Install Databricks CLI With Python: A Quick Guide

Nov 8, 2025 by Admin 50 views

Hey guys! If you're diving into the world of Databricks and want to manage your clusters, jobs, and more directly from your terminal, you're going to need the Databricks Command Line Interface (CLI). The Databricks CLI is a powerful tool that allows you to interact with your Databricks workspace from your local machine. Luckily, installing it with Python is super straightforward. This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step, ensuring you get everything set up correctly. Let's jump right in!

Prerequisites

Before we get started, make sure you have a few things in place:

Python: You'll need Python installed on your machine. Databricks CLI is a Python package, so Python is essential. I recommend using Python 3.6 or higher.
pip: Pip is the package installer for Python. It usually comes pre-installed with Python, but if you don't have it, you'll need to install it separately.
Databricks Account: Obviously, you'll need a Databricks account and workspace to connect to.

With these prerequisites out of the way, we can proceed to the installation.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

Step 1: Install the Databricks CLI

The first step is to install the Databricks CLI using pip. Open your terminal or command prompt and run the following command:

pip install databricks-cli

This command will download and install the latest version of the Databricks CLI along with any dependencies. Make sure your pip version is up to date, as older versions might cause compatibility issues. If you encounter any issues during the installation, try upgrading pip using:

pip install --upgrade pip

After upgrading pip, try installing the Databricks CLI again. Once the installation is complete, you should see a success message in your terminal. This confirms that the Databricks CLI has been installed correctly. You can verify the installation by checking the version of the Databricks CLI:

databricks --version

This command will display the version number of the Databricks CLI installed on your system. If you see the version number, congratulations! You've successfully installed the Databricks CLI.

Step 2: Configure the Databricks CLI

Now that you have the Databricks CLI installed, you need to configure it to connect to your Databricks workspace. This involves setting up authentication so that the CLI can securely access your Databricks resources. The easiest way to authenticate is by using a Databricks personal access token.

Generate a Personal Access Token

Log in to your Databricks workspace.
Click on your username in the top-right corner and select "User Settings."
Go to the "Access Tokens" tab.
Click the "Generate New Token" button.
Enter a description for the token (e.g., "Databricks CLI"), set the lifetime (you can set it to no lifetime for development purposes, but it's better to set an expiration date for security reasons), and click "Generate."
Copy the generated token. This is the only time you'll see the token, so make sure to copy it to a safe place.

Configure the CLI

Now that you have your personal access token, you can configure the Databricks CLI. Run the following command in your terminal:

databricks configure

The CLI will prompt you for the following information:

Databricks Host: This is the URL of your Databricks workspace (e.g., https://your-workspace.cloud.databricks.com).
Personal Access Token: Paste the personal access token you generated earlier.

After entering this information, the CLI will save the configuration in a .databrickscfg file in your home directory. This file contains the authentication information needed to connect to your Databricks workspace. Keep this file secure, as it contains your personal access token.

Step 3: Test the Configuration

To verify that the Databricks CLI is configured correctly, you can run a simple command to list the clusters in your workspace:

databricks clusters list

This command will connect to your Databricks workspace and retrieve a list of all the clusters. If the configuration is correct, you should see a list of clusters in your terminal. If you encounter any errors, double-check your configuration and make sure your personal access token is valid.

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: `databricks` command not found

If you encounter an error message saying that the databricks command is not found, it means that the Databricks CLI is not in your system's PATH. This can happen if the Python scripts directory is not added to your PATH. To resolve this issue, you need to add the Python scripts directory to your PATH environment variable.

Windows

Search for "Environment Variables" in the Start menu and open the "Edit the system environment variables" control panel.
Click the "Environment Variables" button.
In the "System variables" section, find the "Path" variable and click "Edit."
Click "New" and add the path to your Python scripts directory (e.g., C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39\Scripts).
Click "OK" to save the changes.

macOS and Linux

Open your terminal and edit your shell configuration file (e.g., .bashrc, .zshrc).
Add the following line to the file:
```
export PATH="$PATH:/Users/YourUsername/Library/Python/3.9/bin"
```
Replace /Users/YourUsername/Library/Python/3.9/bin with the actual path to your Python scripts directory.
Save the file and run the following command to apply the changes:
```
source ~/.bashrc
```
or
```
source ~/.zshrc
```

After adding the Python scripts directory to your PATH, close and reopen your terminal and try running the databricks command again. It should now be recognized by your system.

Issue: Authentication Error

If you encounter an authentication error, it means that the Databricks CLI is unable to authenticate with your Databricks workspace. This can happen if your personal access token is invalid or if the Databricks host URL is incorrect. To resolve this issue, double-check your configuration and make sure your personal access token is valid and the Databricks host URL is correct.

Verify that the personal access token is still valid. If you have set an expiration date for the token, make sure it has not expired.
Double-check the Databricks host URL and make sure it is correct. The URL should be in the format https://your-workspace.cloud.databricks.com.
If you have multiple Databricks workspaces, make sure you are using the correct personal access token for the workspace you are trying to connect to.

If you have verified that the personal access token is valid and the Databricks host URL is correct, try reconfiguring the Databricks CLI:

databricks configure

Enter the Databricks host URL and personal access token again. After reconfiguring the CLI, try running the databricks clusters list command again to verify that the authentication error has been resolved.

Issue: Connection Refused

If you encounter a connection refused error, it means that the Databricks CLI is unable to connect to your Databricks workspace. This can happen if there is a network issue or if your Databricks workspace is not accessible from your current network. To resolve this issue, check your network connection and make sure your Databricks workspace is accessible.

Verify that you have a stable internet connection.
Check if your Databricks workspace is accessible from your current network. If you are behind a firewall, make sure the necessary ports are open.
Try connecting to your Databricks workspace from a different network to see if the issue is related to your current network.

If you have verified that you have a stable internet connection and your Databricks workspace is accessible, try running the databricks clusters list command again to verify that the connection refused error has been resolved.

Conclusion

And there you have it! Installing and configuring the Databricks CLI with Python is a breeze. With the Databricks CLI, you can now manage your Databricks workspace directly from your terminal. This can significantly speed up your development and deployment workflows. Remember to keep your personal access token secure and follow best practices for managing your Databricks resources. Happy coding, and have fun exploring the power of Databricks!

By following this guide, you've not only installed the Databricks CLI but also learned how to troubleshoot common issues. This knowledge will be invaluable as you continue to work with Databricks and integrate it into your daily tasks. Keep practicing and exploring the various commands and options available in the Databricks CLI to become a Databricks power user!