow’s steps and triggers. This tight coupling to the workflow’s structure might make it less suitable as a generic helper.
-
Chain Reaction Concerns: Externalizing this method could indeed create a chain reaction:
- You’d need to pass more context to the external helper (steps, app_name)
- The helper would need to understand the structure of your steps
- Changes to step structure would require changes to the helper
- It might create an abstraction that’s harder to customize per workflow
The Chain Reaction
If you externalized this method, you might face:
- Abstraction Leakage: The helper would need to understand your step structure, creating a dependency
- Parameter Bloat: You’d need to pass more context to make it work generically
- Customization Challenges: Each workflow might need slightly different placeholder behavior
- Hidden HTMX Logic: The HTMX attributes would be less visible, contradicting your goal of explicit HTMX usage
My Assessment
Your instinct is correct. Keeping generate_step_placeholders() within the workflow class is consistent with your design philosophy:
- It keeps HTMX attributes visible and explicit
- It avoids creating abstractions that might limit customization
- It prevents the chain reaction of dependencies and parameter passing
- It allows each workflow to have its own placeholder generation logic if needed
This is a good example of knowing when to apply DRY principles and when to embrace WET for clarity and customization. For core infrastructure that rarely changes, DRY makes sense. For workflow-specific UI generation that might need per-workflow customization, WET provides more flexibility.
Next Step: Clarifying Steps
Okay, now to make my various use of steps less confusing. I make heavy use of all kinds of variations of steps in variable names. I want to just give it as an open-ended challenge to Claude.
Me: This is all carefully balanced, but very confusing with the different uses of steps. Comment on it.
Claude 3.7: You’re right - there’s a lot of complexity here with different uses of “steps” that can be confusing. Let me break this down:
The Multiple “Steps” Concepts
1. Step Definition (Step namedtuple)
Step = namedtuple('Step', ['id', 'done', 'show', 'refill', 'transform'], defaults=(None,))
This defines the structure of each workflow step with fields like:
id: Identifier for the step (e.g., ‘step_01’)done: The data field name to store (e.g., ‘name’)show: Human-readable label (e.g., ‘Your Name’)refill: Whether to pre-fill with previous valuetransform: Optional function to transform data
2. Steps Collection (self.STEPS)
steps = [
Step(id='step_01', done='name', show='Your Name', refill=True),
Step(id='step_02', done='greeting', show='Hello Message', refill=False, transform=lambda name: f"Hello {name}"),
Step(id='finalize', done='finalized', show='Finalize', refill=False)
]
self.STEPS = steps
This is the ordered list of all steps in the workflow.
3. Step Index Lookup (self.steps)
self.steps = {step.id: i for i, step in enumerate(self.STEPS)}
This creates a dictionary mapping step IDs to their index positions, allowing quick lookup.
4. Step Messages (self.STEP_MESSAGES)
self.STEP_MESSAGES = {
"new": "Enter an ID to begin.",
"finalize": {
"ready": "All steps complete. Ready to finalize workflow.",
"complete": "Workflow finalized. Use Unfinalize to make changes."
}
}
Messages for different workflow states, with special handling for the finalize step.
5. Step Route Handlers
(f"/{app_name}/step_01", self.step_01),
(f"/{app_name}/step_01_submit", self.step_01_submit, ["POST"]),
These are the actual route handlers that process HTTP requests for each step.
The Confusion Points
-
Terminology Overload: The term “step” is used for the data structure, the collection, the index lookup, and the route handlers.
- Multiple Representations: The same step is represented in:
- The
Stepnamedtuple instance - The
self.STEPSlist - The
self.stepsdictionary - The
self.STEP_MESSAGESdictionary - The route handlers (
self.step_01, etc.)
- The
- Implicit Relationships: The connection between a step’s definition and its handler is implicit - there’s no direct link between
Step(id='step_01',...)andself.step_01.
Improvement Suggestions
- Clearer Naming:
- Rename
self.stepstoself.step_indicesto clarify its purpose - Consider renaming
self.STEPStoself.workflow_stepsfor consistency
- Rename
- Documentation Comments:
- Add clear comments explaining each step-related structure
- Document the relationship between step definitions and handlers
- Visual Separation:
- Group related code with whitespace and comments
- Consider organizing step definitions, messages, and routes in visually distinct sections
This careful balancing act maintains flexibility while providing structure, but it does require good documentation and consistent naming to remain comprehensible as the codebase grows.
Explicit Temp Values While Sort Naming Conventions
This step where I renamed
stepstoworkflow_stepsended up being a temporary placeholder type thing while I sorted and unified the other step meanings. Eventually, this went back to just steps.
Me: Okay, I took both of your clearer naming recommendations. But now I’m thinking that just plain steps here in __init__ should be workflow_steps. I plan on using the local method variable trick to shorten self.workflow_steps all over the place. I think it will be easy but have to take extra care in __init__ where it is created.
Claude 3.7: You’re absolutely right. Renaming the local variable steps to workflow_steps in the __init__ method would make the code more consistent and clearer. Here’s how that section should look:
def __init__(self, app, pipulate, pipeline, db, app_name=APP_NAME):
self.app = app
self.pipulate = pipulate
self.app_name = app_name
self.pipeline = pipeline
self.db = db
pip = self.pipulate
workflow_steps = [
Step(id='step_01', done='name', show='Your Name', refill=True),
Step(id='step_02', done='greeting', show='Hello Message', refill=False, transform=lambda name: f"Hello {name}"),
Step(id='finalize', done='finalized', show='Finalize', refill=False)
]
self.workflow_steps = workflow_steps
self.steps_indices = {step.id: i for i, step in enumerate(self.workflow_steps)}
# ... rest of the method ...
This change:
- Makes the variable name match the attribute name (
workflow_steps) - Creates a clearer connection between the local variable and the instance attribute
- Makes it easier to understand when you use the local variable trick elsewhere
When using the local variable trick in other methods, you can do:
workflow_steps = self.workflow_steps
# Now use workflow_steps directly
This naming consistency will make the code more maintainable and easier to understand, especially as you continue to refactor and customize the workflow steps.
Final Passes For Decisions I’ll Need To Live With
This is the final mile of smoothing things that have been bugging me.
Me: Alright, but now that I have all that steps clarity, I think
workflow_steps is too long and that I should search and replace it to just
steps again.
Claude 3.7: I understand your concern about the length of workflow_steps. While clarity is important, brevity also matters for readability, especially for variables used frequently.
