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# Azure NSPKG
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Microsoft Azure namespace package for Python 2.7 that provides namespace package functionality for Azure SDK components. This is an internal infrastructure package that enables other Azure SDK packages to extend the `azure` namespace using Python's `pkgutil.extend_path` mechanism.
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## Package Information
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- **Package Name**: azure-nspkg
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- **Package Type**: pypi
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- **Language**: Python
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- **Installation**: `pip install azure-nspkg`
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- **Python Compatibility**: Python 2.7 only (Python 3+ uses PEP420 namespace packages)
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## Core Imports
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```python
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import azure
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```
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## Basic Usage
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The azure-nspkg package is not intended for direct usage by end users. It serves as infrastructure for other Azure SDK packages to extend the `azure` namespace. When installed, it allows packages like `azure-storage`, `azure-keyvault`, etc. to be imported as submodules of the `azure` namespace.
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```python
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# After installing azure-nspkg and other Azure packages:
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# from azure.storage import BlobService  # (if azure-storage is installed)
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# from azure.keyvault import KeyVaultClient  # (if azure-keyvault is installed)
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```
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## Architecture
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The package uses Python's namespace package mechanism:
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- **Namespace Extension**: Uses `pkgutil.extend_path(__path__, __name__)` to enable namespace package functionality
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- **Conditional Installation**: Only installs the `azure` package on Python 2.7; Python 3+ relies on PEP420 implicit namespace packages
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- **Compatibility Protection**: Prevents installation alongside incompatible azure v0.x packages that used different namespace mechanisms
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## Capabilities
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### Namespace Package Extension
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Provides the foundational namespace package functionality that allows multiple Azure SDK packages to coexist under the `azure` namespace.
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```python { .api }
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# azure/__init__.py content:
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__path__ = __import__('pkgutil').extend_path(__path__, __name__)
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```
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### Version Compatibility Checking
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The setup process includes compatibility validation to prevent conflicts with older azure packages that used incompatible namespace mechanisms.
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```python { .api }
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# Compatibility check logic (from setup.py):
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try:
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    import azure
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    try:
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        ver = azure.__version__  # Only exists in incompatible v0.x
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        raise Exception(
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            'This package is incompatible with azure=={}. '.format(ver) +
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            'Uninstall it with "pip uninstall azure".'
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        )
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    except AttributeError:
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        pass  # Compatible, no __version__ attribute
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except ImportError:
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    pass  # No existing azure package, safe to install
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```
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## Installation Behavior
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### Python 2.7
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- Installs the `azure` namespace package module
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- Enables namespace functionality for other Azure SDK packages
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- Provides backward compatibility with existing Python 2.7 code
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### Python 3.x
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- Installs an empty package to satisfy dependencies
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- Does not provide actual namespace functionality (relies on PEP420)
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- Prevents package server compatibility issues with `python_requires`
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## Package Metadata
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```python { .api }
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# Package configuration:
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name = 'azure-nspkg'
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version = '3.0.2'
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description = 'Microsoft Azure Namespace Package [Internal]'
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author = 'Microsoft Corporation'
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license = 'MIT License'
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zip_safe = False
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packages = ['azure']  # Python 2.7 only, empty list for Python 3.x
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```
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## Dependencies
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- **Runtime Dependencies**: None (uses only Python standard library)
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- **Build Dependencies**: setuptools
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## Notes
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- This package is intended for internal use by the Azure SDK ecosystem
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- Not designed for direct end-user consumption
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- Essential for Azure SDK packages to work together on Python 2.7
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- Python 3.x installations use this package only to satisfy dependency requirements