Build Hugging Face-Connected Web Apps in Servoy

Servoy is a rapid application development and deployment platform. When paired with the CData API Driver for JDBC, users can build Hugging Face-connected apps that work with live Hugging Face data. This article describes how to connect to Hugging Face from Servoy and build a simple web app to display and search Hugging Face data.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live Hugging Face data. When you issue complex SQL queries to Hugging Face, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Hugging Face and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). Its built-in dynamic metadata querying lets you work with Hugging Face data using native data types.

Connect to Hugging Face in Servoy Developer

To build Hugging Face-connected apps, you need to first create a data provider in Servoy Developer using the CData API Driver for JDBC.

1. Install the JDBC Driver.
2. Copy the JDBC Driver JAR file. (cdata.jdbc.api.jar) to the /application_server/drivers/ directory in the installation directory for Servoy.
3. Open Servoy Developer.
4. In the Solution Explorer, right-click Database Server (under Resources) and choose "Connect to existing database" -> "empty."
   1. Name the server.
   2. Click to show the advanced server settings.

      • Set the URL, for example: jdbc:api:Profile=C:\profiles\HuggingFace.apip;ProfileSettings='APIKey=hf_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx';

        Built-In Connection String Designer

        For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the Hugging Face JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

        				java -jar cdata.jdbc.api.jar
        				

        Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

        HuggingFace Hub uses token-based authentication to enable access to its API. The API provides access to machine learning models, datasets, spaces, papers, and other resources on the HuggingFace Hub platform.

        Using API Key Authentication

        To authenticate to HuggingFace Hub, you will need to provide an API Key (Access Token). To obtain your access token:

        1. Log in to your HuggingFace account at https://huggingface.co
        2. Navigate to Settings > Access Tokens
        3. Click "New token" to create a new access token
        4. Select the appropriate permissions (read or write)
        5. Copy the token value

        After obtaining your access token, set the following connection properties:

        • AuthScheme: Set this to APIKey.
        • APIKey: Set this to your HuggingFace access token.

        Example connection string

        Profile=C:\profiles\HuggingFace.apip;ProfileSettings='APIKey=hf_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx';
        

        
      • Select the Driver class you just copied, for example, cdata.jdbc.api.APIDriver
   

Build a Hugging Face-Connected Web App

Once you have configured the connection to Hugging Face in the Servoy Developer resources, you are ready to build apps with access to live Hugging Face data.

Create a New Solution

1. In the Server Explorer, right-click "All solutions" and select "Create new solution."
2. Name the solution.
3. Select the checkbox to include the "search" module.
4. Click "Finish."

Create a New Form

Right-click "Forms" and select "Create new form."

1. Name the form.
2. Select a Datasource.
3. Set the type (e.g., Simple) and click "Finish."

Add a Data Grid to the Form

1. Drag a Data Grid component (from Servoy NG-Grids) onto the form.

2. Drag a column component onto the Data Grid and set the "dataprovider" property for each column component to a column from the Hugging Face "table" (e.g., from the Collections table).

   Continue adding columns as desired.

Add Searching to the App

Note that the "svySearch" extension is required to add search functionality (included by default when you create a new solution). If you did not add the extension when you created the solution or you are modifying an existing solution, you can add the search module by right-clicking Modules (in the solution) and selecting "Add Module." Select "svySearch" and click "OK."

1. Drag a Text Field component onto the Form.
2. Right-click the Form and select "Open in Script Editor."
3. Create a new variable (JavaScript) to hold the search value:

   var searchText = '';
   

4. Back on the Form, in the Text Field properties:
   1. Set the "dataprovider" property to the Form variable you just created.
   2. Double-click to add a method for the onAction event.
   3. Click to create the method in "Form," name the method (e.g., onEnter), and click "Create private."
   4. Click "OK & Show."
5. Add the following JavaScript to the JavaScript file to use the Servoy framework to implement searching bound data based on the text in the Text Field:

   var search = scopes.svySearch.createSimpleSearch(foundset).setSearchText(searchText);
   search.setSearchAllColumns();
   search.loadRecords(foundset);
   

Save and Launch the App

Save the form and JavaScript file, then click Run -> Launch NGClient to start the web app.

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData API Driver for JDBC and start building Hugging Face-connected apps with Servoy. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.