databricks-python-sdk
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Databricks development guidance including Python SDK, Databricks Connect, CLI, and REST API. Use when working with databricks-sdk, databricks-connect, or Databricks APIs.
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npx skill4agent add databricks-solutions/ai-dev-kit databricks-python-sdkTags
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View Translation Comparison →Databricks Development Guide
This skill provides guidance for Databricks SDK, Databricks Connect, CLI, and REST API.
SDK Documentation: https://databricks-sdk-py.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
GitHub Repository: https://github.com/databricks/databricks-sdk-py
Environment Setup
- Use existing virtual environment at or use
.venvto create oneuv - For Spark operations:
uv pip install databricks-connect - For SDK operations:
uv pip install databricks-sdk - Databricks CLI version should be 0.278.0 or higher
Configuration
- Default profile name:
DEFAULT - Config file:
~/.databrickscfg - Environment variables: ,
DATABRICKS_HOSTDATABRICKS_TOKEN
Databricks Connect (Spark Operations)
Use for running Spark code locally against a Databricks cluster.
databricks-connectpython
from databricks.connect import DatabricksSession
# Auto-detects 'DEFAULT' profile from ~/.databrickscfg
spark = DatabricksSession.builder.getOrCreate()
# With explicit profile
spark = DatabricksSession.builder.profile("MY_PROFILE").getOrCreate()
# Use spark as normal
df = spark.sql("SELECT * FROM catalog.schema.table")
df.show()IMPORTANT: Do NOT set - this will cause issues with Databricks Connect.
.master("local[*]")Direct REST API Access
For operations not yet in SDK or overly complex via SDK, use direct REST API:
python
from databricks.sdk import WorkspaceClient
w = WorkspaceClient()
# Direct API call using authenticated client
response = w.api_client.do(
method="GET",
path="/api/2.0/clusters/list"
)
# POST with body
response = w.api_client.do(
method="POST",
path="/api/2.0/jobs/run-now",
body={"job_id": 123}
)When to use: Prefer SDK methods when available. Use for:
api_client.do- New API endpoints not yet in SDK
- Complex operations where SDK abstraction is problematic
- Debugging/testing raw API responses
Databricks CLI
bash
# Check version (should be >= 0.278.0)
databricks --version
# Use specific profile
databricks --profile MY_PROFILE clusters list
# Common commands
databricks clusters list
databricks jobs list
databricks workspace ls /Users/meSDK Documentation Architecture
The SDK documentation follows a predictable URL pattern:
Base: https://databricks-sdk-py.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
Workspace APIs: /workspace/{category}/{service}.html
Account APIs: /account/{category}/{service}.html
Authentication: /authentication.html
DBUtils: /dbutils.htmlWorkspace API Categories
| Category | Services |
|---|---|
| clusters, cluster_policies, command_execution, instance_pools, libraries |
| catalogs, schemas, tables, volumes, functions, storage_credentials, external_locations |
| jobs |
| warehouses, statement_execution, queries, alerts, dashboards |
| serving_endpoints |
| vector_search_indexes, vector_search_endpoints |
| pipelines |
| repos, secrets, workspace, git_credentials |
| files, dbfs |
| experiments, model_registry |
Authentication
Environment Variables
bash
DATABRICKS_HOST=https://your-workspace.cloud.databricks.com
DATABRICKS_TOKEN=dapi... # Personal Access TokenCode Patterns
python
# Auto-detect credentials from environment
from databricks.sdk import WorkspaceClient
w = WorkspaceClient()
# Explicit token auth
w = WorkspaceClient(
host="https://your-workspace.cloud.databricks.com",
token="dapi..."
)
# Azure Service Principal
w = WorkspaceClient(
host="https://adb-xxx.azuredatabricks.net",
azure_workspace_resource_id="/subscriptions/.../resourceGroups/.../providers/Microsoft.Databricks/workspaces/...",
azure_tenant_id="tenant-id",
azure_client_id="client-id",
azure_client_secret="secret"
)
# Use a named profile from ~/.databrickscfg
w = WorkspaceClient(profile="MY_PROFILE")Core API Reference
Clusters API
python
# List all clusters
for cluster in w.clusters.list():
print(f"{cluster.cluster_name}: {cluster.state}")
# Get cluster details
cluster = w.clusters.get(cluster_id="0123-456789-abcdef")
# Create a cluster (returns Wait object)
wait = w.clusters.create(
cluster_name="my-cluster",
spark_version=w.clusters.select_spark_version(latest=True),
node_type_id=w.clusters.select_node_type(local_disk=True),
num_workers=2
)
cluster = wait.result() # Wait for cluster to be running
# Or use create_and_wait for blocking call
cluster = w.clusters.create_and_wait(
cluster_name="my-cluster",
spark_version="14.3.x-scala2.12",
node_type_id="i3.xlarge",
num_workers=2,
timeout=timedelta(minutes=30)
)
# Start/stop/delete
w.clusters.start(cluster_id="...").result()
w.clusters.stop(cluster_id="...")