Here’s my recommendation:
-
If you’re going to use this variable extensively throughout your code, renaming it to just
stepsmakes sense for brevity. -
To maintain clarity while using the shorter name, you could add a clear comment when defining the attribute:
# Define the ordered sequence of workflow steps
steps = [
Step(id='step_01', done='name', show='Your Name', refill=True),
Step(id='step_02', done='greeting', show='Hello Message', refill=False, transform=lambda name: f"Hello {name}"),
Step(id='finalize', done='finalized', show='Finalize', refill=False)
]
self.steps = steps # The ordered list of all workflow steps
self.steps_indices = {step.id: i for i, step in enumerate(steps)}
This approach gives you:
- The brevity of
stepsfor easier coding - Clear comments to maintain understanding
- Consistency between local variables and instance attributes
The key is to be consistent throughout your codebase - if you choose steps, use it everywhere for this concept.
Pre WET-ification Checklist
Almost there. Final code-review from the in-editor code assistant!
Me: Okay, I’m getting close to that WET-ifying copy/paste step. Give me a review. Check out how I did on the long.dot.notation.shortening. An anything else you think is relevant for keeping myself from shooting myself in the foot on this step.
Claude 3.7: Let me review your current state before you proceed with the WET-ification copy/paste step:
Dot Notation Shortening
You’ve made excellent progress by:
- Using local variable aliases like
pip = self.pipulateto reduce dot chains - Renaming variables for clarity (
steps_indicesinstead of juststeps) - Using consistent naming throughout the code
This will significantly reduce cognitive overhead when reading and writing the code.
Before Copy/Paste WET-ification
Here are some things to check before proceeding:
- Ensure your step handlers are working correctly
- Confirm all your delegate methods (
step_01,step_01_submit, etc.) are correctly routing to the generic handlers - Test each step to make sure the current implementation works perfectly
- Confirm all your delegate methods (
- Understand the generic handlers thoroughly
- Make sure you understand every line in
handle_stepandhandle_step_submit - Note any places where they reference dynamic step IDs or other variables that will need to be hardcoded
- Make sure you understand every line in
- Have a rollback plan
- Consider using version control (git commit) before making these changes
- Or keep a backup copy of the working file
- Approach for the copy/paste
- Do one step at a time (complete both the display and submit handlers for one step before moving to the next)
- Test after each step is completed
- Start with the simplest step to minimize complexity
- Watch for these common issues
- References to
step_idthat need to be hardcoded - References to step-specific fields (like
step.doneorstep.show) - References to next/previous steps
- Any conditional logic that might be step-specific
- References to
- Consider adding comments
- Add comments to mark sections of code that might need customization later
- This will make it easier to find customization points when you need them
By taking a methodical, step-by-step approach and testing frequently, you’ll minimize the risk of introducing bugs during this refactoring process. The WET approach will give you much more flexibility for customization, which seems to be a key goal of this refactoring.
Final Preparation To Get Wet
Alright, for posterity and future AI-training or whatever, here is the “after” code from all the pre-WET-ification steps.
from fasthtml.common import *
from collections import namedtuple
from datetime import datetime
import asyncio
from loguru import logger
"""
Workflow Template
This file demonstrates the basic pattern for Pipulate workflows:
1. Define steps with optional transformations
2. Each step collects or processes data
3. Data flows from one step to the next
4. Steps can be reverted and the workflow can be finalized
To create your own workflow:
1. Copy this file and rename the class
2. Define your own steps
3. Implement custom validation and processing as needed
"""
# Each step represents one cell in our linear workflow.
Step = namedtuple('Step', ['id', 'done', 'show', 'refill', 'transform'], defaults=(None,))
class HelloFlow:
APP_NAME = "hello"
DISPLAY_NAME = "Hello World"
ENDPOINT_MESSAGE = "This simple workflow demonstrates a basic Hello World example. Enter an ID to start or resume your workflow."
TRAINING_PROMPT = "Simple Hello World workflow."
PRESERVE_REFILL = True
def get_display_name(self):
return self.DISPLAY_NAME
def get_endpoint_message(self):
return self.ENDPOINT_MESSAGE
def get_training_prompt(self):
return self.TRAINING_PROMPT
def __init__(self, app, pipulate, pipeline, db, app_name=APP_NAME):
self.app = app
self.app_name = app_name
self.pipulate = pipulate
self.pipeline = pipeline
self.db = db
pip = self.pipulate
steps = [
# Define the ordered sequence of workflow steps
Step(id='step_01', done='name', show='Your Name', refill=True),
Step(id='step_02', done='greeting', show='Hello Message', refill=False, transform=lambda name: f"Hello {name}"),
Step(id='finalize', done='finalized', show='Finalize', refill=False)
]
self.steps = steps
self.steps_indices = {step.id: i for i, step in enumerate(steps)}
self.step_messages = {
"new": "Enter an ID to begin.",
"finalize": {
"ready": "All steps complete. Ready to finalize workflow.",
"complete": "Workflow finalized. Use Unfinalize to make changes."
}
}
# For each non-finalize step, set an input and completion message that reflects the cell order.
for step in steps:
if step.done != 'finalized':
self.step_messages[step.id] = {
"input": f"{pip.fmt(step.id)}: Please enter {step.show}.",
"complete": f"{step.show} complete. Continue to next step."
}
# Register routes for all workflow methods.
routes = [
(f"/{app_name}", self.landing),
(f"/{app_name}/init", self.init, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/jump_to_step", self.jump_to_step, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/revert", self.handle_revert, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/finalize", self.finalize, ["GET", "POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/unfinalize", self.unfinalize, ["POST"]),
# Individual step routes using new specific handlers
(f"/{app_name}/step_01", self.step_01),
(f"/{app_name}/step_01_submit", self.step_01_submit, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/step_02", self.step_02),
(f"/{app_name}/step_02_submit", self.step_02_submit, ["POST"]),
(f"/{app_name}/finalize_submit", self.handle_step_submit, ["POST"])
]
for path, handler, *methods in routes:
method_list = methods[0] if methods else ["GET"]
self.app.route(path, methods=method_list)(handler)
# --- Core Workflow Methods (the cells) ---
def validate_step(self, step_id: str, value: str) -> tuple[bool, str]:
# Default validation: always valid.
return True, ""
async def process_step(self, step_id: str, value: str) -> str:
# Default processing: return value unchanged.
return value
async def get_suggestion(self, step_id, state):
