Interoperability on Python (IoP) is a proof-of-concept project designed to showcase the power of the InterSystems IRIS Interoperability Framework when combined with a Python-first approach.IoP leverages Embedded Python (a feature of InterSystems IRIS) to enable developers to write interoperability components in Python, which can seamlessly integrate with the robust IRIS platform. This guide has been crafted for beginners and provides a comprehensive introduction to IoP, its setup, and practical steps to create your first interoperability component. By the end of this article, you will get a clear understanding of how to use IoP to build scalable, Python-based interoperability solutions.
IoP is particularly valuable for developers working with InterSystems IRIS or IRIS for Health, since it simplifies the creation of Business Services, Business Processes, and Business Operations that use Python. Such an approach reduces the reliance on ObjectScript (the traditional language for IRIS development), making it more accessible to Python developers.
Why Should We Use IoP?
IoP offers several advantages for developers:
- Python-First Development: Python is a widely adopted, beginner-friendly language with a rich ecosystem of libraries. IoP allows developers to leverage their Python expertise within the IRIS ecosystem.
- Simplified Interoperability: IoP abstracts complex ObjectScript-based configurations, enabling faster development of interoperability components.
- Healthcare Applications: IoP is particularly suited for healthcare integrations, such as those involving FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources), due to IRIS for Health's robust support for healthcare standards.
- Community and Open Source: IoP is available on PyPI and GitHub and has active community support, including contributions from developers like Guillaume Rongier (a developer evangelist for InterSystems).
Prerequisites
Before diving into IoP, ensure you have the following:
- InterSystems IRIS or IRIS for Health: A local installation or a Docker container running IRIS (Community Edition is sufficient for testing).
- Python 3.10 or later: Required for running IoP and its dependencies.
- Basic Python Knowledge: Familiarity with Python classes, functions, and package installation.
In this tutorial, we will use a local IRIS installation to create an InterSystems IRIS production featuring a Python-based Business Operation that logs a 'Hello World' message upon receiving a request. It should showcase seamless integration with the IRIS Interoperability Framework.
The following steps outline the process for achieving this goal:
- Step 1: Set Up the Virtual Environment
- Step 2: Install IoP Package
- Step 3: Set Up Environment Variables for IRIS Connection
- Step 4: Initialize the IoP Module in IRIS by using the Command line interface (CLI)
- Step 5: Create Python Business Operation: A Hello World Example
- Step 6: Migrate IoP components into IRIS
- Step 7: Production Overview
- Step 8: Test the Production Operation component
Let's begin with the step 1.
Step1: Set Up the Virtual Environment
First, set up a Python virtual environment to isolate your project’s dependencies, ensuring compatibility with IoP and InterSystems IRIS. A virtual environment is a self-contained directory with a specific Python version and the packages required for your project. Such a setup prevents conflicts with other Python projects and streamlines the development process. For this tutorial, create a folder named IOP to organize your project files.
Navigate to the IOP folder and run the following command to set up the virtual environment:
python -m venv .venv
This command creates a .venv directory in your IOP folder, containing a Python interpreter and any packages you install for your IoP project.
To activate the virtual environment on Windows, apply the next command:
.venv\Scripts\activate
For Unix or MacOS, utilize the below command:
source .venv/bin/activate