[Zope-dev] straighting out the SQLAlchemy integration mess

[Martijn Faassen]

Hi there,

[I originally picked this up on a thread on zope3-users, but this 
deserves its own thread here]

There are at least three approaches to SQLAlchemy integration with Zope:

* z3c.zalchemy (Christian Theune)

* z3c.sqlalchemy (Andreas Jung)

* collective.lead (Laurence Rowe)

All of these are in various states of brokenness. z3c.zalchemy doesn't 
work with SQLAlchemy trunk. collective.lead works with it, but only if 
you check out a particular branch, and not with sqlite. Quite possibly 
z3c.sqlalchemy has a release that actually works. One out of three is 
not bad... :)

Then there's also mentions about WSGI-based integration, and I think in 
Plone, Alchemist probably also does its own integration...

There must be a reason for this proliferation of approaches. What is it? 
  We all get along, don't we? I know that the various packages are 
taking code and approaches from each other too.

Can't we work together more and at least come up with *one* package that 
works? Perhaps factor out some low-level commonality than then all 
share? Criticize one of the other packages until you're satisfied, and 
then retire your own package perhaps? I know the various packages add on 
their own approaches to configuration and might offer higher level 
container approaches. Those could be in different packages, sharing a 
foundation.

In the end, I hope we will end up with just *one* integration layer, 
that is released, that works with Zope 2 and Zope 3 and a recent release 
of SQLAlchemy, that is documented, and that people know about. We can 
then offer packages on top of this that offer extra features.

Regards,

Martijn