Agent skill
azure-identity-py
Azure Identity SDK for Python authentication with Microsoft Entra ID. Use for DefaultAzureCredential, managed identity, service principals, and token caching. Triggers: "azure-identity", "DefaultAzureCredential", "authentication", "managed identity", "service principal", "credential".
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/microsoft/skills/tree/main/.github/plugins/azure-sdk-python/skills/azure-identity-py
SKILL.md
Azure Identity library for Python
Authentication library for Azure SDK clients using Microsoft Entra ID.
Use this skill when:
- An app needs to authenticate to Azure services from Python
- You need
DefaultAzureCredentialfor local dev + Azure deployment - You need
ManagedIdentityCredentialfor Azure-hosted workloads - You need service principal auth with secret or certificate
- You need direct token acquisition with
get_token() - You need to troubleshoot credential chain failures
Installation
pip install azure-identity
For VS Code or broker-based desktop auth:
pip install azure-identity-broker
Python Version
azure-identity supports Python 3.9+.
Environment Variables
# Service principal with client secret
AZURE_TENANT_ID=<your-tenant-id>
AZURE_CLIENT_ID=<your-client-id>
AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET=<your-client-secret>
# Service principal with certificate
AZURE_TENANT_ID=<your-tenant-id>
AZURE_CLIENT_ID=<your-client-id>
AZURE_CLIENT_CERTIFICATE_PATH=/path/to/cert.pem
AZURE_CLIENT_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD=<optional-password>
# Authority (sovereign clouds)
AZURE_AUTHORITY_HOST=login.microsoftonline.com # Default; or login.chinacloudapi.cn, login.microsoftonline.us
# User-assigned managed identity
AZURE_CLIENT_ID=<managed-identity-client-id>
# Credential selection (new)
AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=dev|prod|<credential-name> # Optional, restricts DAC chain
DefaultAzureCredential
The recommended credential for most scenarios. Tries multiple authentication methods in order:
from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential
from azure.storage.blob import BlobServiceClient
# Works in local dev AND production without code changes
credential = DefaultAzureCredential()
client = BlobServiceClient(
account_url="https://<account>.blob.core.windows.net",
credential=credential
)
Credential Chain Order
See DefaultAzureCredential overview for the current credential chain order and defaults.
Customizing DefaultAzureCredential
# Exclude credentials you don't need
credential = DefaultAzureCredential(
exclude_environment_credential=True,
exclude_shared_token_cache_credential=True,
managed_identity_client_id="<user-assigned-mi-client-id>" # For user-assigned MI (also accepts object ID or resource ID)
)
# Enable interactive browser (disabled by default)
credential = DefaultAzureCredential(
exclude_interactive_browser_credential=False
)
# Set subprocess timeout for CLI-based credentials (default: 10s)
credential = DefaultAzureCredential(process_timeout=30)
# Require AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS env var to be set
credential = DefaultAzureCredential(require_envvar=True)
Exclude Parameters
| Parameter | Default | Effect |
|---|---|---|
exclude_environment_credential |
False | Skip env-var-based auth |
exclude_workload_identity_credential |
False | Skip Kubernetes workload identity |
exclude_managed_identity_credential |
False | Skip managed identity |
exclude_shared_token_cache_credential |
False | Skip shared token cache |
exclude_visual_studio_code_credential |
False | Skip VS Code credential |
exclude_cli_credential |
False | Skip Azure CLI |
exclude_powershell_credential |
False | Skip Azure PowerShell |
exclude_developer_cli_credential |
False | Skip Azure Developer CLI |
exclude_interactive_browser_credential |
True | Skip interactive browser |
exclude_broker_credential |
False | Skip WAM broker |
