comet-ml--opik/apps/opik-documentation/documentation/fern/docs/contributing/python-sdk.mdx

---
headline: Python SDK | Opik Documentation
og:description: Learn how to contribute to the Opik Python SDK, enabling seamless
  integration for developers in their Python applications.
og:site_name: Opik Documentation
og:title: Contributing to the Opik Python SDK
title: Python SDK
canonical-url: https://www.comet.com/docs/opik/contributing/guides/python-sdk
---

# Contributing to the Opik Python SDK

The Opik Python SDK is a key component of our platform, allowing developers to integrate Opik into their Python applications seamlessly. The SDK source code is located in the `sdks/python` directory of the main `comet-ml/opik` repository.

<Tip>
  Before you start, please review our general [Contribution Overview](/v1/contributing/overview) and the [Contributor
  License Agreement (CLA)](https://github.com/comet-ml/opik/blob/main/CLA.md).
</Tip>

## Getting Started

<Steps>
  ### 1. Set up Opik Locally
  To develop and test Python SDK features, you'll need a local Opik instance running:

  <Tabs>
    <Tab title="Linux/Mac">
    ```bash
    # From the root of the repository
    ./opik.sh --port-mapping

    # Configure the Python SDK to point to the local Opik deployment
    opik configure --use_local
    ```
    </Tab>
    <Tab title="Windows">
    ```powershell
    # From the root of the repository
    .\opik.ps1 --port-mapping

    # Configure the Python SDK to point to the local Opik deployment
    opik configure --use_local
    ```
    </Tab>
  </Tabs>

  **Note:** The `--port-mapping` flag exposes all service ports (including MySQL on 3306, ClickHouse on 8123, Redis on 6379) which is useful for debugging. The Python SDK routes traffic through the API gateway (nginx) in the frontend service.

  Your local Opik server will be accessible at `http://localhost:5173`.

  <Tip title="Windows Users">
    - Ensure the Python `Scripts` directory (e.g., `C:\Users\<name>\AppData\Local\Programs\Python<version>\Scripts\`) is in your system's PATH for the `opik` CLI command to work after installation. Restart your terminal after adding it.
    - Using a Python virtual environment is highly recommended:
      ```powershell
      # Create a virtual environment
      py -m venv my-opik-env
      
      # Activate it (example path)
      cd my-opik-env\Scripts && .\activate.bat
      
      # Install the SDK in editable mode (adjust path to sdks/python from your current location)
      pip install -e ../../sdks/python 
      
      # Configure the SDK to use your local Opik instance
      opik configure --use_local
      ```
  </Tip>

### 2. Install SDK for Development

Navigate to the `sdks/python` directory (or use the path from your virtual environment setup) and install the SDK in editable mode:

```bash
pip install -e .
```

### 3. Review Coding Guidelines

Familiarize yourself with the [coding guidelines for our Python SDK](https://github.com/comet-ml/opik/blob/main/sdks/python/README.md). This will cover style, conventions, and other important aspects.

### 4. Implement Your Changes

Make your desired code changes, additions, or bug fixes within the `sdks/python` directory.

### 5. Test Your Changes

Testing is crucial. For most SDK contributions, you should run the unit and the end-to-end (e2e) tests:

```bash
cd sdks/python # Ensure you are in this directory

# Install test-specific requirements
pip install -r tests/test_requirements.txt

# Install unit test requirements
pip install -r tests/unit/test_requirements.txt

# Install pre-commit for linting checks (optional but good practice)
pip install pre-commit

# Run unit tests
python3 -m pytest -vv tests/unit/

# Run e2e tests
python3 -m pytest -vv tests/e2e/
```

If you're making changes to specific integrations (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic):

1. Install the integration-specific requirements: `pip install -r tests/integrations/openai/requirements.txt` (example for OpenAI).
2. Configure any necessary API keys for the integration as environment variables or per your test setup.
3. Run the specific integration tests: `python3 -m pytest tests/integrations/openai/` (example for OpenAI).

### 6. Run Linters

Ensure your code adheres to our linting standards:

```bash
cd "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)"
make precommit
```

### 7. Update Documentation (If Applicable)

If your changes impact public-facing methods, parameters, or docstrings, please also update the documentation. Refer to the [Documentation Contribution Guide](/v1/contributing/guides/documentation) for how to update the Python SDK Reference Documentation (Sphinx).

### 8. Submit a Pull Request

Once all tests and checks pass, and any relevant documentation is updated, commit your changes and open a Pull Request against the `main` branch of the `comet-ml/opik` repository. Clearly describe your changes and link to any relevant issues.

</Steps>