Microsoft for Python Developers Blog
Read the latest updates about all things Python at Microsoft
Latest posts
Introducing Apache Arrow Support in mssql-python
Reviewed by Sumit Sarabhai Fetching a million rows from SQL Server into a Polars DataFrame used to mean a million Python objects, a million GC allocations, and then throwing it all away to build a DataFrame. Not anymore. mssql-python now supports fetching SQL Server data directly as Apache Arrow structures - a faster and more memory-efficient path for anyone working with SQL Server data in Polars, Pandas, DuckDB, or any other Arrow-native library. This feature was contributed by community developer Felix Graßl (@ffelixg), and we are thrilled to ship it. What Is Apache Arrow? The key insight beh...
Python Environments Extension for VS Code- April Update
The April 2026 release update includes the Python Environments extension... Keep on reading to learn more!
Write SQL Your Way: Dual Parameter Style Benefits in mssql-python
Reviewed by: Sumit Sarabhai If you've been writing SQL in Python, you already know the debate: positional parameters (?) or named parameters (%(name)s)? Some developers swear by the conciseness of positional. Others prefer the clarity of named. With mssql-python, you no longer need to choose - we support both.  We've added dual parameter style support to mssql-python, enabling both qmark and pyformat parameter styles in Python applications that interact with SQL Server and Azure SQL. This feature is especially useful if you’re building complex queries, dynamically assembling filters, or migrating existing ...
Python in Visual Studio Code – March 2026 Release
The March 2026 release of the Python and Jupyter extensions for Visual Studio Code is now available. Keep on reading to learn more!
Python Environments Extension for VS Code
The February 2026 release This release includes the Python Environments extension... Keep on reading to learn more!
Python in Visual Studio Code – November 2025 Release
The November 2025 release brings new Pylance features including improvements to Copilot Hover Summaries and a Code Action to convert wildcard imports to explicit imports. Keep on reading to learn more!
Python in Visual Studio Code – October 2025 Release
The October 2025 release of the Python and Jupyter extensions for Visual Studio Code are now available. This release includes improvements to the Python Environments extension, Copy Test ID functionality, and enhanced environment activation when using Copilot Chat. Keep on reading to learn more!
Simplifying Resource Management in mssql-python through Context Manager
Reviewed by: Sumit Sarabhai and Gaurav Sharma If you’ve worked with databases in Python, you know the boilerplate: open a connection, create a cursor, run queries, commit or rollback transactions, close cursors and connection. Forgetting just one cleanup step can lead to resource leaks (open connections) or even inconsistent data. That’s where context managers step in. We’ve introduced context manager support in mssql‑python driver, enabling Python applications to interact with SQL Server and Azure SQL more safely, cleanly, and in a truly Pythonic way. Why Context Managers? In Python, the sta...
Python in Visual Studio Code – September 2025 Release
The September 2025 release includes pipenv support in the Python Environment Extension, a new experimental hover feature with GitHub Copilot and Pylance, and more!
Announcing the Data Wrangler powered Notebook Results Table
An introduction to the new Results Table integrated into the output cell of Notebooks, powered by the VS Code extension called Data Wrangler.
mssql-python vs pyodbc: Benchmarking SQL Server Performance
Reviewed by Imran Masud and Sumit Sarabhai When it comes to working with Microsoft SQL Server in Python, pyodbc has long been the de facto driver. It's mature, trusted and has been serving the community well for years. But as applications scale and Python becomes more central to modern data workflows — from microservices to data engineering and platforms like Microsoft Fabric — there's a growing need to modernize and improve the developer experience. So, can we take this further? Meet mssql-python - a modern SQL Server driver for Python that rethinks the architecture from the ground up while pres...
Python in Visual Studio Code – August 2025 Release
The August 2025 release includes Python shell integration support for Python 3.13+, Python Environments extension improvements, enhanced terminal suggestions with documentation, and more!
Announcing Full Cross-Platform Support for the mssql-python Driver
After the successful release of Public Preview of mssql-python driver, we’re thrilled to announce a major milestone for the mssql-python driver: full support for all three major operating systems—Windows, macOS, and Linux. This release marks a significant leap forward in our mission to provide seamless, performant, and Pythonic connectivity to Microsoft SQL Server and the Azure SQL family. Try it here: mssql-python Linux Joins the Party With this release, Linux support is officially live, completing our cross-platform vision. Whether you're developing on Ubuntu, Red Hat or Debian, the mssql-python...
Python in Visual Studio Code – July 2025 Release
The July 2025 release includes TBA and more!
Python in Visual Studio Code – June 2025 Release
The June 2025 release includes Copilot chat tools in the Python extension, project creation from a template, language server based terminal suggest, and more!
Python in Visual Studio Code – May 2025 Release
The May 2025 release includes updates in the Python Environments extension, a new color picker added by Pylance, branch coverage support, and more!
Microsoft at PyTexas 2025: Join Us for a Celebration of Python and Innovation
Microsoft is thrilled to announce our participation in PyTexas 2025, taking place this year in the vibrant city of Austin, Texas! At this year’s event, Microsoft is proud to contribute to the community’s growth and excitement by hosting a booth and delivering an engaging talk.
