Python/FastAPI Development Workflow

Overview

Specialized workflow for building production-ready Python backends with FastAPI, featuring async patterns, SQLAlchemy ORM, Pydantic validation, and comprehensive API patterns.

When to Use This Workflow

Use this workflow when:

• Building new REST APIs with FastAPI

• Creating async Python backends

• Implementing database integration with SQLAlchemy

• Setting up API authentication

• Developing microservices

Workflow Phases

Phase 1: Project Setup

#### Skills to Invoke

• app-builder - Application scaffolding

• python-development-python-scaffold - Python scaffolding

• fastapi-templates - FastAPI templates

• uv-package-manager - Package management

#### Actions

• Set up Python environment (uv/poetry)

• Create project structure

• Configure FastAPI app

• Set up logging

• Configure environment variables

#### Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @fastapi-templates to scaffold a new FastAPI project

Use @python-development-python-scaffold to set up Python project structure

Phase 2: Database Setup

#### Skills to Invoke

• prisma-expert - Prisma ORM (alternative)

• database-design - Schema design

• postgresql - PostgreSQL setup

• pydantic-models-py - Pydantic models

#### Actions

• Design database schema

• Set up SQLAlchemy models

• Create database connection

• Configure migrations (Alembic)

• Set up session management

#### Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @database-design to design PostgreSQL schema

Use @pydantic-models-py to create Pydantic models for API

Phase 3: API Routes

#### Skills to Invoke

• fastapi-router-py - FastAPI routers

• api-design-principles - API design

• api-patterns - API patterns

#### Actions

• Design API endpoints

• Create API routers

• Implement CRUD operations

• Add request validation

• Configure response models

#### Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @fastapi-router-py to create API endpoints with CRUD operations

Use @api-design-principles to design RESTful API

Phase 4: Authentication

#### Skills to Invoke

• auth-implementation-patterns - Authentication

• api-security-best-practices - API security

#### Actions

• Choose auth strategy (JWT, OAuth2)

• Implement user registration

• Set up login endpoints

• Create auth middleware

• Add password hashing

#### Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @auth-implementation-patterns to implement JWT authentication

Phase 5: Error Handling

#### Skills to Invoke

• fastapi-pro - FastAPI patterns

• error-handling-patterns - Error handling

#### Actions

• Create custom exceptions

• Set up exception handlers

• Implement error responses

• Add request logging

• Configure error tracking

#### Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @fastapi-pro to implement comprehensive error handling

Phase 6: Testing

#### Skills to Invoke

• python-testing-patterns - pytest testing

• api-testing-observability-api-mock - API testing

#### Actions

• Set up pytest

• Create test fixtures

• Write unit tests

• Implement integration tests

• Configure test database

#### Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @python-testing-patterns to write pytest tests for FastAPI

Phase 7: Documentation

#### Skills to Invoke

• api-documenter - API documentation

• openapi-spec-generation - OpenAPI specs

#### Actions

• Configure OpenAPI schema

• Add endpoint documentation

• Create usage examples

• Set up API versioning

• Generate API docs

#### Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @api-documenter to generate comprehensive API documentation

Phase 8: Deployment

#### Skills to Invoke

• deployment-engineer - Deployment

• docker-expert - Containerization

#### Actions

• Create Dockerfile

• Set up docker-compose

• Configure production settings

• Set up reverse proxy

• Deploy to cloud

#### Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @docker-expert to containerize FastAPI application

Technology Stack

Category

Technology

Framework

FastAPI

Language

Python 3.11+

ORM

SQLAlchemy 2.0

Validation

Pydantic v2

Database

PostgreSQL

Migrations

Alembic

Auth

JWT, OAuth2

Testing

pytest

Quality Gates

• All tests passing (>80% coverage)

• Type checking passes (mypy)

• Linting clean (ruff, black)

• API documentation complete

• Security scan passed

• Performance benchmarks met

Related Workflow Bundles

• development - General development

• database - Database operations

• security-audit - Security testing

• api-development - API patterns

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.

• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.

• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.