IBM Streams Python setup — streamsx 1.15.9 documentation

# IBM Streams Python setup

## Developer setup

Developers install the streamsx package Python Package Index (PyPI) to use this functionality:

    pip install streamsx

If already installed upgrade to the latest version is recommended:

    pip install --upgrade streamsx

A local install of IBM Streams is not required when:

> - Using the Streams and Streaming Analytics REST bindings `streamsx.rest`.

> - Devloping and submitting streaming applications using `streamsx.topology.topology` to Cloud Pak for Data or Streaming Analytics service on IBM Cloud.

>   > - The environment variable `JAVA_HOME` must reference a Java JRE or JDK/SDK version 8 or higher.

A local install of IBM Streams is required when:

> - Developing and submitting streaming applications using `streamsx.topology.topology` to IBM Streams 4.2, 4.3 distributed or standalone contexts.

>   > - If set the environment variable `JAVA_HOME` must reference a Java JRE or JDK/SDK version 8 or higher, otherwise the Java install from `$STREAMS_INSTALL/java` is used.

> - Creating SPL toolkits with Python primitive operators using `streamsx.spl.spl` decorators for use with 4.2, 4.3 distributed or standalone applications.

Warning

When using the streamsx package ensure that the environment variable `PYTHONPATH` does not include a path ending with `com.ibm.streamsx.topology/opt/python/packages`. The IBM Streams environment configuration script `streamsprofile.sh` modifies or sets `PYTHONPATH` to include the Python support from the SPL topology toolkit shipped with the product. This was to support Python before the streamsx package was available. The recommendation is to unset `PYTHONPATH` or modify it not to include the path to the topology toolkit.

Note

The streamsx package is self-contained and does not depend on any SPL topology toolkit (`com.ibm.streamsx.topology`) installed under `$STREAMS_INSTALL/toolkits` or on the SPL compiler’s (`sc`) toolkit path. This is true at SPL compilation time and runtime.

## Streaming Analytics service

The service instance has Anaconda installed with Python 3.6 as the runtime environment and has `PYTHONHOME` Streams application environment variable pre-configured.

Any streaming applications using Python must use Python 3.6 when submitted to the service instance. The streamsx package must be installed locally and applications are submitted to the `STREAMING_ANALYTICS_SERVICE` context.

## IBM Cloud Pak for Data

An IBM Streams service instance within Cloud Pak for Data has Anaconda installed with Python 3.6 as the runtime environment and has `PYTHONHOME` Streams application environment variable pre-configured.

Any streaming applications using Python must use Python 3.6 when submitted to the service instance.

Streaming applications can be submitted through Jupyter notebooks running in Cloud Pak for Data projects. The streamsx package is preinstalled and applications are submitted to the `DISTRIBUTED` context.

Streaming applications can be submitted externally to the OpenShift cluster containing Cloud Pak for Data. The streamsx package must be installed locally and applications are submitted to the `DISTRIBUTED` context. The specific environment variables depend on if the Streams instance is in a integrated or standalone configuration. See `DISTRIBUTED` for details.

## IBM Streams 4.2, 4.3

For a distributed cluster running Streams Python 3.7, 3.6 or 3.5 may be used.

Anaconda or Miniconda distributions may be used as the Python runtime, these have the advantage of being pre-built and including a number of standard packages. Ananconda installs may be downloaded at: https://www.continuum.io/downloads .

If building Python from source then it must be built to support embedding of the runtime with shared libraries (`--enable-shared` option to configure).

### Distributed

For distributed the Streams application environment variable `PYTHONHOME` must be set to the Python install path.

This is set using streamtool as:

    streamtool setproperty --application-ev PYTHONHOME=path_to_python_install

The application environment variable may also be set using the Streams console. The Instance Management view has an Application Environment Variables section. Expanding the details for that section allows modification of the set of environment variables available to Streams applications.

The Python install path must be accessible on every application resource that will execute Python code within a Streams application.

Note

The Python version used to declare and submit the application must compatible with the setting of `PYTHONHOME` in the instance. For example, if `PYTHONHOME` Streams application instance variable points to a Python 3.6 install, then Python 3.5 or 3.6 can be used to declare and submit the application.

### Standalone

The environment `PYTHONHOME` must be set to the Python install path.

## Bundle Python version compatibility

As of 1.13 Streams application bundles (sab files) invoking Python are binary compatible with a range of Python releases when using Python 3.

The minimum verson supported is the version of Python used during bundle creation.

The maximum version supported is the highest version of Python with a proposed release schedule.

For example if a sab is built with Python 3.6 then it can be submitted to a Streams instance using 3.6 or higher, up to & including 3.9 which is the highest Python release with a proposed release schedule as of 1.13.

Note

Compatability across Python releases is dependent on Python’s Stable Application Binary Inteface.