get_bearer_token_provider
Helper that wraps a credential into a callable returning a bearer token string. Essential for OpenAI SDK and other non-Azure-SDK clients:
from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential, get_bearer_token_provider
credential = DefaultAzureCredential()
token_provider = get_bearer_token_provider(
credential, "https://cognitiveservices.azure.com/.default"
)
# Use with OpenAI SDK
from openai import AzureOpenAI
client = AzureOpenAI(
azure_endpoint="https://<resource>.openai.azure.com/",
azure_ad_token_provider=token_provider,
api_version="2024-10-21",
)
Credential Types
Credential Chains
| Credential | Use Case |
|---|---|
DefaultAzureCredential |
Most scenarios — auto-detects environment |
ChainedTokenCredential |
Custom credential chain with explicit ordering |
Azure-Hosted Applications
| Credential | Use Case |
|---|---|
EnvironmentCredential |
Auth via AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET / AZURE_CLIENT_CERTIFICATE_PATH env vars |
ManagedIdentityCredential |
Azure VMs, App Service, Functions, AKS, Arc, Service Fabric |
WorkloadIdentityCredential |
Kubernetes with Microsoft Entra Workload ID |
Service Principals
| Credential | Use Case |
|---|---|
ClientSecretCredential |
Service principal with client secret |
CertificateCredential |
Service principal with PEM/PKCS12 certificate |
ClientAssertionCredential |
Service principal with signed JWT assertion |
AzurePipelinesCredential |
Azure Pipelines with workload identity federation |
OnBehalfOfCredential |
Middle-tier on-behalf-of flow (delegated user identity) |
User Authentication
| Credential | Use Case |
|---|---|
InteractiveBrowserCredential |
Interactive browser OAuth sign-in |
DeviceCodeCredential |
Headless/SSH device code flow |
AuthorizationCodeCredential |
Previously obtained authorization code |
Developer Tools
| Credential | Use Case |
|---|---|
AzureCliCredential |
az login |
AzureDeveloperCliCredential |
azd auth login |
AzurePowerShellCredential |
Connect-AzAccount |
VisualStudioCodeCredential |
VS Code Azure Resources extension |
Specific Credential Examples
ManagedIdentityCredential
For Azure-hosted resources (VMs, App Service, Functions, AKS):
from azure.identity import ManagedIdentityCredential
# System-assigned managed identity
credential = ManagedIdentityCredential()
# User-assigned managed identity (client_id, object_id, or resource_id)
credential = ManagedIdentityCredential(
client_id="<user-assigned-mi-client-id>"
)
# Also valid:
# credential = ManagedIdentityCredential(object_id="<object-id>")
# credential = ManagedIdentityCredential(resource_id="<resource-id>")
ClientSecretCredential
import os
from azure.identity import ClientSecretCredential
credential = ClientSecretCredential(
tenant_id=os.environ["AZURE_TENANT_ID"],
client_id=os.environ["AZURE_CLIENT_ID"],
client_secret=os.environ["AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET"],
)
CertificateCredential
Note: The class is
CertificateCredential, NOTClientCertificateCredential.
from azure.identity import CertificateCredential
# From file path
credential = CertificateCredential(
tenant_id="<tenant-id>",
client_id="<client-id>",
certificate_path="/path/to/cert.pem",
)
# From bytes with password
credential = CertificateCredential(
tenant_id="<tenant-id>",
client_id="<client-id>",
certificate_data=cert_bytes,
password="<cert-password>",
send_certificate_chain=True, # Required for SNI auth
)
AzureCliCredential
from azure.identity import AzureCliCredential
credential = AzureCliCredential()
# With tenant restriction
credential = AzureCliCredential(tenant_id="<tenant-id>")
ChainedTokenCredential
Custom credential chain:
from azure.identity import (
ChainedTokenCredential,
ManagedIdentityCredential,
AzureCliCredential,
)
# Try managed identity first, fall back to CLI
credential = ChainedTokenCredential(
ManagedIdentityCredential(client_id="<user-assigned-mi-client-id>"),