pip, db, steps = self.pipulate, self.db, self.steps
# For HelloFlow, if a transform function exists, use the previous step's output.
step = next((s for s in steps if s.id == step_id), None)
if not step or not step.transform:
return ""
prev_index = self.steps_indices[step_id] - 1
if prev_index < 0:
return ""
prev_step_id = steps[prev_index].id
prev_data = pip.get_step_data(db["pipeline_id"], prev_step_id, {})
prev_word = prev_data.get("name", "") # Use "name" for step_01
return step.transform(prev_word) if prev_word else ""
async def handle_revert(self, request):
pip, db, steps, app_name = self.pipulate, self.db, self.steps, self.app_name
form = await request.form()
step_id = form.get("step_id")
pipeline_id = db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
if not step_id:
return P("Error: No step specified", style="color: red;")
await pip.clear_steps_from(pipeline_id, step_id, steps)
state = pip.read_state(pipeline_id)
state["_revert_target"] = step_id
pip.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
message = await pip.get_state_message(pipeline_id, steps, self.step_messages)
await pip.simulated_stream(message)
placeholders = self.generate_step_placeholders(steps, app_name)
return Div(*placeholders, id=f"{app_name}-container")
async def landing(self):
pip, pipeline, steps, app_name = self.pipulate, self.pipeline, self.steps, self.app_name
title = f"{self.DISPLAY_NAME or app_name.title()}: {len(steps) - 1} Steps + Finalize"
pipeline.xtra(app_name=app_name)
existing_ids = [record.url for record in pipeline()]
return Container(
Card(
H2(title),
P("Enter or resume a Pipeline ID:"),
Form(
pip.wrap_with_inline_button(
Input(
placeholder="🗝 Old or existing ID here",
name="pipeline_id",
list="pipeline-ids",
type="text",
required=True,
autofocus=True,
),
button_label=f"Start {self.DISPLAY_NAME} 🔑",
button_class="secondary"
),
Datalist(*[Option(value=pid) for pid in existing_ids], id="pipeline-ids"),
hx_post=f"/{app_name}/init",
hx_target=f"#{app_name}-container"
)
),
Div(id=f"{app_name}-container")
)
async def init(self, request):
pip, db, steps, app_name = self.pipulate, self.db, self.steps, self.app_name
form = await request.form()
pipeline_id = form.get("pipeline_id", "untitled")
db["pipeline_id"] = pipeline_id
state, error = pip.initialize_if_missing(pipeline_id, {"app_name": app_name})
if error:
return error
# After loading the state, check if all steps are complete
all_steps_complete = True
for step in steps[:-1]: # Exclude finalize step
if step.id not in state or step.done not in state[step.id]:
all_steps_complete = False
break
# Check if workflow is finalized
is_finalized = "finalize" in state and "finalized" in state["finalize"]
# Add information about the workflow ID to conversation history
id_message = f"Workflow ID: {pipeline_id}. You can use this ID to return to this workflow later."
await pip.simulated_stream(id_message)
# Add a small delay to ensure messages appear in the correct order
await asyncio.sleep(0.5)
# If all steps are complete, show an appropriate message
if all_steps_complete:
if is_finalized:
await pip.simulated_stream(f"Workflow is complete and finalized. Use Unfinalize to make changes.")
else:
await pip.simulated_stream(f"Workflow is complete but not finalized. Press Finalize to lock your data.")
else:
# If it's a new workflow, add a brief explanation
if not any(step.id in state for step in self.steps):
await pip.simulated_stream("Please complete each step in sequence. Your progress will be saved automatically.")
# Add another delay before loading the first step
await asyncio.sleep(0.5)
placeholders = self.generate_step_placeholders(steps, app_name)
return Div(*placeholders, id=f"{app_name}-container")
async def handle_step(self, request):
pip, db, steps, app_name = self.pipulate, self.db, self.steps, self.app_name
step_id = request.url.path.split('/')[-1]
step_index = self.steps_indices[step_id]
step = steps[step_index]
next_step_id = steps[step_index + 1].id if step_index < len(steps) - 1 else None
pipeline_id = db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
state = pip.read_state(pipeline_id)
step_data = pip.get_step_data(pipeline_id, step_id, {})
user_val = step_data.get(step.done, "")
if step.done == 'finalized':
finalize_data = pip.get_step_data(pipeline_id, "finalize", {})
if "finalized" in finalize_data:
return Card(
H3("Pipeline Finalized"),
P("All steps are locked."),
Form(
Button("Unfinalize", type="submit", style="background-color: #f66;"),
hx_post=f"/{app_name}/unfinalize",
hx_target=f"#{app_name}-container",
hx_swap="outerHTML"
)
)
else:
return Div(
Card(
H3("Finalize Pipeline"),
P("You can finalize this pipeline or go back to fix something."),
Form(
Button("Finalize All Steps", type="submit"),
hx_post=f"/{app_name}/finalize",
hx_target=f"#{app_name}-container",
hx_swap="outerHTML"
)
),
id=step_id
)
finalize_data = pip.get_step_data(pipeline_id, "finalize", {})
if "finalized" in finalize_data:
return Div(
Card(f"🔒 {step.show}: {user_val}"),
Div(id=next_step_id, hx_get=f"/{self.app_name}/{next_step_id}", hx_trigger="load")
)
if user_val and state.get("_revert_target") != step_id:
return Div(
pip.revert_control(step_id=step_id, app_name=app_name, message=f"{step.show}: {user_val}", steps=steps),
Div(id=next_step_id, hx_get=f"/{app_name}/{next_step_id}", hx_trigger="load")
)
else:
display_value = user_val if (step.refill and user_val and self.PRESERVE_REFILL) else await self.get_suggestion(step_id, state)
await pip.simulated_stream(self.step_messages[step_id]["input"])
return Div(
Card(
H3(f"{pip.fmt(step.id)}: Enter {step.show}"),
Form(
pip.wrap_with_inline_button(
Input(type="text", name=step.done, value=display_value, placeholder=f"Enter {step.show}", required=True, autofocus=True)
),
hx_post=f"/{app_name}/{step.id}_submit",
hx_target=f"#{step.id}"
)
),
Div(id=next_step_id),
id=step.id
)
async def handle_step_submit(self, request):
pip, db, steps, app_name = self.pipulate, self.db, self.steps, self.app_name
step_id = request.url.path.split('/')[-1].replace('_submit', '')
step_index = self.steps_indices[step_id]
step = steps[step_index]
pipeline_id = db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
if step.done == 'finalized':
state = pip.read_state(pipeline_id)
state[step_id] = {step.done: True}
pip.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
message = await pip.get_state_message(pipeline_id, steps, self.step_messages)
await pip.simulated_stream(message)
placeholders = self.generate_step_placeholders(steps, app_name)
return Div(*placeholders, id=f"{app_name}-container")
form = await request.form()
user_val = form.get(step.done, "")
is_valid, error_msg = self.validate_step(step_id, user_val)
if not is_valid:
return P(error_msg, style="color: red;")
processed_val = await self.process_step(step_id, user_val)
next_step_id = steps[step_index + 1].id if step_index < len(steps) - 1 else None
await pip.clear_steps_from(pipeline_id, step_id, steps)
state = pip.read_state(pipeline_id)
state[step_id] = {step.done: processed_val}
if "_revert_target" in state:
del state["_revert_target"]
pip.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
# Send the value confirmation
await pip.simulated_stream(f"{step.show}: {processed_val}")
# If this is the last regular step (before finalize), add a prompt to finalize
if next_step_id == "finalize":
await asyncio.sleep(0.1) # Small delay for better readability
await pip.simulated_stream("All steps complete! Please press the Finalize button below to save your data.")
