# azure-storage-file-share-py

Guides your coding agent on using the Azure SMB file share Python SDK. Helpful for cloud-native workflows and lift-and-shift migrations.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, GitHub Copilot · 1 install · ★ 3149
- Author: Microsoft
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/microsoft/skills/tree/HEAD/.github/plugins/azure-sdk-python/skills/azure-storage-file-share-py/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/azure-storage-file-share-py

## What it does

This skill provides reference patterns for the `azure-storage-file-share` Python library. It shows the agent how to create shares, inspect directory trees, and stream large files with chunk processing. Recipes cover range downloads, file copying between endpoints, and managing share snapshots.

The guidance enforces `DefaultAzureCredential` over raw connection strings. Clients must sit inside context managers to release network sockets cleanly. The code will fail immediately if the `AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL` environment variable is not defined before execution.

## Requirements
- Works with: Azure

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add microsoft/skills --skill azure-storage-file-share-py -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/azure-storage-file-share-py/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/azure-storage-file-share-py/

### Codex

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/azure-storage-file-share-py/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/azure-storage-file-share-py/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install microsoft/skills azure-storage-file-share-py
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/azure-storage-file-share-py/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/microsoft/skills --path .github/plugins/azure-sdk-python/skills/azure-storage-file-share-py
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/azure-storage-file-share-py/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/microsoft/skills/tree/HEAD/.github/plugins/azure-sdk-python/skills/azure-storage-file-share-py/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- connect to Azure File Share using `DefaultAzureCredential`
- stream large file transfers in chunks to avoid memory spikes
- take snapshot backups before batch modifications
- manage nested directory structures on remote SMB shares

## Example prompts
- Write an async Python function to stream a file to an Azure file share
- Create a snapshot for my Azure share named documents
- Show how to read a byte range from a remote file using ShareFileClient

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 9d02140acd1a9308.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 9d02140acd1a9308
````text
---
name: azure-storage-file-share-py
description: |-
  Azure Storage File Share SDK for Python. Use for SMB file shares, directories, and file operations in the cloud.
  Triggers: "azure-storage-file-share", "ShareServiceClient", "ShareClient", "file share", "SMB".
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: Microsoft
  version: "1.0.0"
---

# Azure Storage File Share SDK for Python

Manage SMB file shares for cloud-native and lift-and-shift scenarios.

## Installation

```bash
pip install azure-storage-file-share
```

## Environment Variables

```bash
AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL=https://<account>.file.core.windows.net  # Required for Entra ID auth
AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=prod # Required only if DefaultAzureCredential is used in production
```

## Authentication & Lifecycle

> **🔑 Two rules apply to every code sample below:**
>
> 1. **Prefer `DefaultAzureCredential`.** It works locally (Azure CLI / VS Code / Developer CLI) and in Azure (managed identity, workload identity) with no code change. Avoid connection strings, account/API keys — they bypass Entra audit and rotation.
>    - Local dev: `DefaultAzureCredential` works as-is.
>    - Production: set `AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=prod` (or `AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=<specific_credential>`) to constrain the credential chain to production-safe credentials.
> 2. **Wrap every client in a context manager** so HTTP transports, sockets, and token caches are released deterministically:
>    - Sync: `with <Client>(...) as client:`
>    - Async: `async with <Client>(...) as client:` **and** `async with DefaultAzureCredential() as credential:` (from `azure.identity.aio`)
>
> Snippets may abbreviate this setup, but production code should always follow both rules.

```python
from azure.storage.fileshare import ShareServiceClient
from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential, ManagedIdentityCredential

# Local dev: DefaultAzureCredential. Production: set AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=prod or AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=<specific_credential>
credential = DefaultAzureCredential(require_envvar=True)
# Or use a specific credential directly in production:
# See https://learn.microsoft.com/python/api/overview/azure/identity-readme?view=azure-python#credential-classes
# credential = ManagedIdentityCredential()

with ShareServiceClient(
    account_url=os.environ["AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT_URL"],
    credential=credential
) as service:
    # Use service here (see following sections for operations)
    ...
```

## Share Operations

### Create Share

```python
share = service.create_share("my-share")
```

### List Shares

```python
for share in service.list_shares():
    print(f"{share.name}: {share.quota} GB")
```

### Get Share Client

```python
share_client = service.get_share_client("my-share")
```

### Delete Share

```python
service.delete_share("my-share")
```

## Directory Operations

### Create Directory

```python
share_client = service.get_share_client("my-share")
share_client.create_directory("my-directory")

# Nested directory
share_client.create_directory("my-directory/sub-directory")
```

### List Directories and Files

```python
directory_client = share_client.get_directory_client("my-directory")

for item in directory_client.list_directories_and_files():
    if item["is_directory"]:
        print(f"[DIR] {item['name']}")
    else:
        print(f"[FILE] {item['name']} ({item['size']} bytes)")
```

### Delete Directory

```python
share_client.delete_directory("my-directory")
```
````
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