Azure functions: Installing Python modules and extensions on consumption plan

Question

I am trying to run a python script with Azure functions. I had success updating the python version and installing modules on Azure functions under the App Services plan but

Answer 1

You may upload the modules for the Python version of your choice in Consumption Plan. Kindly refer to the instructions at this link: https://github.com/Azure/azure-webjobs-sdk-script/wiki/Using-a-custom-version-of-Python

Answer 2

This is what worked for me:

Dislaimer: I use C# Function that includes Python script execution, using command line with System.Diagnostics.Process class.

• Add relevant Python extension for the Azure Function from Azure Portal: Platform Features -> Development Tools -> Extensions
  It installed python to D:\home\python364x86 (as seen from Kudu console)

• Add an application setting called WEBSITE_USE_PLACEHOLDER and set its value to 0. This is necessary to work around an Azure Functions issue that causes the Python extension to stop working after the function app is unloaded.
  See: Using Python 3 in Azure Functions question.

• Install the packages from Kudu CMD line console using pip install ...
  (in my case it was pip install pandas)

Answer 3

On Functions Comsumption plan, Kudu extensions are not available. However, you can update pip to be able to install all your dependencies correctly:

• Create your Python script on Functions (let's say NameOfMyFunction/run.py)
• Open a Kudu console
• Go to the folder of your script (should be d:/home/site/wwwroot/NameOfMyFunction)
• Create a virtualenv in this folder (python -m virtualenv myvenv)
• Load this venv (cd myenv/Scripts and call activate.bat)

Your shell should be now prefixed by (myvenv)

• Update pip (python -m pip install -U pip)
• Install what you need (python -m pip install flask)

Now in the Azure Portal, in your script, update the sys.path to add this venv:

import sys, os.path
sys.path.append(os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname( __file__ ), 'myvenv/Lib/site-packages')))

You should be able to start what you want now.

(Reference: https://github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-python/issues/1044)

Edit: reading previous comment, it seems you need numpy. I just tested right now and I was able to install 1.12.1 with no issues.