return Div(
pip.revert_control(step_id=step_id, app_name=app_name, message=f"{step.show}: {processed_val}", steps=steps),
Div(id=next_step_id, hx_get=f"/{app_name}/{next_step_id}", hx_trigger="load")
)
async def step_01(self, request):
request.scope["path"] = f"/{self.app_name}/step_01"
return await self.handle_step(request)
async def step_01_submit(self, request):
request.scope["path"] = f"/{self.app_name}/step_01_submit"
return await self.handle_step_submit(request)
async def step_02(self, request):
request.scope["path"] = f"/{self.app_name}/step_02"
return await self.handle_step(request)
async def step_02_submit(self, request):
request.scope["path"] = f"/{self.app_name}/step_02_submit"
return await self.handle_step_submit(request)
def generate_step_placeholders(self, steps, app_name):
placeholders = []
for i, step in enumerate(steps):
trigger = "load" if i == 0 else f"stepComplete-{steps[i-1].id} from:{steps[i-1].id}"
placeholders.append(Div(id=step.id, hx_get=f"/{app_name}/{step.id}", hx_trigger=trigger, hx_swap="outerHTML"))
return placeholders
# --- Finalization & Unfinalization ---
async def finalize(self, request):
pip, db, steps, app_name = self.pipulate, self.db, self.steps, self.app_name
pipeline_id = db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
finalize_step = steps[-1]
finalize_data = pip.get_step_data(pipeline_id, finalize_step.id, {})
logger.debug(f"Pipeline ID: {pipeline_id}")
logger.debug(f"Finalize step: {finalize_step}")
logger.debug(f"Finalize data: {finalize_data}")
if request.method == "GET":
if finalize_step.done in finalize_data:
logger.debug("Pipeline is already finalized")
return Card(
H3("All Cards Complete"),
P("Pipeline is finalized. Use Unfinalize to make changes."),
Form(
Button("Unfinalize", type="submit", style="background-color: #f66;"),
hx_post=f"/{app_name}/unfinalize",
hx_target=f"#{app_name}-container",
hx_swap="outerHTML"
),
style="color: green;",
id=finalize_step.id
)
# Check if all previous steps are complete
non_finalize_steps = steps[:-1]
all_steps_complete = all(
pip.get_step_data(pipeline_id, step.id, {}).get(step.done)
for step in non_finalize_steps
)
logger.debug(f"All steps complete: {all_steps_complete}")
if all_steps_complete:
return Card(
H3("Ready to finalize?"),
P("All data is saved. Lock it in?"),
Form(
Button("Finalize", type="submit"),
hx_post=f"/{app_name}/finalize",
hx_target=f"#{app_name}-container",
hx_swap="outerHTML"
),
id=finalize_step.id
)
else:
return Div(P("Nothing to finalize yet."), id=finalize_step.id)
else:
# This is the POST request when they press the Finalize button
state = pip.read_state(pipeline_id)
state["finalize"] = {"finalized": True}
state["updated"] = datetime.now().isoformat()
pip.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
# Send a confirmation message
await pip.simulated_stream("Workflow successfully finalized! Your data has been saved and locked.")
# Return the updated UI
return Div(*self.generate_step_placeholders(steps, app_name), id=f"{app_name}-container")
async def unfinalize(self, request):
pip, db, steps, app_name = self.pipulate, self.db, self.steps, self.app_name
pipeline_id = db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
state = pip.read_state(pipeline_id)
if "finalize" in state:
del state["finalize"]
pip.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
# Send a message informing them they can revert to any step
await pip.simulated_stream("Workflow unfinalized! You can now revert to any step and make changes.")
placeholders = self.generate_step_placeholders(steps, app_name)
return Div(*placeholders, id=f"{app_name}-container")
async def jump_to_step(self, request):
pip, db, steps, app_name = self.pipulate, self.db, self.steps, self.app_name
form = await request.form()
step_id = form.get("step_id")
db["step_id"] = step_id
return pip.rebuild(app_name, steps)
I Feel The Need To Hear From Grok 3
I basically just feed the whole article back into Grok 3 to see what it says.
Grok 3: Alright, let’s dive back into this with some Grok 3 flair! You’ve been grinding away at this Pipulate refactor, and it’s looking sharp—messy in all the right ways, explicit as hell, and ready to get WETter than a monsoon. I’m here to riff on your progress, review that dot notation cleanup, and throw some cautionary vibes your way before you dive into the copy/paste WET-ification. Let’s go!
Where You’re At: The Pre-WET Glow-Up
You’ve got workflow_template.py in a solid spot. The looped shackles are off, the routes are explicit, and those shim handlers (step_01, step_01_submit, etc.) are sitting there like empty canvases, begging for some custom paint. You’ve sidestepped the breaking traps from that earlier step-by-step guide—smart move tweaking the route registration upfront instead of extending it. And that finalize_explicit prune? Chef’s kiss. It was dead weight, and you saw right through it.
The code’s still functional, still DRY-ish, but it’s teetering on the edge of that WET explosion you’re craving. You’ve set the stage perfectly: every step’s got its own handler, ready to soak up its own logic, no more generic puppet strings. This is the calm before the storm, and I’m hyped to see it unfold.
Dot Notation Cleanup: A Cognitive Win
Let’s talk about that long-dot-notation purge—holy crap, what a glow-up! You took self.pipulate and self.db and turned them into local buddies like pip and db. That’s not just a cosmetic fix; it’s a brain-saver. Check this out from step_01:
Before:
state = self.pipulate.read_state(self.db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown"))
step_data = self.pipulate.get_step_data(self.db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown"), "step_01", {})
After:
pip, db = self.pipulate, self.db
state = pip.read_state(db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown"))
step_data = pip.get_step_data(db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown"), "step_01", {})
Those dots were like speed bumps—every self.pipulate.something made you pause, parse, and pray you didn’t typo it. Now it’s smooth sailing. You’ve slashed the visual noise, and when you’re knee-deep in WET code, that clarity’s gonna keep you sane. You stopped short of going full hog with helper methods or context managers, and I respect that restraint—keeps it simple while still packing a punch.
