Azure CLI Python Interface

0.5 · active · verified Mon Apr 13

az.cli provides a simple Python interface to execute Azure CLI commands directly from Python scripts. It leverages the subprocess module to call the `az` executable installed on the system, passing commands as strings and returning exit codes, parsed JSON results, and raw logs. The current version is 0.5, with releases occurring infrequently as new features or critical bug fixes are implemented.

Warnings

gotcha The `az.cli` Python library is merely a wrapper. It does NOT bundle the Azure CLI executable. You MUST have the Azure CLI installed and authenticated on the host system where your Python script runs for `az.cli` to function correctly.
Fix: Install the Azure CLI via its official documentation (e.g., apt, yum, brew, PowerShell, MSI installer) and ensure it's in your system's PATH. Then, run `az login` to authenticate.
gotcha Error handling for Azure CLI commands through `az.cli` relies on checking the `exit_code` and `logs` returned by the `az()` function. Failures in the underlying CLI command do not raise Python exceptions directly but are indicated by a non-zero `exit_code` and detailed messages in `logs`.
Fix: Always unpack the return value (e.g., `exit_code, result_dict, logs = az("command")`) and explicitly check `if exit_code != 0:` to handle command failures and retrieve error messages from `logs`.
gotcha The `result_dict` returned by `az()` is populated only when the underlying Azure CLI command successfully outputs valid JSON. For commands that produce other output formats (e.g., `--output tsv`, `--output table`) or on command failure, `result_dict` will be empty or `None`. In such cases, the raw output will be available in the `logs` string.
Fix: To utilize `result_dict`, ensure your Azure CLI commands explicitly request JSON output (e.g., `az account show --output json`). For other formats, process the `logs` string directly.
deprecated Starting with version 0.4, the `requirements.txt` file was removed to promote a 'loosely coupled' approach. This means the library no longer declares or enforces its direct Python package dependencies (e.g., for JSON parsing).
Fix: While `az.cli` itself has minimal Python dependencies, users should ensure their environment has any necessary basic packages (like a JSON parser, though Python's `json` module is standard) if issues arise with `result_dict` processing.

Install

pip install az.cli==0.5 Install specific version

Imports

az
```
from az.cli import az
```

Quickstart

This quickstart demonstrates how to import and use the `az` function to execute an Azure CLI command. It's critical to check the `exit_code` for command success and to understand that `result_dict` only contains parsed JSON output. For other formats or errors, the raw output is in `logs`. Ensure your Azure CLI is installed and you are logged in for commands like `group list` to work.

from az.cli import az

# Execute an Azure CLI command
# For example, to list resource groups. Make sure you are authenticated with Azure CLI (e.g., 'az login').
exit_code, result_dict, logs = az("group list")

if exit_code == 0:
    print("Azure CLI command executed successfully!")
    print("Parsed Result (if JSON output):", result_dict)
    if result_dict and isinstance(result_dict, list) and len(result_dict) > 0:
        print(f"First resource group name: {result_dict[0].get('name', 'N/A')}")
else:
    print(f"Azure CLI command failed with exit code: {exit_code}")
    print("Error logs:", logs)

# Example of a command that might not return JSON or returns raw string output
# exit_code, result_dict, logs = az("account show --output tsv")
# if exit_code == 0:
#     print("TSV Output (result_dict will be empty for non-JSON):")
#     print(logs) # Raw output will be in 'logs' string

view raw JSON →