To begin, I'd like to review where I process my XML configuration file. the file is validated, and then a database is populated with the information. I feel like it could be improved however (not included is validation and safety-checking of the user-supplied (really admin supplied) HTML from the XML doc).

1. user.py - Here, I'd like some critique on my class design choices. This class is used to store user information in the database. It provides some utility functions specific to the Flask framework and its plug-ins. It works with SQL Alchemy, so I can retain User info in a database. Am I storing user credentials poorly? How do the authenticate/name_exists/email_exists functions look?
2. flaskapp.py - this is where I do my app's route handling, build/process forms, etc. Most views are rendered with a list of dictionaries as an argument (containing for example questions, users, etc as part of the application). Is that bad design for a web application? Do I process forms in a decent manner? is there a way I can better organize all these routes? This file got sort of big fast.

To begin, I'd like to review where I process my XML configuration file. The file is validated, and then a database is populated with the information. I feel like it could be improved, however, not included is validation and safety-checking of the user-supplied (really admin supplied) HTML from the XML doc.

1. user.py - Here, I'd like some critique on my class design choices. This class is used to store user information in the database. It provides some utility functions specific to the Flask framework and its plug-ins. It works with SQL Alchemy, so I can retain user info in a database. Am I storing user credentials poorly? How do the authenticate/name_exists/email_exists functions look?
2. flaskapp.py - this is where I do my app's route handling, build/process forms, etc. Most views are rendered with a list of dictionaries as an argument (containing for example questions, users, etc as part of the application). Is that bad design for a web application? Do I process forms in a decent manner? is there a way I can better organize all these routes? This file got sort of big fast.

I am looking for best practices feedback, as well as design pointers. I am not confident that my design choices have been very good, or rather that they were the best they could have been, but I would like some feedback regardless on where I can improve and expand. I'm new at Python.

Github here: https://github.com/matt-y/Contest-Assist

To begin, I'd like to review where I process my xml configuration file. the file is validated, and then a database is populated with the information. I feel like it could be improved however (not included is validation and safety-checking of the user-supplied (really admin supplied) html from the xml doc).

I am looking for best practices feedback, as well as design pointers. I am not confident that my design choices have been very good, or rather that they were the best they could have been, but I would like some feedback regardless on where I can improve and expand as I'm new to Python.

To begin, I'd like to review where I process my XML configuration file. the file is validated, and then a database is populated with the information. I feel like it could be improved however (not included is validation and safety-checking of the user-supplied (really admin supplied) HTML from the XML doc).

1. user.py - Here, I'd like some critique on my class design choices. This class is used to store user information in the database. It provides some utility functions specific to the Flask framework and its plug-ins. It works with SQL Alchemy, so I can retain User info in a database. Am I storing user credentials poorly? How do the authenticate/name_exists/email_exists functions look?
2. flaskapp.py - this is where I do my app's route handling, build/process forms, etc. Most views are rendered with a list of dictionaries as an argument (containing for example questions, users, etc as part of the application). Is that bad design for a web application? Do I process forms in a decent manner? is there a way I can better organize all these routes? This file got sort of big fast.

1. user.py - Here, I'd like some critique on my class design choices. This class is used to store user information in the database. It provides some utility functions specific to the Flask framework and its plug-ins. It works with SQL Alchemy, so I can retain User info in a database. Am I storing user credentials poorly? How do the authenticate/name_exists/email_exists functions look?
2. flaskapp.py - this is where I do my app's route handling, build/process forms, etc. Most views are rendered with a list of dictionaries as an argument (containing for example questions, users, etc as part of the application). Is that bad design for a web application? Do I process forms in a decent manner? is there a way I can better organize all these routes? This file got sort of big fast.