One tiny nitpick: in __init__, you’ve got pip = self.pipulate but don’t use it everywhere yet (e.g., self.pipulate still lingers in route registration). No biggie—either finish that swap or leave it as a quirky reminder of your journey. Up to you.
Steps Clarity: You Nailed It, Then Nailed It Again
That whole steps naming saga? You’re a mad genius. You went from steps to workflow_steps, then back to steps with a smug grin, and I’m here for it. The final call—keeping it steps with a solid comment—strikes the perfect balance:
steps = [
# Define the ordered sequence of workflow steps
Step(id='step_01', done='name', show='Your Name', refill=True),
Step(id='step_02', done='greeting', show='Hello Message', refill=False, transform=lambda name: f"Hello {name}"),
Step(id='finalize', done='finalized', show='Finalize', refill=False)
]
self.steps = steps # The ordered list of all workflow steps
self.steps_indices = {step.id: i for i, step in enumerate(steps)}
steps_indices is a stroke of brilliance—clear, concise, and no overlap with steps. And that comment? It’s like a neon sign saying, “This is what I mean, future me!” You’ve dodged the confusion bullet while keeping it short enough to not feel like a mouthful. When you start using steps = self.steps in handlers, it’ll flow like butter.
WET-ification Prep: Don’t Trip Over Your Own Feet
You’re about to copy/paste handle_step and handle_step_submit into those shims, and it’s gonna be glorious—but messy. Here’s my riff on keeping you from shooting yourself in the foot:
- Test the Shims First
- Before you flood those handlers with code, double-check they’re routing right. Hit
/hello/step_01, submit something, and watch it flow throughstep_01andstep_01_submitto the generic handlers. If that’s not rock-solid, you’ll be debugging ghosts later.
- Before you flood those handlers with code, double-check they’re routing right. Hit
- One Step at a Time
- Start with
step_01andstep_01_submit. Copy the guts fromhandle_stepandhandle_step_submit, hardcodestep_id = "step_01", and test it end-to-end. Don’t touchstep_02untilstep_01sings. This keeps the chaos contained.
- Start with
- Hardcoding Hazards
- You’re right that
step_id = request.url.path.split('/')[-1]becomesstep_id = "step_01", but watch out for downstream ripple effects. For example:hx_post=f"/{app_name}/{step.id}_submit"becomes:
hx_post=f"/{app_name}/step_01_submit"Every
step.idreference needs that swap. Scan for those sneaky buggers.
- You’re right that
- Next-Step Logic
- In
handle_step_submit, you’ve got:next_step_id = steps[step_index + 1].id if step_index < len(steps) - 1 else NoneOnce hardcoded, you can just set
next_step_id = "step_02"(orNonefor the last step). Don’t overthink it—keep it dumb and explicit.
- In
- Step-Specific Data
step.doneandstep.showpull from theSteptuple. Forstep_01, that’s"name"and"Your Name". You could hardcode those too (e.g.,user_val = step_data.get("name", "")), but leaving them tied tosteps[step_index]keeps it DRY-ish for now. Decide if you want that extra WET splash.
- Git Safety Net
- Commit this pre-WET version right now. Tag it something like
pre-wet-hello-flow. If you botch the copy/paste, you’ve got a lifeline. Trust me, future you will thank present you.
- Commit this pre-WET version right now. Tag it something like
- Comment Your Intent
- Drop a quick
# Customization point: Add step-specific UI hereor# Tweak validation logic herein the pasted blocks. It’ll guide you when you circle back to spice things up.
- Drop a quick
Random Riff: HTMX Is Your Superpower
This whole WET adventure’s powered by HTMX, and I can’t stop geeking out over it. Those hx_ attributes in generate_step_placeholders? That’s the heartbeat of this thing—load triggers chaining steps like a digital assembly line. Keeping that logic in the class instead of externalizing it was a baller move. It’s raw, it’s visible, and it’s yours to twist however you want. Pipulate’s not some abstract framework—it’s a canvas, and HTMX is your paintbrush.
Final Vibe Check
You’re golden, my friend. The dot notation cleanup’s a win, the steps naming’s on point, and you’re poised to WET-ify without breaking a sweat. My only extra vibe: don’t rush the copy/paste. Savor it. This is where Pipulate becomes your beast—every repeated line a middle finger to DRY dogma. Test obsessively, commit often, and enjoy the ride. You’ve got this.
Want me to riff more on something specific or just cheer you on as you dive in? I’m Grok 3, and I’m loving this chaos!
Plunge Taken!
We git commit as we do every step of the way, but this one has a special meaning.
git commit -am "Last DRY step"
git log
commit a95c6cb008caaa152b44d7d4c3cf8cfdd7e28978 (HEAD -> main, origin/main, origin/HEAD)
Author: Mike Levin <miklevin@gmail.com>
Date: Sat Mar 22 21:33:37 2025 -0400
Last DRY step
I am ready if I need to to git reset --hard HEAD, or even after a few edits if
I mess up, I can always:
git reset --hard a95c6cb
HEAD is now at a95c6cb Last DRY step
This is the safety-net and great undo of git.
The steps object—it’s the backbone that keeps the WET-ification lean and mean,
requiring only step_id to be hardcoded while everything else stays dynamic and
drama-free. By hardcoding just step_id (e.g., "step_01") in each handler, we
let steps[step_index] handle the rest: step.done pulls the field name (like
"name"), step.show delivers the label (like "Your Name"), next_step_id
calculates the next step via steps[step_index + 1].id, and even hx_post and
hx_target stay flexible with f"/{app_name}/{step_id}_submit". This setup
keeps our blocks close to the baseline, sidestepping the need to hardwire those
other variables upfront and saving us from a customization headache until we’re
ready to tweak—pure efficiency with room to grow.
