---
title: "Python driver for SQL Server"
description: "Connect to a SQL Database using Python on Windows, Linux, or macOS."
author: David-Engel
ms.author: v-davidengel
ms.date: "03/24/2022"
ms.prod: sql
ms.technology: connectivity
ms.topic: conceptual
---

# Python SQL driver

:::image type="icon" source="../../includes/media/download.svg" border="false"::: [Install SQL driver for Python](../sql-connection-libraries.md#anchor-20-drivers-relational-access)

You can connect to a SQL Database using Python on Windows, Linux, or macOS.  
  
## Getting started

There are several python SQL drivers available. However, Microsoft places its testing efforts and its confidence in **pyodbc** driver. Choose one of the following drivers, and configure your development environment:

* [Python SQL driver - pyodbc](pyodbc/python-sql-driver-pyodbc.md)
* [Python SQL driver - pymssql](pymssql/python-sql-driver-pymssql.md)
  
## Documentation

For documentation, see [Python documentation at Python.org](https://www.python.org/doc/).  
  
## Community

* [Azure Python Developer Center](https://azure.microsoft.com/develop/python/)  
* [python.org Community](https://www.python.org/community/)  
  
## Next steps

Explore samples that use Python to connect to a SQL database in the following articles:
 
* [Create a Python app in Azure App Service on Linux](/azure/app-service/containers/quickstart-python?tabs=bash)
* [Getting Started with Python on Windows](https://www.microsoft.com/sql-server/developer-get-started/python/windows/)
* [Getting Started with Python on macOS](https://www.microsoft.com/sql-server/developer-get-started/python/mac/)
* [Getting Started with Python on Ubuntu](https://www.microsoft.com/sql-server/developer-get-started/python/ubuntu/)
* [Getting Started with Python on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)](https://www.microsoft.com/sql-server/developer-get-started/python/rhel/)
* [Getting Started with Python on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)](https://www.microsoft.com/sql-server/developer-get-started/python/sles/)