AzureCliCredential(),
)
WorkloadIdentityCredential
For Azure Kubernetes Service with workload identity:
from azure.identity import WorkloadIdentityCredential
# Reads from AZURE_TENANT_ID, AZURE_CLIENT_ID, AZURE_FEDERATED_TOKEN_FILE
credential = WorkloadIdentityCredential()
# Or explicit configuration
credential = WorkloadIdentityCredential(
tenant_id="<tenant-id>",
client_id="<client-id>",
token_file_path="/var/run/secrets/azure/tokens/azure-identity-token",
)
DeviceCodeCredential
For headless devices (IoT, SSH, CLI tools):
from azure.identity import DeviceCodeCredential
credential = DeviceCodeCredential()
# Prints device code prompt to stdout by default
# With custom prompt callback
def prompt_callback(verification_uri, user_code, expires_on):
print(f"Go to {verification_uri} and enter code {user_code}")
credential = DeviceCodeCredential(
client_id="<client-id>",
prompt_callback=prompt_callback,
)
InteractiveBrowserCredential
For interactive OAuth browser sign-in:
from azure.identity import InteractiveBrowserCredential
credential = InteractiveBrowserCredential()
# With specific tenant and client
credential = InteractiveBrowserCredential(
tenant_id="<tenant-id>",
client_id="<client-id>",
)
OnBehalfOfCredential
For middle-tier services propagating user identity:
from azure.identity import OnBehalfOfCredential
credential = OnBehalfOfCredential(
tenant_id="<tenant-id>",
client_id="<client-id>",
client_secret="<client-secret>",
user_assertion="<access-token-from-client>",
)
AzurePipelinesCredential
For Azure DevOps pipelines with workload identity federation:
import os
from azure.identity import AzurePipelinesCredential
credential = AzurePipelinesCredential(
tenant_id="<tenant-id>",
client_id="<client-id>",
service_connection_id="<service-connection-id>",
system_access_token=os.environ["SYSTEM_ACCESSTOKEN"],
)
Getting Tokens Directly
from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential
credential = DefaultAzureCredential()
# Get token for a specific scope
token = credential.get_token("https://management.azure.com/.default")
print(f"Token expires: {token.expires_on}")
# For Azure Database for PostgreSQL
token = credential.get_token("https://ossrdbms-aad.database.windows.net/.default")
Async Credentials
Async credentials are in azure.identity.aio. Always close them or use async with:
from azure.identity.aio import DefaultAzureCredential
from azure.storage.blob.aio import BlobServiceClient
async def main():
# Preferred: use async context manager for both credential and client
async with DefaultAzureCredential() as credential:
async with BlobServiceClient(
account_url="https://<account>.blob.core.windows.net",
credential=credential,
) as client:
# ... async operations
pass
The async
get_bearer_token_provideris atazure.identity.aio.get_bearer_token_provider.
Sovereign Clouds
Use AzureAuthorityHosts or the AZURE_AUTHORITY_HOST env var:
from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential, AzureAuthorityHosts
# Azure Government
credential = DefaultAzureCredential(authority=AzureAuthorityHosts.AZURE_GOVERNMENT)
# Azure China
credential = DefaultAzureCredential(authority=AzureAuthorityHosts.AZURE_CHINA)
| Constant | Authority |
|---|---|
AzureAuthorityHosts.AZURE_PUBLIC_CLOUD |
login.microsoftonline.com (default) |
AzureAuthorityHosts.AZURE_GOVERNMENT |
login.microsoftonline.us |
AzureAuthorityHosts.AZURE_CHINA |
login.chinacloudapi.cn |
Persistent Token Caching
Opt-in disk-based caching with TokenCachePersistenceOptions:
from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential, TokenCachePersistenceOptions
credential = DefaultAzureCredential(
cache_persistence_options=TokenCachePersistenceOptions()
)
# Allow unencrypted fallback (NOT recommended for production)
credential = DefaultAzureCredential(
cache_persistence_options=TokenCachePersistenceOptions(allow_unencrypted_storage=True)
)
Storage: Windows (DPAPI), macOS (Keychain), Linux (Keyring).