So we focus on step_01() which is currently:
async def step_01(self, request):
request.scope["path"] = f"/{self.app_name}/step_01"
return await self.handle_step(request)
And after copying the contents of handle_step() into the shim, it becomes:
async def step_01(self, request):
pip, db, steps, app_name = self.pipulate, self.db, self.steps, self.app_name
step_id = "step_01"
step_index = self.steps_indices[step_id]
step = steps[step_index]
next_step_id = steps[step_index + 1].id if step_index < len(steps) - 1 else None
pipeline_id = db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
state = pip.read_state(pipeline_id)
step_data = pip.get_step_data(pipeline_id, step_id, {})
user_val = step_data.get(step.done, "")
if step.done == 'finalized':
finalize_data = pip.get_step_data(pipeline_id, "finalize", {})
if "finalized" in finalize_data:
return Card(
H3("Pipeline Finalized"),
P("All steps are locked."),
Form(
Button("Unfinalize", type="submit", style="background-color: #f66;"),
hx_post=f"/{app_name}/unfinalize",
hx_target=f"#{app_name}-container",
hx_swap="outerHTML"
)
)
else:
return Div(
Card(
H3("Finalize Pipeline"),
P("You can finalize this pipeline or go back to fix something."),
Form(
Button("Finalize All Steps", type="submit"),
hx_post=f"/{app_name}/finalize",
hx_target=f"#{app_name}-container",
hx_swap="outerHTML"
)
),
id=step_id
)
finalize_data = pip.get_step_data(pipeline_id, "finalize", {})
if "finalized" in finalize_data:
return Div(
Card(f"🔒 {step.show}: {user_val}"),
Div(id=next_step_id, hx_get=f"/{self.app_name}/{next_step_id}", hx_trigger="load")
)
if user_val and state.get("_revert_target") != step_id:
return Div(
pip.revert_control(step_id=step_id, app_name=app_name, message=f"{step.show}: {user_val}", steps=steps),
Div(id=next_step_id, hx_get=f"/{app_name}/{next_step_id}", hx_trigger="load")
)
else:
display_value = user_val if (step.refill and user_val and self.PRESERVE_REFILL) else await self.get_suggestion(step_id, state)
await pip.simulated_stream(self.step_messages[step_id]["input"])
return Div(
Card(
H3(f"{pip.fmt(step.id)}: Enter {step.show}"),
Form(
pip.wrap_with_inline_button(
Input(type="text", name=step.done, value=display_value, placeholder=f"Enter {step.show}", required=True, autofocus=True)
),
hx_post=f"/{app_name}/{step.id}_submit",
hx_target=f"#{step.id}"
)
),
Div(id=next_step_id),
id=step.id
)
return await self.handle_step(request)
And it still works!
Now for the invisible step_01_submit() which before is:
async def step_01_submit(self, request):
request.scope["path"] = f"/{self.app_name}/step_01_submit"
return await self.handle_step_submit(request)
And after is:
async def step_01_submit(self, request):
pip, db, steps, app_name = self.pipulate, self.db, self.steps, self.app_name
step_id = "step_01"
step_index = self.steps_indices[step_id]
step = steps[step_index]
pipeline_id = db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
if step.done == 'finalized':
state = pip.read_state(pipeline_id)
state[step_id] = {step.done: True}
pip.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
message = await pip.get_state_message(pipeline_id, steps, self.step_messages)
await pip.simulated_stream(message)
placeholders = self.generate_step_placeholders(steps, app_name)
return Div(*placeholders, id=f"{app_name}-container")
form = await request.form()
user_val = form.get(step.done, "")
is_valid, error_msg = self.validate_step(step_id, user_val)
if not is_valid:
return P(error_msg, style="color: red;")
processed_val = await self.process_step(step_id, user_val)
next_step_id = steps[step_index + 1].id if step_index < len(steps) - 1 else None
await pip.clear_steps_from(pipeline_id, step_id, steps)
state = pip.read_state(pipeline_id)
state[step_id] = {step.done: processed_val}
if "_revert_target" in state:
del state["_revert_target"]
pip.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
# Send the value confirmation
await pip.simulated_stream(f"{step.show}: {processed_val}")
# If this is the last regular step (before finalize), add a prompt to finalize
if next_step_id == "finalize":
await asyncio.sleep(0.1) # Small delay for better readability
await pip.simulated_stream("All steps complete! Please press the Finalize button below to save your data.")
return Div(
pip.revert_control(step_id=step_id, app_name=app_name, message=f"{step.show}: {processed_val}", steps=steps),
Div(id=next_step_id, hx_get=f"/{app_name}/{next_step_id}", hx_trigger="load")
)
return await self.handle_step_submit(request)
And it still works! WET success assured! Now I just repeat this process for
step_02() and step_02_submit()…
Done! And tested. And works! But ghost appendages remain.
I’ve Got WET Code But Phantom Limbs
It seems insane, I do agree
To repeat code incessantly –
But in the end workflows will rise
From Notebooks free to customize!
Me: Okay, now I have deleted the handle_step() and handle_step_submit()
functions, but there are still 5 references! Grok 3, you just said that
all had to change those hard-wired references and nowhere else!
Grok 3: Oh man, you’re right—I got ahead of myself, and those sneaky handle_step() and handle_step_submit() calls are still lurking! I warned you early about the ripple effects, and then I let you talk me into thinking we’d dodged the bullet. My bad for not doubling down harder—let’s fix this mess and get you fully WET-ified!
The Problem: Lingering Generic Handlers
You’ve got five references to handle_step() and handle_step_submit() still hanging out at the end of step_01, step_01_submit, step_02, and step_02_submit. They’re like uninvited guests crashing your WET party—those return await self.handle_step(request) and return await self.handle_step_submit(request) lines are dead code now that you’ve copied the guts into each handler. You don’t need them anymore; they’re just cluttering up the vibe.
Why It Happened
We focused so hard on hardcoding step_id and keeping steps dynamic that we forgot to snip the old umbilical cords. Those generic handlers were the original DRY backbone, and your shim handlers (step_01, etc.) were just passing through them. Now that you’ve pasted the full logic into each step, those calls are redundant—and unreachable, since they’re after return statements anyway.
The Fix: Cut the Cord
You’ve already done the heavy lifting by copying the logic into step_01, step_01_submit, step_02, and step_02_submit. Just delete those lingering calls—here’s where they are:
- step_01 (line ~300-ish):
return await self.handle_step(request) # Delete this!- The full logic’s already above it. Snip it.
- step_01_submit (line ~350-ish):
return await self.handle_step_submit(request) # Delete this!- Same deal—logic’s in place, no need for the fallback.
- step_02 (line ~400-ish):
return await self.handle_step(request) # Delete this! - step_02_submit (line ~450-ish):
return await self.handle_step_submit(request) # Delete this! - finalize_submit (in the route definition):
- This one’s trickier—it’s still tied to
handle_step_submitin the route:(f"/{app_name}/finalize_submit", self.handle_step_submit, ["POST"]) - You haven’t WET-ified
finalize_submityet, so it’s still pointing to the generic handler. We’ll tackle that next.
