DataStax Python driver

Before using a DataStax driver, review Best practices for DataStax drivers and upgrade or install the latest supported driver for your language. For more details about supported software, see the DataStax Support Policy.

Upgrade your driver to a compatible version to connect to Astra DB databases. For more information, see the DataStax Driver Matrix.

Connect the Python driver

Create a database, and then set environment variables for database ID, region, and keyspace.
Create an application token, and then set a token environment variable.

The token.json has the following format:
```
{
  "clientId": "CLIENT_ID",
  "secret": "CLIENT_SECRET",
  "token": "APPLICATION_TOKEN"
}
```
For authentication with the driver, you can use either clientId and secret or the literal string token and the AstraCS token value. If you are on an older driver version that doesn’t support token and AstraCS, then you might need to use clientId and secret.
Download your database’s Secure Connect Bundle (SCB).
Download and install a supported Python version. Python 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, and 3.8 are supported, and CPython (the standard Python implementation) and PyPy are supported and tested.
Install the DataStax Python driver:
```
pip install cassandra-driver
```
See the Python driver installation instructions for more information.
Verify that the DataStax Python driver installed successfully:
```
python -c 'import cassandra;
print (cassandra.__version__)'
```
Make sure the returned version number is 3.24.0 or later.
Create a connect_database.py file in the main directory for your Python project:
```
cd python_project
touch connect_database.py
```

Enter the following connection code in your script.

Set the cloud_config parameter for the Cluster initialization as shown in the following example. The secure_connect_bundle must include the absolute path to your Astra DB database credentials (secure-connect-DATABASE_NAME.zip).

connect_database.py

from cassandra.cluster import Cluster
from cassandra.auth import PlainTextAuthProvider
import json

with open(ASTRA_TOKEN_PATH, "r") as f:
    creds = json.load(f)
    ASTRA_DB_APPLICATION_TOKEN = creds["token"]

cluster = Cluster(
    cloud={
        "secure_connect_bundle": ASTRA_DB_SECURE_BUNDLE_PATH,
    },
    auth_provider=PlainTextAuthProvider(
        "token",
        ASTRA_DB_APPLICATION_TOKEN,
    ),
)

session = cluster.connect()

Add code to create a Cluster instance to connect to your Astra DB database, run a CQL query, and print the output to the console. You will typically have one instance of Cluster for each Astra DB database that you want to interact with.
connect_database.py
```
row = session.execute("select release_version from system.local").one()
if row:
    print(row[0])
else:
    print("An error occurred.")
```
Save your script, and then run it:
```
python ./connect_database.py
```

DataStax Python driver

Connect the Python driver

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