w.clusters.delete(cluster_id="...")Jobs API
python
from databricks.sdk.service.jobs import Task, NotebookTask
# List jobs
for job in w.jobs.list():
print(f"{job.job_id}: {job.settings.name}")
# Create a job
created = w.jobs.create(
name="my-job",
tasks=[
Task(
task_key="main",
notebook_task=NotebookTask(notebook_path="/Users/me/notebook"),
existing_cluster_id="0123-456789-abcdef"
)
]
)
# Run a job now
run = w.jobs.run_now_and_wait(job_id=created.job_id)
print(f"Run completed: {run.state.result_state}")
# Get run output
output = w.jobs.get_run_output(run_id=run.run_id)SQL Statement Execution
python
# Execute SQL query
response = w.statement_execution.execute_statement(
warehouse_id="abc123",
statement="SELECT * FROM catalog.schema.table LIMIT 10",
wait_timeout="30s"
)
# Check status and get results
if response.status.state == StatementState.SUCCEEDED:
for row in response.result.data_array:
print(row)
# For large results, fetch chunks
chunk = w.statement_execution.get_statement_result_chunk_n(
statement_id=response.statement_id,
chunk_index=0
)SQL Warehouses
python
# List warehouses
for wh in w.warehouses.list():
print(f"{wh.name}: {wh.state}")
# Get warehouse
warehouse = w.warehouses.get(id="abc123")
# Create warehouse
created = w.warehouses.create_and_wait(
name="my-warehouse",
cluster_size="Small",
max_num_clusters=1,
auto_stop_mins=15
)
# Start/stop
w.warehouses.start(id="abc123").result()
w.warehouses.stop(id="abc123").result()Unity Catalog - Tables
python
# List tables in a schema
for table in w.tables.list(catalog_name="main", schema_name="default"):
print(f"{table.full_name}: {table.table_type}")
# Get table info
table = w.tables.get(full_name="main.default.my_table")
print(f"Columns: {[c.name for c in table.columns]}")
# Check if table exists
exists = w.tables.exists(full_name="main.default.my_table")Unity Catalog - Catalogs & Schemas
Doc (Catalogs): https://databricks-sdk-py.readthedocs.io/en/latest/workspace/catalog/catalogs.html
Doc (Schemas): https://databricks-sdk-py.readthedocs.io/en/latest/workspace/catalog/schemas.html
python
# List catalogs
for catalog in w.catalogs.list():
print(catalog.name)
# Create catalog
w.catalogs.create(name="my_catalog", comment="Description")
# List schemas
for schema in w.schemas.list(catalog_name="main"):
print(schema.name)
# Create schema
w.schemas.create(name="my_schema", catalog_name="main")Volumes
python
from databricks.sdk.service.catalog import VolumeType
# List volumes
for vol in w.volumes.list(catalog_name="main", schema_name="default"):
print(f"{vol.full_name}: {vol.volume_type}")
# Create managed volume
w.volumes.create(
catalog_name="main",
schema_name="default",
name="my_volume",
volume_type=VolumeType.MANAGED
)
# Read volume info
vol = w.volumes.read(name="main.default.my_volume")Files API
python
# Upload file to volume
w.files.upload(
file_path="/Volumes/main/default/my_volume/data.csv",
contents=open("local_file.csv", "rb")
)
# Download file
with w.files.download(file_path="/Volumes/main/default/my_volume/data.csv") as f:
content = f.read()
# List directory contents
for entry in w.files.list_directory_contents("/Volumes/main/default/my_volume/"):
print(f"{entry.name}: {entry.is_directory}")
# Upload/download with progress (parallel)
w.files.upload_from(
file_path="/Volumes/main/default/my_volume/large.parquet",
source_path="/local/path/large.parquet",
use_parallel=True
)
w.files.download_to(
file_path="/Volumes/main/default/my_volume/large.parquet",
destination="/local/output/",
use_parallel=True
)Serving Endpoints (Model Serving)
python
# List endpoints
for ep in w.serving_endpoints.list():
print(f"{ep.name}: {ep.state}")
# Get endpoint
endpoint = w.serving_endpoints.get(name="my-endpoint")
# Query endpoint
response = w.serving_endpoints.query(
name="my-endpoint",
inputs={"prompt": "Hello, world!"}
)
# For chat/completions endpoints
response = w.serving_endpoints.query(
name="my-chat-endpoint",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}]
)
# Get OpenAI-compatible client
openai_client = w.serving_endpoints.get_open_ai_client()Vector Search
Doc (Indexes): https://databricks-sdk-py.readthedocs.io/en/latest/workspace/vectorsearch/vector_search_indexes.html
Doc (Endpoints): https://databricks-sdk-py.readthedocs.io/en/latest/workspace/vectorsearch/vector_search_endpoints.html
python
# List vector search indexes
for idx in w.vector_search_indexes.list_indexes(endpoint_name="my-vs-endpoint"):