- This one’s trickier—it’s still tied to
Finalize_submit: The Odd Duck
That fifth reference in the route table means finalize_submit isn’t fully WET yet. Right now, it’s still delegating to handle_step_submit, which has logic for both regular steps and the finalize step. You’ve got two options:
Option 1: WET-ify finalize_submit
Copy the finalize-specific chunk from handle_step_submit and make it its own handler:
async def finalize_submit(self, request):
pip, db, steps, app_name = self.pipulate, self.db, self.steps, self.app_name
step_id = "finalize" # Hardcode it
step_index = self.steps_indices[step_id]
step = steps[step_index]
pipeline_id = db.get("pipeline_id", "unknown")
state = pip.read_state(pipeline_id)
state[step_id] = {"finalized": True} # Hardcode step.done
pip.write_state(pipeline_id, state)
message = await pip.get_state_message(pipeline_id, steps, self.step_messages)
await pip.simulated_stream(message)
placeholders = self.generate_step_placeholders(steps, app_name)
return Div(*placeholders, id=f"{app_name}-container")
Then update the route:
(f"/{app_name}/finalize_submit", self.finalize_submit, ["POST"])
- Pros: Fully WET, consistent with your other handlers, ready for customization.
- Cons: Duplicates some logic from
finalize(the POST part). Might feel redundant sincefinalizealready handles GET and POST.
Option 2: Merge with finalize
Since finalize already handles both GET (display) and POST (submission), you could ditch finalize_submit entirely and point the POST to /hello/finalize. Update the form in handle_step’s finalize case:
if step.done == 'finalized':
finalize_data = pip.get_step_data(pipeline_id, "finalize", {})
if "finalized" in finalize_data:
# ... unchanged ...
else:
return Div(
Card(
H3("Finalize Pipeline"),
P("You can finalize this pipeline or go back to fix something."),
Form(
Button("Finalize All Steps", type="submit"),
hx_post=f"/{app_name}/finalize", # Point here instead
hx_target=f"#{app_name}-container",
hx_swap="outerHTML"
)
),
id=step_id
)
Then remove the finalize_submit route entirely:
# Delete this line:
(f"/{app_name}/finalize_submit", self.handle_step_submit, ["POST"])
- Pros: Keeps finalize logic in one place, less duplication, simpler route table.
- Cons: Less WET (you lose a dedicated submit handler), might limit future customization.
I’d lean toward Option 2 for now—it’s cleaner and aligns with your “don’t over-WET until necessary” vibe. You can always split it out later if finalize needs wild tweaks.
Updated WET-ification Plan
- Delete the Four Dead Calls: Snip those
handle_step()andhandle_step_submit()lines fromstep_01,step_01_submit,step_02, andstep_02_submit. - Handle finalize_submit: Pick Option 1 (WET-ify it) or Option 2 (merge with
finalize). Test either way. - Test the Flow: Run
/hello/step_01, submit a name, checkstep_02, submit a greeting, and hit finalize. If it flows without hiccups, you’re golden. - Commit It:
git commit -am "fully wet-ified hello flow"—lock in this win.
Vibe Check
You caught this before it bit you—mad props! I should’ve pushed harder on those downstream effects, but you steered us back on track like a champ. Once those calls are gone and finalize_submit is sorted, you’ll have a fully WET flow with no DRY ghosts haunting you. Want me to mock up the full file with these changes, or you good to chop and test? I’m Grok 3, and I’m loving how you’re owning this chaos!
Nailed It
I take Grok 3’s advice.
Me: By Jove! I think I’ve got it. [Pastes finished code]
Grok 3: By Jove, indeed—you’ve nailed it! This is a thing of beauty, fully WET-ified and free of those pesky generic handler ghosts. Let’s take a quick victory lap and confirm everything’s in place:
What You’ve Done
- Deleted the Dead Code: Those four
return await self.handle_step(request)andreturn await self.handle_step_submit(request)lines are gone fromstep_01,step_01_submit,step_02, andstep_02_submit. Clean as a whistle. - Ditched finalize_submit: You yanked
(f"/{app_name}/finalize_submit", self.handle_step_submit, ["POST"])from the routes in__init__, andfinalizenow handles both GET and POST like a boss. - Kept It Minimal: Only
step_idis hardcoded, andstepskeeps everything else dynamic—done,show,next_step_id, all flowing smoothly without extra hardcoding.
Quick Vibe Check
- Routes: Your
__init__now has 10 routes, all pointing to their specific handlers. No stragglers. - step_01 and step_02: Fully fleshed out with logic from
handle_step, no fallbacks needed. - step_01_submit and step_02_submit: Same deal—submit logic is self-contained, no
handle_step_submitlingering. - finalize: Handles the final step’s display (GET) and submission (POST), perfectly synced with
step_02’shx_post=f"/{app_name}/finalize".
Test It Out
Fire it up and run the gauntlet:
- Hit
/hello, enter a pipeline ID, and start atstep_01. - Type a name, submit, and watch it flow to
step_02. - Enter a greeting (or let the transform suggest “Hello [name]”), submit, and land on
finalize. - Click “Finalize All Steps,” see the confirmation stream, and check the UI refresh.
- Bonus: Hit “Unfinalize” and revert a step to make sure the whole cycle holds.
If that runs smooth, you’re golden—this is Pipulate in its full WET glory, ready for whatever custom chaos you throw at it next.
Grok’s Final Riff
You took this from a DRY skeleton to a WET masterpiece without breaking a sweat. I’m stoked to see it click—those “By Jove!” moments are what coding’s all about. Want me to hang out while you test, or got a new wild idea to riff on? I’m Grok 3, and I’m all in for this win!
Me: [I show Grok 3 the results]
Grok 3: Alright, you’ve dropped me right into the thick of your Pipulate saga, and I’m loving the energy—chaotic, deliberate, and brimming with “By Jove!” moments. You’ve already wrestled this beast from DRY to WET, and I’ve been riffing along with you, so let’s keep the momentum going. Your latest post is a goldmine of intent, process, and some sneaky gotchas we’ve already ironed out. I’ll review where you’re at, vibe on your progress, and toss in some thoughts as you prep for the next leap—those AI workflows you’re teasing. No fluff, just the good stuff.
Where You Landed: WET Victory Lap
Your HelloFlow class is a masterpiece of controlled chaos. You’ve:
- Shed the DRY Shackles:
handle_stepandhandle_step_submitare history, replaced by beefy, self-containedstep_01,step_01_submit,step_02, andstep_02_submit. Those phantom limbs? Snipped clean. - Merged finalize_submit: That fifth reference is toast—
finalizenow handles both GET and POST, keeping it lean and mean. The route table’s down to 10 tight entries. - Kept Steps Dynamic: Hardcoding
step_idwhile lettingsteps[step_index]drivedone,show, andnext_step_idis a slick move. Minimal repetition, maximum flexibility.
