What was going on in February 2023 around Python in the Azure ecosystem?
Published: 2023-03-01 11:28:23

Here are some of the things that I came across in February regarding Python in the Azure ecosystem:

1. In a blogpost about the [State of the Azure SDK 2023](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/azure-sdk/state-of-the-azure-sdk-2023/) [24], the Azure SDK team has announced the launch of a monthly Azure SDK Community Standup.
    > [The SDK Team's] goal is to create a space where developers can come together, share their experiences and knowledge, and discuss the latest developments in the Azure SDK ecosystem. [...] Join us every second Tuesday of the month from 11:00 AM to noon Pacific Time (UTC-8) to learn, collaborate, and grow with the community. Check out the recording of our premiere standup!
    - The [first recording is here](https://www.youtube.com/live/HizG8gMR9WI?feature=share). [25]


2. New Python versions have been released.
    - [Python 3.10.10](https://docs.python.org/release/3.10.10/whatsnew/changelog.html#python-3-10-10-final) [22] and [Python 3.11.2](https://docs.python.org/release/3.11.2/whatsnew/changelog.html#python-3-11-2) [23]


3. [Azure Functions support for Python 3.10](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/generally-available-azure-functions-support-for-python-310/) is GA. [21]
    > You can now develop functions using Python 3.10 locally and deploy them to all Azure Functions plans. 


4. [Azure SDK for Python - February 2023 Releases](https://azure.github.io/azure-sdk/releases/2023-02/python.html) [20]


5. [Developing Azure Functions using the v2 programming model for Python | Azure Friday](https://youtu.be/KARieaWBxuk) [19]
    > Gavin Aguiar and Shreya Batra join Scott Hanselman to discuss the v2 programming model for Azure Functions using Python.
    - Comprehensive overview over the simplified v2 programming model and how quick deployments can be done through Visual Studio Code.


6. Announcements of [the latest beta release of the Azure Text Analytics client libraries for Python](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/azure-sdk/announcing-the-new-beta-release-of-azure-text-analytics-libraries/) [18]. The blog post highlights Python samples for these features:
    - Abstractive summarization
    - Named entity recognition (NER) resolutions
    - Dynamic classification
    - Healthcare FHIR bundles with document type
    - Automatic language and script detection

    
    > **Note**
    >
    > If you follow the example along:
    > - you may need to create the cognitive services account in the right region, otherwise you might be seein errors like this when attempting to run the code: `{'code': 'InvalidRequest', 'message': "Job task: 'AbstractiveSummarization-0' failed with validation error: Document abstractive summarization is not supported in the region {Your-Region}. The supported regions are North Europe, East US, UK South."}`
    > - you may need to request access at https://aka.ms/applyforgatedsummarizationfeatures if the service is part of a gated public preview feature.


7. Azure Developer CLI (azd) includes [new templates for Python](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/azure-sdk/azure-developer-cli-azd-february-2023-release/#python) [14].
    - [Deploy a Python (Flask) web app with PostgreSQL in Azure](https://github.com/Azure-Samples/msdocs-flask-postgresql-sample-app) [15]
    - [Deploy a Python (Django) web app with PostgreSQL in Azure](https://github.com/Azure-Samples/msdocs-django-postgresql-sample-app) [16]
    - [HTTP API powered by FastAPI with Azure Functions and APIM](https://github.com/pamelafox/fastapi-azure-function-apim) [17]


8. Not really a February update but a reminder:
    > On 31 March 2023, [Microsoft] will be retiring support for Azure SDK libraries which do not conform to [their] current Azure SDK guidelines.
    <br>&mdash; <cite>[Azure Updates](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/support-for-azure-sdk-libraries-that-do-not-conform-to-our-current-azure-sdk-guidelines-will-be-retired-as-of-31-march-2023/)</cite>[12]
    - Here is the [list of deprecated Python libraries](https://azure.github.io/azure-sdk/releases/deprecated/index.html#python) [13]


9. [February 2023 release of the Python and Jupyter extensions](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/python/python-in-visual-studio-code-february-2023-release/) for Visual Studio Code are now available [11].

### References

| # | Title | URL | Accessed-On |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | 
| 11 | Python in Visual Studio Code – February 2023 Release | https://devblogs.microsoft.com/python/python-in-visual-studio-code-february-2023-release/ | 2023-02-03 |
| 12 | Update your Azure SDK libraries by 31 March 2023 | https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/support-for-azure-sdk-libraries-that-do-not-conform-to-our-current-azure-sdk-guidelines-will-be-retired-as-of-31-march-2023/ | 2023-02-06 |
| 13 | Python - Deprecated Libraries | https://azure.github.io/azure-sdk/releases/deprecated/index.html#python | 2023-02-06 |
| 14 | Azure Developer CLI (azd) – February 2023 Release - Python Templates | https://devblogs.microsoft.com/azure-sdk/azure-developer-cli-azd-february-2023-release/#python | 2023-02-09 |
| 15 | Azure Samples - Deploy a Python (Flask) web app with PostgreSQL in Azure | https://github.com/Azure-Samples/msdocs-flask-postgresql-sample-app | 2023-02-09 |
| 16 | Azure Samples - Deploy a Python (Django) web app with PostgreSQL in Azure | https://github.com/Azure-Samples/msdocs-django-postgresql-sample-app | 2023-02-09 |
| 17 | HTTP API powered by FastAPI with Azure Functions and APIM | https://github.com/pamelafox/fastapi-azure-function-apim | 2023-02-09 |
| 18 | Announcing the new beta release of Azure Text Analytics libraries | https://devblogs.microsoft.com/azure-sdk/announcing-the-new-beta-release-of-azure-text-analytics-libraries/ | 2023-02-10 |
| 19 | Developing Azure Functions using the v2 programming model for Python - Azure Friday | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KARieaWBxuk | 2023-02-11 |
| 20 | Azure SDK for Python (February 2023) | https://azure.github.io/azure-sdk/releases/2023-02/python.html | 2023-02-14 |
| 21 | Generally available: Azure Functions support for Python 3.10 | https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/updates/generally-available-azure-functions-support-for-python-310/ | 2023-02-21 |
| 22 | Python 3.10.10 final | https://docs.python.org/release/3.10.10/whatsnew/changelog.html#python-3-10-10-final | 2023-02-23 |
| 23 | Python 3.11.2 final | https://docs.python.org/release/3.11.2/whatsnew/changelog.html#python-3-11-2 | 2023-02-23 |
| 24 | State of the Azure SDK 2023 | https://devblogs.microsoft.com/azure-sdk/state-of-the-azure-sdk-2023/ | 2023-02-23 |
| 25 | Introducing Azure SDK [February 2023] - Azure SDK Community Standup | https://www.youtube.com/live/HizG8gMR9WI?feature=share | 2023-02-23 |