Databand (dbnd) is a Python library for MLOps, providing orchestration, monitoring, and debugging capabilities for data pipelines. It allows users to define ML tasks and pipelines, track metadata, and integrate with orchestrators like Apache Airflow. The current version is 1.0.34.1, with releases occurring periodically, though core independent development appears to have slowed following an acquisition by IBM.
pip install dbndVerified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.
This quickstart defines a simple ML pipeline with two tasks using Databand's decorators. It configures the library to output tracking information to the console and demonstrates how to run a pipeline programmatically using `dbnd_context`. For full tracking, a Databand tracking server URL and API key would typically be configured via environment variables or a `dbnd.cfg` file.
Be aware that community support and independent feature velocity might be lower compared to actively developed open-source projects. Ensure your deployment aligns with expected long-term support plans.
If using Airflow, install with `pip install dbnd[airflow]` to ensure all integration components are available.
Establish a clear configuration strategy. For production, centralize settings in `dbnd.cfg` or environment variables. For programmatic local runs, use `dbnd_context` for specific overrides.
For basic local testing or programmatic embedding, direct Python execution is fine. For production or complex orchestrations, prefer the `dbnd run` CLI as it leverages `dbnd`'s full configuration and orchestrator integration capabilities.
Install the Airflow integration package: `pip install dbnd[airflow]`
Enable console tracking via an environment variable: `export DBND__CORE__TRACKER=console` or by creating a `dbnd.cfg` file with `[core] tracker=console`.
Verify the `DBND__CORE__DATABAND_URL` and `DBND__CORE__DATABAND_ACCESS_TOKEN` environment variables or `dbnd.cfg` settings. Ensure the Databand tracking server is operational and accessible from your environment.