How to use variable-library values in a notebook

[PhilPrentiss]

Within a notebook I would like to retrieve an active variable value from a variable-libary.  It is clear how to update the parameter from a Data Pipeline (as depicted below), but I cannot find a python package and method to do this independently in the notebook.

No problem updating parameter from a Data Pipeline

But I would like to do something like this:

PS: I have seen the REST API method and will use that if necesssary Items - Get Variable Library - REST API (VariableLibrary) | Microsoft Learn

[Element115 · Accepted solution]

In your Notebook, declare the parameter like this (example in PySpark):

dbutils.widgets.text("my_param", "")
my_param_value = dbutils.widgets.get("my_param")
print(f"The pipeline library variable is: {my_param_value}")

or in regular Python cell if not using Spark:

import sys

# Parameters are usually passed as command line args after the script name
# e.g., sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2], etc.
print("Notebook parameters:", sys.argv)

[Element115 · Accepted solution]

In your Notebook, declare the parameter like this (example in PySpark):

dbutils.widgets.text("my_param", "")
my_param_value = dbutils.widgets.get("my_param")
print(f"The pipeline library variable is: {my_param_value}")

or in regular Python cell if not using Spark:

import sys

# Parameters are usually passed as command line args after the script name
# e.g., sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2], etc.
print("Notebook parameters:", sys.argv)

[PhilPrentiss]

I'm looking for a solution specific to the new fabric variable libraries

[v-sgandrathi · Accepted solution]

Hi @PhilPrentiss ,

As of now, the new Microsoft Fabric Variable Libraries do not support direct access from notebooks. This means you cannot retrieve variable values directly using Python code or a built-in SDK method inside a standalone notebook.

The current supported usage is within Data Pipelines, where you can reference variables from the variable library and then pass them as parameters into a notebook activity. Inside the notebook, you can access those parameters using methods like dbutils.widgets.get() in PySpark or sys.argv in standard Python.

So, while a direct method like get_variable() may seem logical, it isn’t available yet. The only reliable workaround is to use a pipeline to pass variable values into your notebook. Microsoft may add direct notebook support in future updates, but for now, this pipeline-based method is the correct and supported approach.

If this solution worked for you, kindly mark it as Accept as Solution and feel free to give a Kudos, it would be much appreciated!

Thank you.