print(idx.name)
# Query index
results = w.vector_search_indexes.query_index(
index_name="main.default.my_index",
columns=["id", "text", "embedding"],
query_text="search query",
num_results=10
)
for doc in results.result.data_array:
print(doc)Pipelines (Delta Live Tables)
python
# List pipelines
for pipeline in w.pipelines.list_pipelines():
print(f"{pipeline.name}: {pipeline.state}")
# Get pipeline
pipeline = w.pipelines.get(pipeline_id="abc123")
# Start pipeline update
w.pipelines.start_update(pipeline_id="abc123")
# Stop pipeline
w.pipelines.stop_and_wait(pipeline_id="abc123")Secrets
python
# List secret scopes
for scope in w.secrets.list_scopes():
print(scope.name)
# Create scope
w.secrets.create_scope(scope="my-scope")
# Put secret
w.secrets.put_secret(scope="my-scope", key="api-key", string_value="secret123")
# Get secret (returns GetSecretResponse with value)
secret = w.secrets.get_secret(scope="my-scope", key="api-key")
# List secrets in scope (metadata only, not values)
for s in w.secrets.list_secrets(scope="my-scope"):
print(s.key)DBUtils
python
# Access dbutils through WorkspaceClient
dbutils = w.dbutils
# File system operations
files = dbutils.fs.ls("/")
dbutils.fs.cp("dbfs:/source", "dbfs:/dest")
dbutils.fs.rm("dbfs:/path", recurse=True)
# Secrets (same as w.secrets but dbutils interface)
value = dbutils.secrets.get(scope="my-scope", key="my-key")Common Patterns
CRITICAL: Async Applications (FastAPI, etc.)
The Databricks SDK is fully synchronous. All calls block the thread. In async applications (FastAPI, asyncio), you MUST wrap SDK calls with to avoid blocking the event loop.
asyncio.to_thread()python
import asyncio
from databricks.sdk import WorkspaceClient
w = WorkspaceClient()
# WRONG - blocks the event loop
async def get_clusters_bad():
return list(w.clusters.list()) # BLOCKS!
# CORRECT - runs in thread pool
async def get_clusters_good():
return await asyncio.to_thread(lambda: list(w.clusters.list()))
# CORRECT - for simple calls
async def get_cluster(cluster_id: str):
return await asyncio.to_thread(w.clusters.get, cluster_id)
# CORRECT - FastAPI endpoint
from fastapi import FastAPI
app = FastAPI()
@app.get("/clusters")
async def list_clusters():
clusters = await asyncio.to_thread(lambda: list(w.clusters.list()))
return [{"id": c.cluster_id, "name": c.cluster_name} for c in clusters]
@app.post("/query")
async def run_query(sql: str, warehouse_id: str):
# Wrap the blocking SDK call
response = await asyncio.to_thread(
w.statement_execution.execute_statement,
statement=sql,
warehouse_id=warehouse_id,
wait_timeout="30s"
)
return response.result.data_arrayNote: is NOT a network call - it just reads config. No need to wrap property access.
WorkspaceClient().config.hostWait for Long-Running Operations
python
from datetime import timedelta
# Pattern 1: Use *_and_wait methods
cluster = w.clusters.create_and_wait(
cluster_name="test",
spark_version="14.3.x-scala2.12",
node_type_id="i3.xlarge",
num_workers=2,
timeout=timedelta(minutes=30)
)
# Pattern 2: Use Wait object
wait = w.clusters.create(...)
cluster = wait.result() # Blocks until ready
# Pattern 3: Manual polling with callback
def progress(cluster):
print(f"State: {cluster.state}")
cluster = w.clusters.wait_get_cluster_running(
cluster_id="...",
timeout=timedelta(minutes=30),
callback=progress
)Pagination
python
# All list methods return iterators that handle pagination automatically
for job in w.jobs.list(): # Fetches all pages
print(job.settings.name)
# For manual control
from databricks.sdk.service.jobs import ListJobsRequest
response = w.jobs.list(limit=10)
for job in response:
print(job)Error Handling
python
from databricks.sdk.errors import NotFound, PermissionDenied, ResourceAlreadyExists
try:
cluster = w.clusters.get(cluster_id="invalid-id")
except NotFound:
print("Cluster not found")
except PermissionDenied:
print("Access denied")When Uncertain
If I'm unsure about a method, I should:
-
Check the documentation URL pattern:
https://databricks-sdk-py.readthedocs.io/en/latest/workspace/{category}/{service}.html
-
Common categories:
- Clusters:
/workspace/compute/clusters.html - Jobs:
/workspace/jobs/jobs.html - Tables:
/workspace/catalog/tables.html - Warehouses:
/workspace/sql/warehouses.html - Serving:
/workspace/serving/serving_endpoints.html
- Clusters:
-
Fetch and verify before providing guidance on parameters or return types.