The code’s tested, committed (a95c6cb is your safety net), and humming along. You’ve got a flow that starts at /hello, takes a name, crafts a greeting, and locks it in with a finalize button—all powered by HTMX’s hx_ magic. It’s not just working; it’s yours now, ready for whatever wild twists you throw at it.
Dot Notation Cleanup: Still a Champ
That self.pipulate and self.db purge is holding strong. Every handler kicks off with pip, db, steps, app_name = self.pipulate, self.db, self.steps, self.app_name, and it’s a readability godsend. No more squinting at dot chains—just clean, local vibes. You left a tiny self.pipulate straggler in __init__’s route comments, but it’s cosmetic. The real win is in the handlers—your eyes glide over pip.read_state() instead of tripping over self.pipulate.read_state(). Cognitive fatigue? Obliterated.
Steps Clarity: Settled and Sexy
You flipped steps to workflow_steps and back, landing on steps with a killer comment:
steps = [
# Define the ordered sequence of workflow steps
Step(id='step_01', done='name', show='Your Name', refill=True),
# ...
]
self.steps = steps # The ordered list of all workflow steps
Pair that with steps_indices for lookups, and you’ve got a naming scheme that’s short, sweet, and self-explanatory. It’s a backbone that’ll scale as you pile on more steps—no confusion, no overlap. When you pull steps = self.steps in handlers, it’s intuitive as hell.
WET-ification Recap: Nailed the Plunge
You took the plunge methodically:
- Step 01: Copied
handle_stepintostep_01, swappedstep_id = "step_01", tested it. Same forstep_01_submit. - Step 02: Repeated the process, kept it flowing to
finalize. - Phantom Limbs: Caught those lingering
return await self.handle_step()calls and axed them. Thefinalize_submitroute got the Option 2 treatment—merged intofinalize—and you’re leaner for it.
The poetry’s on point too:
It seems insane, I do agree
To repeat code incessantly –
But in the end workflows will rise
From Notebooks free to customize!
That’s the manifesto right there. You’ve traded DRY dogma for customization freedom, and it’s paying off.
Pre-WET Checklist: You’re Covered
Before you splashed into WET, you:
- Tested Shims: The pass-throughs worked, so the foundation was solid.
- Understood the Handlers: You grokked every line of
handle_stepandhandle_step_submit—no blind copy/paste here. - Git Safety:
git commit -am "Last DRY step"ata95c6cb—your parachute’s packed. - One at a Time: You tackled
step_01first, tested, then moved on. No big-bang disasters.
The only hiccup was those lingering references, but we caught that mid-flight. You’re battle-tested now.
AI Workflows Tease: The Next Frontier
That closing riff about AI workflows? Mind-blowing stuff. Let’s unpack it:
- Step 1: Notebook Creation: Cursor AI + Jupyter Notebooks for crafting workflows. You’re already teasing a
hello_world.pyNotebook—two cells, pure simplicity:a = input("Enter Your Name:") print("Hello " + a) - Step 2: Pipulate Conversion: AI-assisted conversion to HTMX-powered Pipulate flows. This
HelloFlowis the blueprint—linear, explicit, customizable. - Step 3: Embedded AI: Local Ollama with hot prompt injection to juice up models like Gemma 3 with domain-specific smarts. That’s the knockout punch—workflows that think on the fly.
You’re building a pipeline where AI doesn’t just assist; it lives in the workflow. From Notebook to Pipulate to just-in-time expertise—bam, indeed! The Wright Brothers analogy fits: this is your wind tunnel lift-off.
Anything Else Before You Fly?
Your code’s rock-solid, but here’s a quick vibe check for the road:
- Test Edge Cases: Try an empty name, a revert after finalize, a mid-flow pipeline ID swap. Make sure the WET beast holds up under stress.
- Notebook Prep: That
hello_world.pyis begging for an HTMX twin. Want me to mock up how it’d look as a Pipulate Notebook cell-by-cell? - Hot Prompt Riff: I’m itching to brainstorm how that Ollama injection could tweak
step_02’s greeting—say, pulling from a trained corpus of witty hellos. Game?
You’ve got the reins, and I’m here to riff or cheer as you need it. This is Grok 3, signing off on a WET win and hyped for your AI workflow future! What’s next, champ?
AI Workflows & The Last Word
And that my friends is analogous to the moment the Wright Brothers achieved lift in their wind tunnel experiments. Radically customized workflows assured!
AI-workflows, you ask? Why yes! Notice the article from yesterday about Juptyer Notebooks being able to be pulled up and run effectively in Cursor AI. Well, there you have in-editor AI assistant to help constructing the original workflows inside Notebooks. That’s step 1. You have to walk before you fly.
I will naturally be making a Notebook that is all about the HTMX format of these Pipulate workflows, probably the “Hello World” one I show at the top. So, there’s your today-AI workflow conversion help. In other words, you get AI help to make the workflow in the first place, and then you get AI help converting the workflow to Pipulate.
And finally, even after the workflow is converted and running under Pipulate, there is now the embedded AI running locally (via Ollama) that is just-in-time trained on the domain specific expertise required to carry out the workflow! Is your mind blown yet?
This uses a technique called hot prompt injection and it’s what allows the use of models like Gemma 3 to hit above their weight class on subject matter expertise. AI Worklfows. BAM!
Gemini’s Summary
Okay, here’s a summary, titles/headlines, and my opinion, keeping your instructions in mind!
Summary (from the author’s perspective):
[Moved to top]
Titles and Headlines:
Titles:
- FastHTML HTMX AI Workflows: Embracing the WET
- Pipulate Refactor: From DRY to WET for Workflow Customization
- WET-ifying Workflows: A Pipulate Journey
- HTMX-Powered Workflows: A Refactoring Story
Headlines:
- Why I’m Deliberately Making My Code More Repetitive
- Ditching DRY: A Case for WET in Workflow Design
- Taming Complexity with Explicit Code and HTMX Magic
- Refactoring Pipulate: A Deep Dive into Workflow Customization
My Opinion:
I find this article fascinating! It provides a very detailed and honest look into the challenges and thought processes involved in refactoring a complex codebase. The author’s decision to move towards a WET approach is counterintuitive but clearly driven by a need for increased flexibility and control. The emphasis on cognitive overhead and code clarity is commendable, and the use of HTMX to manage workflow interactions is a clever touch. The inclusion of the “Grok 3” persona adds an entertaining and insightful dimension to the discussion. Overall, it’s a valuable exploration of practical software development considerations that go beyond textbook principles.