Run Python and R scripts in Azure Data Studio notebooks with SQL Server Machine Learning Services

Applies to: SQL Server 2017 (14.x) and later

Learn how to run Python and R scripts in Azure Data Studio notebooks with SQL Server Machine Learning Services. Azure Data Studio is a cross-platform database tool.

Prerequisites

• Download and install Azure Data Studio on your workstation computer. Azure Data Studio is cross-platform, and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

• A server with SQL Server Machine Learning Services installed and enabled. You can use Machine Learning Services on Windows, Linux, or Big Data Clusters:

  • Install SQL Server Machine Learning Services on Windows.
  • Install SQL Server Machine Learning Services on Linux.
  • Run Python and R scripts with Machine Learning Services on SQL Server Big Data Clusters.

Create a SQL notebook

Important

Machine Learning Services runs as part of SQL Server. Therefore, you need to use a SQL kernel and not a Python kernel.

You can use Machine Learning Services in Azure Data Studio with a SQL notebook. To create a new notebook, follow these steps:

1. Click File and New Notebook to create a new notebook. The notebook will by default use the SQL kernel.

2. Click Attach To and Change Connection.

   

3. Connect to an existing or new SQL Server. You can either:

   1. Choose an existing connection under Recent Connections or Saved Connections.

   2. Create a new connection under Connection Details. Fill out the connection details to your SQL Server and database.

   

Run Python or R scripts

SQL Notebooks consist of code and text cells. Code cells are used to run Python or R scripts via the stored procedure sp_execute_external_scripts. Text cells can be used to document your code in the notebook.

Run a Python script

Follow these steps to run a Python script:

1. Click + Code to add a code cell.

   

2. Enter the following script in the code cell:

   EXECUTE sp_execute_external_script @language = N'Python'
       , @script = N'
   a = 1
   b = 2
   c = a/b
   d = a*b
   print(c, d)
   '
   

3. Click Run cell (the round black arrow) or press F5 to run the single cell.

   

4. The result will be shown under the code cell.

   

Run an R script

Follow these steps to run an R script:

1. Click + Code to add a code cell.

   

2. Enter the following script in the code cell:

   EXECUTE sp_execute_external_script @language = N'R'
       , @script = N'
   a <- 1
   b <- 2
   c <- a/b
   d <- a*b
   print(c(c, d))
   '
   

3. Click Run cell (the round black arrow) or press F5 to run the single cell.

   

4. The result will be shown under the code cell.

   

Next steps

• How to use notebooks in Azure Data Studio
• Create and run a SQL Server notebook
• Quickstart: Run simple Python scripts with SQL Server Machine Learning Services
• Quickstart: Run simple R scripts with SQL Server Machine Learning Services