Multi-Tenant Support
Allow token acquisition for additional tenants beyond the configured one:
from azure.identity import ClientSecretCredential
credential = ClientSecretCredential(
tenant_id="<home-tenant>",
client_id="<client-id>",
client_secret="<secret>",
additionally_allowed_tenants=["<other-tenant>", "*"], # "*" allows any tenant
)
Error Handling
from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential, CredentialUnavailableError
from azure.core.exceptions import ClientAuthenticationError
credential = DefaultAzureCredential()
try:
token = credential.get_token("https://management.azure.com/.default")
except CredentialUnavailableError:
# No credential in the chain could attempt authentication
pass
except ClientAuthenticationError as e:
# Authentication was attempted but failed
# e.message contains details from each credential in the chain
pass
Logging
Enable authentication logging for debugging:
import logging
# Enable verbose Azure Identity logging
logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
logger = logging.getLogger("azure.identity")
logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
# Or via environment variable
AZURE_LOG_LEVEL=debug
Credential Selection Matrix
| Environment | Recommended Credential |
|---|---|
| Local Development | DefaultAzureCredential (uses Azure CLI) |
| Azure App Service | DefaultAzureCredential (uses Managed Identity) |
| Azure Functions | DefaultAzureCredential (uses Managed Identity) |
| Azure Kubernetes Service | WorkloadIdentityCredential |
| Azure VMs | DefaultAzureCredential (uses Managed Identity) |
| CI/CD Pipeline | EnvironmentCredential or AzurePipelinesCredential |
| Desktop App | InteractiveBrowserCredential |
| CLI / Headless Tool | DeviceCodeCredential |
| Middle-tier Service | OnBehalfOfCredential |
Best Practices
- Use
DefaultAzureCredentialfor code that runs locally and in Azure - Never hardcode credentials — use environment variables or managed identity
- Prefer managed identity in production Azure deployments
- Use
get_bearer_token_providerfor non-Azure-SDK clients (OpenAI, REST APIs) - Use
ChainedTokenCredentialwhen you need a custom credential order - Close async credentials — use
async with credential:context manager - Set
AZURE_CLIENT_IDfor user-assigned managed identities (object ID and resource ID are also valid identifiers) - Exclude unused credentials to speed up
DefaultAzureCredentialauthentication - Use
CertificateCredential(notClientCertificateCredential— that name doesn't exist) - Enable
cache_persistence_optionsfor long-running services to reduce token requests - Reuse credential instances — same credential can be shared across multiple clients
Reference Links
| Resource | URL |
|---|---|
| PyPI Package | https://pypi.org/project/azure-identity/ |
| API Reference | https://learn.microsoft.com/python/api/azure-identity |
| GitHub Source | https://github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-python/tree/main/sdk/identity/azure-identity |
| Credential Chains | https://aka.ms/azsdk/python/identity/credential-chains |
Recommended Agent Skills
Expand your agent's capabilities with these related and highly-rated skills.
podcast-generation
Generate AI-powered podcast-style audio narratives using Azure OpenAI's GPT Realtime Mini model via WebSocket. Use when building text-to-speech features, audio narrative generation, podcast creation from content, or integrating with Azure OpenAI Realtime API for real audio output. Covers full-stack implementation from React frontend to Python FastAPI backend with WebSocket streaming.
mcp-builder
Guide for creating high-quality MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers that enable LLMs to interact with external services through well-designed tools. Use when building MCP servers to integrate external APIs or services, whether in Python (FastMCP), Node/TypeScript (MCP SDK), or C#/.NET (Microsoft MCP SDK).
frontend-design-review
Review and create distinctive, production-grade frontend interfaces with high design quality and design system compliance. Evaluates using three pillars: frictionless insight-to-action, quality craft, and trustworthy building. USE FOR: PR reviews, design reviews, accessibility audits, design system compliance checks, creative frontend design, UI code review, component reviews, responsive design checks, theme testing, and creating memorable UI. DO NOT USE FOR: Backend API reviews, database schema reviews, infrastructure or DevOps work, pure business logic without UI, or non-frontend code.
entra-agent-id
Microsoft Entra Agent ID (preview) for creating OAuth2-capable AI agent identities via Microsoft Graph beta API. Covers Agent Identity Blueprints, BlueprintPrincipals, Agent Identities, required permissions, sponsors, and Workload Identity Federation. Includes Microsoft Entra SDK for AgentID (containerized sidecar) for polyglot agent authentication (Docker/Kubernetes), 3P agent integration, autonomous and interactive agent patterns. Triggers: "agent identity", "agent id", "Agent Identity Blueprint", "BlueprintPrincipal", "entra agent", "agent identity provisioning", "Graph agent identity", "entra sidecar", "agent id sidecar", "auth sidecar", "3P agent", "third-party agent identity", "polyglot agent auth".
github-issue-creator
Convert raw notes, error logs, voice dictation, or screenshots into crisp GitHub-flavored markdown issue reports. Use when the user pastes bug info, error messages, or informal descriptions and wants a structured GitHub issue. Supports images/GIFs for visual evidence.
copilot-sdk
Build applications powered by GitHub Copilot using the Copilot SDK. Use when creating programmatic integrations with Copilot across Node.js/TypeScript, Python, Go, or .NET. Covers session management, custom tools, streaming, hooks, MCP servers, BYOK providers, session persistence, custom agents, skills, and deployment patterns. Requires GitHub Copilot CLI installed and a GitHub Copilot subscription (unless using BYOK).
Didn't find tool you were looking for?